Love Coffee Bar, located in the Sunset Park neighborhood, is a specialty coffee concept. They partner with passionate, creative California based coffee roasters, tea artisans, designers, creators and storytellers. Coffee Director, Darrell Baskin, chooses coffee roasters who understand the importance of traceability in the coffee supply chain.
Love Coffee developed and implemented an official Environmental Policy incorporating the above eco-procurement guidelines into employee orientation and training. They source coffee from direct trade producers that pay workers a fair wage. In line with Santa Monica’s Sustainable Food Commitment, they provide several non-dairy options like oat and almond milk. Love Coffee procured paper straws - offered only upon request - well before Santa Monica passed the revised Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance. They also provide tree-free stir sticks made of pasta instead of wood.
Love Coffee baristas use precise measuring for preparing beverages so zero liquids are wasted. To further reduce waste they:
- encourage customers to bring in reusable cups for refilling
- serve beverages in reusable cups, sell mugs, and stainless steel straws
- stock reusable cleaning cloths and towels using a linen service.
- collect and compost spent coffee grounds
Most of the café’s furniture is vintage or repurposed such as church pews, a vintage airport bench and school stools.
To celebrate Earth Day, Love Coffee gives away their spent coffee grounds to customers. The benefit of using coffee grounds as a fertilizer for gardens is that it adds organic material to the soil, which improves drainage, water retention, and aeration. The used coffee grounds can help microorganisms thrive as well as attract earthworms.
