Do you think Sacramento needs an upscale cafe/bar? (Roseville: home, neighborhood)

[tiger2352]

I realized most the of the coffee shops and bars in Sac have the same "style". For ex. peet's coffee and starbucks are supposingly upscale but i don't like how you get the coffee in a paper cup (unless you ask for glass) and the chairs and tables feel "cheap". And the environment is relaxing and quiet. I also don't like how everything is fast paced, some starbucks don't even have more than 3-4 tables, they expect you to take the coffee and go. And there's no waiter to come and take your order from your table.

I was thinking to open a store that serves coffee during the day and becomes a bar during the night. Something upscale with djs playing music, funky lighting, funky decoration maybe a place where people can go dancing as well. It will be completely different that what americans are used to. Maybe allow smoking indoors in designated areas, have nice furniture (sofas instead of metal chairs and tables) and professional bartenders and djs.

I'm not talking about a club, that's a completely different thing. More like an upscale cafe/bar where parents can go with their kids as well, and serve non alcoholic coctails etc as well.

Would something like this work in Sacramento?

[wburg]

If you think coffee shops in Sacramento are strictly limited to Starbucks and Peet's, you haven't been downtown. There are a lot of nice, unique cafes in Sacramento, some of which also sell beer and wine. Look at the Naked Lounge, Coffeeworks, Tuli Bistro, Javalounge, Old Soul/Weatherstone, Temple Coffee (both locations), Butch N Nellie's, Coffee Garden, Vintage Cafe. None have waiters, but most are characterized by non-plastic tables and chairs, a comfortable sit-down atmosphere. Some of them also feature bands and/or DJs. (note: Some of these are not downtown or midtown--Tuli and Coffeeworks are in East Sac, Coffee Garden is in Curtis Park.)

Sacramento is home to the original Java City location at 17th & Capitol, they are still a pretty decent cafe and have been there for 25 years. Sacramento has always had a lot of good cafes, from the 1980s and 1990s when we had places like Pava's, Cafe Med, Capitol Garage, True Love Coffeehouse, No Jive Java etcetera, to the present day.

Smoking indoors is illegal in California, there is absolutely no way you could do that.

I think the only coffee shop that has a full bar is Capitol Garage's new location on 15th and K (they were originally on 15th and L, where Ma Jong's is now) but now they are mostly a lunch spot during the day and a bar at night.

So, while your idea isn't exactly unique, to the United States or to Sacramento, I wouldn't want to discourage you from trying it out. AIn fact, if you did it right and did provide something unique, you could really make a mark. If you stayed open late (we have a real shortage of places that are open late that aren't strictly bar/nightclub type places) and had good coffee (we're coffe snobs here, you will need killer baristas) it would be good to see more of a place like you describe. And having waiters would be kind of cool.

I would encourage you to check out the places I have listed, both to see what we do have here and what you might add to the mix.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by wburg

If you think coffee shops in Sacramento are strictly limited to Starbucks and Peet's, you haven't been downtown. There are a lot of nice, unique cafes in Sacramento, some of which also sell beer and wine. Look at the Naked Lounge, Tuli Bistro, Javalounge, Old Soul/Weatherstone, Temple Coffee (both locations), Butch N Nellie's, Coffee Garden, Vintage Cafe. None have waiters, but most are characterized by non-plastic tables and chairs, a comfortable sit-down atmosphere. Some of them also feature bands and/or DJs. (note: Some of these are not downtown or midtown--Tuli is in East Sac, Coffee Garden is in Curtis Park.)

Sacramento is home to the original Java City location at 17th & Capitol, they are still a pretty decent cafe and have been there for 25 years. Sacramento has always had a lot of good cafes, from the 1980s and 1990s when we had places like Pava's, Cafe Med, Capitol Garage, True Love Coffeehouse, No Jive Java etcetera, to the present day.

Smoking indoors is illegal in California, there is absolutely no way you could do that.

How about if it is a "membership only" private establishment?

I recall back east that establishments could establish a "membership" requirement, usually a nominal fee, and then not be subject to some restrictions such as allowing indoor smoking.

Just a thought.

[edwardius]

Where something like that might work would be in the older historic part of Roseville. That neighborhood wants to become more of local destination for those types of activities. The Roseville area has the demographics to make something like that work. You have the wealthier stay at home mom's looking for a diversion and you have larger population of people looking for another place to eat at night and more stuff to do.

Roseville is still probably underserved by upscale restaurants. If you were to do something like that I would look at Roseville, possibly Granite Bay - that region.