Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Esselstrom.
Hi Justin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Kansas but moved to San Diego when I was 11 years up. I grew up in southeast San Diego where my parents still live to this day. I have a deep love for this city. San Diego is my home.
After I graduated college in 2014 with a degree in cultural anthropology. I spent a year in El Salvador teaching at a bilingual middle school. In El Salvador, I became friends with someone who worked at a coffee farm and grow to really appreciate the process of coffee. My dream was to start a business that could have a positive impact on my hometown of San Diego and the ideas started turning in regards to what it would look like to start a coffee shop.
On returning to the U.S. I took an intro barista job and started applying myself to learning the craft. In 2016 with a little bit of startup capital from commercial fishing in Alaska, my grandfather and I built a mobile coffee cart. I launched my business that fall as a coffee catering pop-up, and Genteel was born. The mobile gig-based model was a good way to get started with limited resources, but ultimately inconsistent and physically taxing.
In 2017 I was offered the opportunity to partner in opening a mixed-use space in East Village, called Jst Commons. In East Village is where I really started to gain momentum as a brand and where my ability to run a business truly was tested. During these 3ish year, we were able to really lean into the identity of being a space for the community. It was a 4000 square foot warehouse so we were able to host a lot of cool events and collaborations.
With Covid hitting in early 2020 we couldn’t use our inside space anymore; so, when our lease ended in the summer of 2020, we couldn’t justify resigning. Knowing I wasn’t done with Genteel, I pressed on. Deciding to pivot to roasting while I searched for a new home for our shop. I took an apprenticeship with another local coffee roast and began learning that side of the business.
When we finally reopened our new brick-and-mortar shop in North Park, we were able to come back stronger than ever. Being able to roast for ourselves and control another aspect of the process upped our game and allowed us to grow into being a coffee wholesale provider as well.
We’ve been open in North Park for over a year now, which was our best financial year to date. I won first place in the Let’s Roast roasters competition put on by the San Diego Coffee Network. We now have a number of wholesale customer and are looking to grow that number in the next year. It’s been a long journey, but I finally can say Genteel is living into my dream of a space for our neighbor. On any given day you can pop in and find a large variety of people brushing shoulders, enjoying their day. We are frequently collaborating with other small businesses and local artist and it’s amazing to see our community take ownership of this little thing I build as “their spot.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It‘s definitely not been a smooth road!
From the very beginning, I had to overcome the financial hurdle of starting a business. I started small with a mobile coffee cart because that’s all I could afford and have slowly reinvested any money I’ve made in growing the business. It’s still not much, but it’s something I’m super proud of.
In the beginning, I was just a one-man show. So, a lot of long hours open to close, inventory runs DIY maintenance, not to mention all the business administration tasks.
Spending 3 years growing our shop in East Village just to have it ripped away from us, because of a global pandemic was so hard. When the search for a new location keep turning up dead ends, and I had little money coming in I almost gave up.
As you know, we’re big fans of Genteel Coffee. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Genteel is a locally owned small business. We focus on using the art of tea and coffee to bridge the gap between neighbors. We believe that creating a space where people feel known will overflow into our community and foster meaningful, in-person relationships. This emphasis on the relational sets us apart from other hospitality spaces because we invite our community into what we are doing and don’t just treat them like a customer. Somehow, I’ve been blessed with the most genuine team of baristas that embody this ethos, and claim ownership over the genteel ideals of community. We are constantly looking for ways to collaborate with our neighbors through pop-ups, art installations, and any other way we can highlight their passions. There’s a unique pulse in our shop that beats “community,” you kind of have to just be here to understand it. Come spend an hour in our cozy space or enjoy our outdoor patio garden that will remind you of a cafe in Europe and you’ll begin to understand what I’m talking about.
Genteel means, “respectable” and our logo the fox, which has been a symbol in many cultures as a sign of a challenge to come, is meant to encourage our neighbors to treat everyone with respect no matter who they are. We are making craft beverages here, but our goal is to make everyone feel welcome. Genteel is a place to be known and a place to know others.
I personally roast all our coffee. We serve all single-origin coffees, with a regularly rotating menu. We focus on serving high-quality, ethically sourced products, and strive to have a hand in as much of the process as possible. We source all our teas from my in-laws who own a premium tea importation company. I have a great coffee-sourcing trip to Mexico planned for February in hopes to cultivate a meaningful relationship with specific producers.
Due to our rotating single-origin coffee menu, we get a lot of coffee purists who religiously stick to our traditional options: espresso, cappuccino, cortado, and filtered coffee options.
We also have a good selection of other options. Our home made chai tea and lavender tea lattes are fan favors. We also have three signature sweetened lattes, that consist of uniquely flavored in-house syrups. Our most popular one is called the Foxtrot, it’s a house-made syrup with cardamom, cinnamon, and a hint of orange extract. It’s well-balanced with a complex fall spice vibe that checks all the boxes when it comes to something sweet but doesn’t overpower the coffee itself.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The most helpful thing that I’ve found that keeps me living my best life is good mentorship and relationships. There are so many people out there who have done what you are doing or have experiences that you can learn from. I try to honor every relationship I have, listen to good advice, and not be afraid to ask for help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://genteelcoffee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genteelcoffee/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genteelcoffee/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOF0Cp-ZEhc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/genteel-coffee-san-diego-5
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@genteelcoffee
Image Credits
Omar David
Zack Buras
Raphael Umphres
