Career
JoEllen Depakakibo in
San Francisco, CA (Bernal Heights)
Nothing creates a sense of community quite like a neighborhood coffee shop, and Pinhole Coffee in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, is no different in this sense. Pinhole Coffee is not only the local favorite, but is also featured as a top coffee spot and a go-to destination on various online websites. JoEllen shares, “Why do I I have this business? The foundation of it is based on connecting with people and helping them to a positive day, where hopefully they can affect another person by being positive.” Her commitment to hospitality is something she learned from her coffee roots at Intelligentsia and at Blue Bottle, where she honed her craft from the West Coast to the East Coast. JoEllen has grown from being the curious student, to the skillful barista, to the community-conscious and coffee connoisseur entrepreneur she is today. I Admire U JoEllen for your dedication to art, coffee, and people, and for celebrating Pin Hole Coffee’s one year anniversary last month. Congratulations!
Referred By: Jen and Joey Dapakakibo
Referred By: Jen and Joey Dapakakibo
JoEllen in her own words...
1. Your coffee roots began in Chicago where you used to study and work at Intelligentsia Coffee in Lakeview. Did you have dreams back then of opening your own coffee shop?
I remember in high school in my creative writing class my teacher gave us an assignment where she started it out for us “I WANT…” I remember writing, "I WANT…a coffeeshop filled w/ artists and performers.” Back then I didn’t drink coffee, but was more attracted to environment, space and wanted to surround myself w/ urban artists. I grew up 45 mins Northwest of Chicago proper, and (while I was in high school) would drive to Wicker Park and sit on one of the many couches in a cigarette smoke filled café called Local Grind (later turned Filter). Something about having a space that brought together “cool people” attracted me. Three to four years later I started working for Intelligentsia Coffee, which has been around since 1995. At that point I was in college and thought I was going to work in the music business, non-profits or join the Peace Corps…the coffee job at Intelligentsia was an interest of course but it was mainly for income, it wasn’t a concentrated focus on “I’m going to work here as a stepping stone to open my own shop for the future.”
2. What about your Intelligentsia Coffee experience made you hungry to grow your coffee knowledge?
Before working at Intelligentsia Coffee, my first coffee gig was at Barnes & Noble Café which “Proudly serves Starbucks.” They never gave me proper training, and I must have been so bad that I distinctly remember one customer saying to me, “Can that other barista make my coffee?”…referring to my co-worker. Intelligentsia Coffee in Lakeview was a place I would study, and since my current job was not flowing well I decided to apply to them. Months passed by when finally Marcus Boni of Intelli hired me! At the interview I remember ordering a cappuccino, and at the end I secretly threw it out because I was so use to sweet syrupy drinks and this tasted like coffee. From there I went through my first mindful coffee trainings of where coffee comes from, the connection with farmers, the processes coffee goes through, the science behind the bean, understanding palate, how to do latte art etc.
I remember in high school in my creative writing class my teacher gave us an assignment where she started it out for us “I WANT…” I remember writing, "I WANT…a coffeeshop filled w/ artists and performers.” Back then I didn’t drink coffee, but was more attracted to environment, space and wanted to surround myself w/ urban artists. I grew up 45 mins Northwest of Chicago proper, and (while I was in high school) would drive to Wicker Park and sit on one of the many couches in a cigarette smoke filled café called Local Grind (later turned Filter). Something about having a space that brought together “cool people” attracted me. Three to four years later I started working for Intelligentsia Coffee, which has been around since 1995. At that point I was in college and thought I was going to work in the music business, non-profits or join the Peace Corps…the coffee job at Intelligentsia was an interest of course but it was mainly for income, it wasn’t a concentrated focus on “I’m going to work here as a stepping stone to open my own shop for the future.”
2. What about your Intelligentsia Coffee experience made you hungry to grow your coffee knowledge?
Before working at Intelligentsia Coffee, my first coffee gig was at Barnes & Noble Café which “Proudly serves Starbucks.” They never gave me proper training, and I must have been so bad that I distinctly remember one customer saying to me, “Can that other barista make my coffee?”…referring to my co-worker. Intelligentsia Coffee in Lakeview was a place I would study, and since my current job was not flowing well I decided to apply to them. Months passed by when finally Marcus Boni of Intelli hired me! At the interview I remember ordering a cappuccino, and at the end I secretly threw it out because I was so use to sweet syrupy drinks and this tasted like coffee. From there I went through my first mindful coffee trainings of where coffee comes from, the connection with farmers, the processes coffee goes through, the science behind the bean, understanding palate, how to do latte art etc.
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3. When you moved to San Francisco you got a job at Blue Bottle, when Blue Bottle only had a few employees and only had one location, compared to the twenty-two locations they now have. Looking back, what does it feel like knowing you were part of the beginnings of such a prestigious coffee establishment? What did you learn that you now use at Pinhole Coffee?
I started at Blue Bottle August 8, 2006; I stopped working at Intelligentsia August 4, 2006. I found out about Blue Bottle because Jay Cunningham, who is still at Intelligentsia, told me that I should check out this one coffee company in the Bay Area that makes coffee out of garage. I tried to research the company and the only information I could find was from yelp w/ 50 reviews. Anywho, I got in contact with them and had a phone interview while I was in Chicago and James Freeman was in Oakland. Blue Bottle started in 2002 and only did Farmers’ Markets until they opened the Hayes Valley Kiosk (garage) in 2005. He was looking for someone to head their Farmers’ Markets and gave that position to Jared Morrison who is now the founder of Sightglass Coffee. I was hired a month after him. I reminisce a lot about the beginning days of Blue Bottle because we were such a tight crew. We would work 12 hour farmers’ market days loading the truck, serving coffee, unloading the truck, cleanup and for a while we would all still hang out with each other after later in the evening. It was a very good time, and a perfect initiation for just moving to the Bay Area. In addition, working farmers’ markets connected me with so many people in the food industry that I am still friends with today. It’s that connection with that certain community where you feel the necessary support to open a food/beverage business in the Bay Area. These days especially, it’s not easy here. When I was working at Blue Bottle, the three things that were embedded in my mind was a focus on hospitality, sustainability and deliciousness, and my goal was to carry that over to Pinhole Coffee.
4. You rocked it out at Blue Bottle, so much so that Blue Bottle moved you to New York to open their New York locations. You were promoted to Head Retail Manager for all the New York locations for a year. How did your time in New York prepare you for entrepreneurship?
That time from 2012-2013 was a rocky time in my personal life and being in NY then definitely gave me strength to climb out of what I was dealing with, and to focus on self-strengthening. Blue Bottle sent me to NY to help the current NY locations that they just opened (Chelsea, Rockefeller, TriBeCa). Folks in NY are definitely direct, fast and determined. The team I was managing was just like the team I worked with in the Bay Area except w/ that added directness, speed and determination. Going into the situation I was pretty vulnerable, but as time progressed the realization that everything is about intentions clicked, what is my goal and what do I need to accomplish that. Saying this in my head allowed me to pertain that to not just work, but to life. I too became more direct and determined. Funny enough, I never really heard my Chicago accent until I started living in NY as I also started talking a lot louder and faster. NY definitely gave me the strength and self-esteem to say “I think I’m ready to open Pinhole Coffee.”
"It made me ask myself, what is my intention for doing this…and I said to myself that it is to manifest a positive space, to make people’s day, to inspire and be inspired."
5. After returning to Blue Bottle in California, you started exploring the idea of finding your own space and opening your own coffee place. How did you decide you were ready to take the leap? How did you overcome any moments of doubt?
When I was in NY I actually read about Nervous Dog, a café in SF, shuttering. I talked to Joe who owned the business and he was excited about my business plan. I was in SF a few months later and looked at the space; it seemed like everything was moving forward. I gave a two months notice to Blue Bottle with plans to move back to the Bay Area, and luckily at that time Vanessa Mowell who was the Head Retail Manager for the Bay Area was going on her maternity leave right when I was moving back. With that said, I took over for her position in the Bay Area which was a smooth transition back to San Francisco. I was always honest with Blue Bottle about my future goals, and they’ve always been supportive. This all happened in 2013, but I remember talking one on one with James Freeman in 2010, which he gave me a lot of advice and told me stories about his beginnings. In the end, the Nervous Dog space fell through but it brought me to the neighborhood of Bernal Heights that I knew nothing about. This is the neighborhood that Pinhole Coffee resides.
6. You had incredible people in your corner while building Pinhole Coffee. With architects from BCooperative and a contractor from Kotas Construction, Pinhole went from being a vision to a welcoming and artistic space. What were some obstacles you overcame to get to the point of opening your doors? What did you learn about yourself during the construction process?
I’m thankful that finding the people I worked with was easy, everything truly flowed into place. Ben Frombgen of B-Cooperative was a friend I knew from Blue Bottle. His office was in the architect firm right above Blue Bottle in Hayes Valley. We didn’t see each other for years when we were reconnected right when I needed an architect for our space. I still remember the initial meeting we had w/ my color’d pencil design. The owner of my building is Lauren Haynes who luckily also owns her own plumbing company called Piccolo Plumbing behind our space, we have the best plumbing in town! She brought in her contractor Jason Kotas who is amazing. As far as obstacles, our building is from the 1880’s. It hasn’t been in operation for decades. One of the biggest obstacles was getting our space ADA compliant. The last few months we were literally waiting for our ADA compliant door to be installed. From there was the domino effect of getting our permits approved. Another obstacle was being the new kid on the block of a pretty established old school community. The local blog called Bernalwood announced we were opening up in the space and majority of comments were “Really? Another coffee shop.” It made me ask myself, what is my intention for doing this…and I said to myself that it is to manifest a positive space, to make people’s day, to inspire and be inspired.
When I was in NY I actually read about Nervous Dog, a café in SF, shuttering. I talked to Joe who owned the business and he was excited about my business plan. I was in SF a few months later and looked at the space; it seemed like everything was moving forward. I gave a two months notice to Blue Bottle with plans to move back to the Bay Area, and luckily at that time Vanessa Mowell who was the Head Retail Manager for the Bay Area was going on her maternity leave right when I was moving back. With that said, I took over for her position in the Bay Area which was a smooth transition back to San Francisco. I was always honest with Blue Bottle about my future goals, and they’ve always been supportive. This all happened in 2013, but I remember talking one on one with James Freeman in 2010, which he gave me a lot of advice and told me stories about his beginnings. In the end, the Nervous Dog space fell through but it brought me to the neighborhood of Bernal Heights that I knew nothing about. This is the neighborhood that Pinhole Coffee resides.
6. You had incredible people in your corner while building Pinhole Coffee. With architects from BCooperative and a contractor from Kotas Construction, Pinhole went from being a vision to a welcoming and artistic space. What were some obstacles you overcame to get to the point of opening your doors? What did you learn about yourself during the construction process?
I’m thankful that finding the people I worked with was easy, everything truly flowed into place. Ben Frombgen of B-Cooperative was a friend I knew from Blue Bottle. His office was in the architect firm right above Blue Bottle in Hayes Valley. We didn’t see each other for years when we were reconnected right when I needed an architect for our space. I still remember the initial meeting we had w/ my color’d pencil design. The owner of my building is Lauren Haynes who luckily also owns her own plumbing company called Piccolo Plumbing behind our space, we have the best plumbing in town! She brought in her contractor Jason Kotas who is amazing. As far as obstacles, our building is from the 1880’s. It hasn’t been in operation for decades. One of the biggest obstacles was getting our space ADA compliant. The last few months we were literally waiting for our ADA compliant door to be installed. From there was the domino effect of getting our permits approved. Another obstacle was being the new kid on the block of a pretty established old school community. The local blog called Bernalwood announced we were opening up in the space and majority of comments were “Really? Another coffee shop.” It made me ask myself, what is my intention for doing this…and I said to myself that it is to manifest a positive space, to make people’s day, to inspire and be inspired.
"With all that said, the most I am proud of is to be an outlet for other people which I think is the meaning of life…to be a resource for one another in order to sustain positive energy."
7. You are a successful female entrepreneur. You have created a popular neighborhood location with a sense of community. What about your Pinhole Coffee journey are you the most proud about?
We house so many creatives in our space, I’ve already seen those talents connect beyond our coffee shop. Leah Rosenberg who is the artist behind our “rainbow wall,” was flown to Hamburg to do an art installation in a shipping container coffee shop called Entenwerder1 Café after they were connected to her via our Instagram page. Our ceramicist Mitsuko Siegrist of Tsuchikara Pottery gets numerous special orders now for her ceramics. In addition, we are connecting our customers to smaller coffee roasters across the country that we carry as well. With all that said, the most I am proud of is to be an outlet for other people which I think is the meaning of life…to be a resource for one another in order to sustain positive energy.
8. Your career path has taken you from a Barista to an Owner. What nugget of advice would you share with a woman who is working the full-time grind with hopes to break away and start her own business?
Advice to anyone is to really know what your intentions are. If the intentions are for the greater good, beyond yourself, you will succeed.
We house so many creatives in our space, I’ve already seen those talents connect beyond our coffee shop. Leah Rosenberg who is the artist behind our “rainbow wall,” was flown to Hamburg to do an art installation in a shipping container coffee shop called Entenwerder1 Café after they were connected to her via our Instagram page. Our ceramicist Mitsuko Siegrist of Tsuchikara Pottery gets numerous special orders now for her ceramics. In addition, we are connecting our customers to smaller coffee roasters across the country that we carry as well. With all that said, the most I am proud of is to be an outlet for other people which I think is the meaning of life…to be a resource for one another in order to sustain positive energy.
8. Your career path has taken you from a Barista to an Owner. What nugget of advice would you share with a woman who is working the full-time grind with hopes to break away and start her own business?
Advice to anyone is to really know what your intentions are. If the intentions are for the greater good, beyond yourself, you will succeed.
9. I’m curious, what’s next for you?
Pinhole Coffee turns 1, September 12th, I dream about opening another location wherever that may be. But, I’ve learned that it is best to focus on the current rather than looking too far in the future.
10. I Admire U, who do you admire?
Cortland Avenue is the main commercial strip in Bernal Heights. It is amazing to see how many woman-owned businesses are on our street, so grateful I can be among these folks: Angela Wilson of Avedanos, Stacie Pierce of Little Bee Bakery, Darcy Lee of Heartfelt, Karen Wiener of the New Wheel.
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