Today we’d like to introduce you to Gene Padigos.
Hi Gene, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, I started working as a barista out of high school in 1997 at Hill St Coffee in Oceanside and Pannikin in Encinitas. After a few other jobs from fine dining service to sound designing in videogames, me and my wife decided to buy our own cafe in 2012 in North Park.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smoothish yes. A lot of learn as you go, but we roll with the punches and improvise, especially after covid and starting a business from scratch.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Subterranean Coffee?
In a nutshell, we are Subterranean “coffee. A welcoming place of whimsical artwork, 90s music culture, & vintage furniture. It’s a place to get good food to go or spend an hour finishing a work project. I roast my own coffee and make and bake some yummy Filipino-inspired pastries and sandwiches.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Listening to my dad’s vinyl in the 80s. Or watching Twin Peaks when it first aired on television.
Contact Info:
- Website: Subterraneancoffee.com
- Instagram: Subterraneancoffee_northpark
