This article was published in Issue 4 of the Mirador.
Just a few stops into County Connection’s route from school, across the street from Orinda Park, and directly under the Contra Costa County Library lays the beloved Cafe Teatro: a locally owned and run cafe serving smooth Illy coffee and decadent savory sandwiches.
Due to its convenient location, it gets a surplus of students looking for a group study session spot or a brain break. Beyond the student clientele, they get customers that have been going for decades! Joe Cho, the owner, bought the place 20 years ago on his mission to own a business. With no prior experience in the food service or coffee industry, he took a leap of faith and chose the cafe. “I didn’t have any background or knowledge of coffee, but I thought it was easy enough to take over,” Cho said.
Despite his choice to open an “easier” business to manage, he explained that the hardest part of owning a business like Cafe Teatro is the hidden challenges or unexpected complications during basic operations. Cho described that his most recent challenge has been hiring the right staff. In December, they were looking for a couple of extra hands and ended up receiving a little under 100 applicants, which took lots of time and energy to sort through in order to find the perfect fit. “It also takes time to train people. Sometimes they stay long enough but sometimes they just move on,” Cho said.
Like many other cafes, this small coffee shop is more than its lattes and snacks; it serves as an example of what each business relationship, no matter the circumstances, should strive for: connection, reliability, and care. “I’ve gone every day since school started in August so it’s safe to say I’m a regular,” self-proclaimed Teatro connoisseur and junior James Giquinto said. “Most of the employees know my name and order and we’ll chat while I wait.” Running a small business can be difficult, but in a small town like Orinda, community is truly the key to a business’s success. “We’ve been here for over 20 years and a lot of customers treat us as their friend, sometimes family,” Cho said.
Although Cho humbly admitted that he’s not qualified to give advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs, he left us with some insight: “It’s really important to have good people around you. Good people, good business.”
