KING CITY — A new coffee shop named Hestia is in the works for downtown King City, and will be owned and operated by local mother-and-daughter team Kelly Green and Sierra Stamps.
The location is currently under construction along the 300 block of Broadway Street.
Green and Stamps described their coffee shop as a business that will bring coffee, specialty drinks, baked pastries and a light lunch menu to the downtown area.
“The café is easily accessible to both locals and passersby looking for that unique ‘not your run-of-the-mill’ coffee shop,” Stamps said. “We intend to keep the shop simple and fresh with clean lines thus creating a welcoming atmosphere for customers of all ages.”
The shop currently has no exact opening date, as the owners had expected to open earlier in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic, which put construction on hold.
“We are hoping to be open before the end of this year, but like a lot of new business owners, we anticipate road bumps and hurdles to have to deal with along the way,” Stamps said. “Other than the delay in construction we’ve experienced to this point, and as long as we are able to open for takeout and outdoor seating, we do not anticipate any other delays due to the pandemic. But, again, this could all change in the blink of an eye, so we just keep plugging along and remain optimistic for a 2020 opening.”
According to Green, Stamps has extensive knowledge as a barista in a busy coffee shop in Paso Robles, an area supported by a high tourist economy.
“As a barista in this shop, she developed a trust and friendship with her customers and got to know her regulars on a first-name basis,” Green said about her daughter’s experience. “This close relationship with customers is what we intend to bring to our café here in downtown King City.”
Stamps added, “It is fun when you see someone walk through the door and just know what they want. Your ‘regulars’ become like a little family. I think if anything that is what we will strive for to separate us from that corporate name.”
Green has a background with the California Department of Corrections, bringing 30 years of business knowledge to the partnership.
“We are particularly excited about the plans for a new coffee house in the King City downtown,” said Steve Adams, King City’s city manager. “It is common for successful downtowns to have a nice coffee house where people can come to meet and gather.”
The downtown location along Broadway puts the coffee shop directly in the center of town rather than right off the highway.
“We seem to hear more and more that when people are traveling, they like to seek out those small little coffee shops to support rather than big box or corporate names,” Green said. “With the city putting efforts in to sprucing up the downtown area, we believe our shop will help to showcase the improvements. We really wanted to give locals a nice spot to come and enjoy their breaks or morning get-togethers.”
Adams hopes the new business will also become a focal point for downtown and a regular meeting place for professional and social gatherings.
“Our overall goal is to bring more people to the downtown to make it a more vibrant and pedestrian-oriented commercial area,” he said.
The city has directed efforts toward attracting more restaurants, retail shops and visitor-friendly businesses to improve the downtown experience.
“Our goals at this time have been both to help businesses survive the Covid-19 period, as well as to position King City and our local businesses to come back quickly and strong when we get through the pandemic,” Adams said. “Progress has slowed over the past several months due to Covid-19, but we are hoping to begin seeing more results soon.”
