Temple Coffee, a fixture on 10th Street since 2005, moved a block on Wednesday to Ninth Street, where it will have a more open, modern feel, but little else will change.
The move from 1014 10th St. to 1010 Ninth St. was something owner Sean Kohmescher said he had been looking to do for some time, saying the old space didn’t fit the needs of the coffee bar.
“The design of the (new) space is set up much more for conversations and engagement,” Kohmescher said, adding that the old space felt cramped.
Also bigger, at about 2,000 square feet compared to the old location’s 1,450 square feet, the newer one gives a more open feel. Both seat about 60 people, but the feeling in the new building is more spacious.
“It’s a lot cleaner feeling,” he said. “It’s more modern and fits in more with what Temple is about.”
The old coffee bar shut down on Saturday, and the move was done on Sunday and Monday, with final inspections on Tuesday.
A grand reopening ceremony will be held Saturday, with free coffee and tea, and art shown by painter Ilah Rose Cookston.
Trees felled more than five years ago just a few blocks away were made into tables, which now dominate the interior. Concrete flooring and clean lines, as well as spaces to hang artwork, are the major differences customers will notice from the previous address.
“It has a real community feel,” said Manager Shannon Loudon. “There’s a lot more foot traffic here, and a lot of our regulars live in the lofts upstairs, so they’re happy to see us in the new building.”
She added that a larger patio seating area that will be built in the next week will be railed off and give customers the option to sit inside or outside.
Electrical outlets are provided for the six seats fronting the Ninth Street floor-to-ceiling windows, and wireless Internet will be free once it is installed Thursday.
Regular customer Chester Randle, 61, said Tuesday that he often comes to Temple Coffee on his breaks from his state job.
“The service is fantastic, and the coffee tastes better than Starbucks,” he said, adding that he is glad the coffee bar moved to a location that is still close to walk, and that he will continue to go there.
Another customer, 52-year-old Henry Tavalaro, said he lives next door to the old location and frequented it, but he will still patronize the new location.
“I hope it’s a good move,” he said. “I know they’ve been wanting a bigger place.”
The new space had lain empty before Temple Coffee moved in, and Building Manager Anthony Reda said he thinks the coffee bar will be a good fit.
“Temple is a very well-known coffee and tea shop here in downtown Sacramento,” he said. “Our building is in an area that is about bringing the old and the new together and bringing Sacramento forward with revitalization.”
Temple is now located at 1010 Ninth St. Its hours are 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. every day.
Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.
