Has it really been 10 years since Classic Coffee opened in Glendora Village?
Even Lois
Sparling – who owns it with husband Fred Sparling and son Jonathan Lambert, who
is the café’s general manager – can’t believe it.
 |
| Classic Coffee owners Fred and Lois Sparling and Jonathan Lambert |
Back in March
2000 Lois and Fred opened the Classic Auto Gallery that attracted lots of car
collectors and enthusiasts to gather each Saturday morning.
“Fred
suggested that it would be nice to have some coffee for them on Saturdays,”
Lois recalled, “and we came up with the idea of opening a little coffee shop
with a classic car theme.”
What came
next was a year of research into everything and anything about coffee,
architecture and interior design.
“We learned
people aren’t attracted to shiny, hard surfaces,” Lois said, so out went the
idea of a car-themed café. “They are more attracted to earthtones and wood
surfaces,” and those were the first steps to what Classic Coffee would become
today.
 |
| College students study, business people meet, friends gather at Classic Coffee in Glendora Village |
The family
sampled coffee at independent coffee houses from San Diego to San Francisco,
she recalled, and learned what worked and what didn’t from owners. And they
weren’t bothered by the huge success of Starbucks, she said, in fact they were
grateful to the chain for “getting the coffee culture going.”
They went
to coffee trade shows, which gave them opportunities to sample different kinds
of coffee and other products. One of those products was chai, which Shannon,
Jonathon’s girlfriend at the time and now his wife particularly recommended.
They
sampled many different chais until they settled on David Rio Chai and won’t
change it.
Not only do
Lois, Fred and Jonathon serve quality beverages, snacks and pastries, they also
serve the community whenever they can.
Jonathan
started Jacob’s Well, a coffee service to area churches that buy coffee at a
reduced price and Classic Coffee leases the equipment and trains church staff
members to serve the coffee.
Classic
Coffee also provides coffee to schools, to the Great Trivia Challenge and
various school group booster clubs.
“We love
being part of Glendora and really feel God has blessed us,” Lois said. “We want
to pass those blessings along whenever we can.”
Lois, Fred
and Jonathon have some plans to celebrate Classic Coffee’s anniversary,
officially taking place the weekend of May 16-18:
·
There will be an Instagram and email photo
contest – "Where Has Classic Coffee Taken You?" People can submit pictures of themselves and
a Classic Coffee cup at some location.
Submissions go to info@classiccoffeeca.com or on Instagram use
#whereCCtakesme
·
“Classic
Coffee 10th Anniversary” lanyards and “Powered by Classic Coffee” stickers will
by given away
·
Classic Coffee Anniversary Hats will be worn by
baristas and will be for sale to the public.
Classic Coffee is located at 148 N.
Glendora Ave., Glendora, CA 91741. For information, call (626) 335-3313.
