Roasters v. Roastery

Earlier this year, Teapod lowered its garage-style door on the downtown corner of Tamalpais and San Anselmo Avenue for good.

What will replace the defunct teahouse? A coffee shop, of course!

Within the next few months, San Anselmo caffeine enthusiasts will have a choice between sipping their cappuccinos at the Coffee Roasters or...the Coffee Roastery.

Is there a difference?

If you ask Deborah London, she'll give you an emphatic "Yes!" London and her husband, Kelly, are the owners of The Coffee Roastery in Fairfax, as well as this new coffee shop The Coffee Roastery in San Anselmo. They were the original owners of what is now known as the The Coffee Roasters or Marin Coffee Roasters down the street in San Anselmo. Confused? You should be.

Let's start at the beginning.

In 1979, Deborah and Kelly London opened The Coffee Roastery in San Carlos. Shops in Menlo Park and Palo Alto subsequently followed before the Londons decided to relocate to Marin County. They brought the business with them and opened their Mill Valley shop in 1986. A year later, The Coffee Roastery opened in San Anselmo.

Many local residents recall that sweet little cafe on San Anselmo Avenue with fondness. It was quaint and sophisticated at the same time, with a large front window that let the sun pour in. I drank many a cinnamon dusted hot chocolate on the patio of the lush, brick-walled garden in the back. It was the family and yuppie-friendly alternative to the edgy and smoky punk former Caffe Nuvo across the street.

The Londons sold the San Anselmo branch of The Roastery a year later in order to open their first shop in San Francisco. When it was sold, the purchase agreement stipulated that the new owners change the name of the business, which they did. To The Coffee Roasters. 

Twenty-three years of confusion have followed.

The Londons decided not to litigate over the matter; a decision they regret to this day. 

"For twenty years, we've been explaining that we're not the same business as The Coffee Roasters," said Deborah London. "We're the originals. Whatever they do over there - it reflects on us. And it hasn't always been good."

Over the next few years Deborah and Kelly opened and sold several Roastery locations in San Francisco and Marin. Coffee had become good business by the 1990s and they were enjoying the benefits of the strong brand they had created for themselves. In 2001, they took some time away from coffee to start a family. But, they quickly returned.

In 2007, in a strange and circular turn of events, the Londons bought what was knows as The Coffee Roasters in Fairfax from owner Ed Walls. They made some much-needed improvements to the cafe (including the current ornate exterior) and re-opened as The Coffee Roastery. They planned to re-buy the San Anselmo branch from Walls soon thereafter and return it to the original name as well. That plan never materialized for reasons they didn't care to discuss. The Marin Coffee Roasters was later sold to current owner Timothy Mock.

When Teapod closed earlier this year, the Londons approached building owner David and Victoria Egan about opening another Roastery location in the space. They're currently in the process of transforming the space from modern minimalist to a European art nouveau aesthetic. Though aware that some residents may assume The Roastery are the new kids in town, they're keeping the original name and considering posting an informational history out front to set straight any misconceptions.

"From the roaster to your cup" is London's motto, as the shop roasts its own coffee and offers a fresh product. "We have a real strength in creating great atmosphere with great service and a place for the community to gather."

Besides coffee, espresso and tea, they'll serve light fare such as pastries and bagels. In the coming months, London hopes to churn out Straus Creamery soft serve as well.

Since no coffee shop in Marin could possibly survive without a loyal touring clientele, The Roastery will also offer indoor bicycle racks for those who want to keep an eye on their wheels (London says she's seen many a Fairfax cyclist take their pricy ride into the bathroom with them), as well as additional racks outside.

Monday night, the City Planning Department approved a new permit for outdoor seating and awnings, but denied a permit for outdoor vertically hanging bicycle racks, citing it would interfere with the public right of way.

Timothy Mock, current owner of Marin Coffee Roasters, is optimistic the Roasters and the Roastery can co-exist.

"I don't want to say much because there's a lot of history involved. But if they bring business downtown that's good for everyone. They're doing their own thing and we're doing our own thing. I'm not worried," he said.

And coffee-lovers throughout San Anselmo and Fairfax aren't worried about the bountiful roasts coming their way. Though, it appears, tea-lovers are out in the cold for now.