Coffee Merchant Doesn't
Mind the Daily Grind

Instead of working a regular job, Southwestern college student Luis Valenzuela runs the family business with his dad and younger brother.

You can smell it as soon as you enter Kobey’s Swap Meet’s main entrance: the dark, fragrant aroma of coffee, ground fresh on the premises while customers wait.

Valenzuela’s business, San Diego Coffee Merchant, offers 15 varieties of locally roasted Arabica coffee beans and at least 29 flavored coffees using beans from Columbia. Most of their beans are imported directly from Colombia, but roasted at their warehouse locally in San Diego. Besides Columbian, they also offer coffee from Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala and Brazil as well as a Kona blend.

The Valenzuela’s have been grinding coffee for a growing number of regular clients at Kobey’s for the past five years in space B16 Saturday and Sunday. In addition to their Kobey’s retail location, the San Diego Coffee Merchant wholesales their brand of java to downtown coffee shops, as well as those in Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito in Baja, Mexico. Luis Valenzuela says his next goal is to open his own coffee shop.

San Diego Coffee Merchant prices are a little lower than what you’d expect to pay for quality gourmet coffee, $5 for 1/2 lb. or $9 per pound.

A little about coffee’s origins. Coffee beans grown in Columbia, Kenya and most of Central America are known in the industry as washed Arabica. Arabica beans are considered higher quality, and are identified with mild, yet potent, gourmet coffees. This coffee is usually shade grown. Robustas, grown in Africa and Asia under sun, produce coffee higher in caffeine and acidity. Robusta beans are used in the production of most common name-brand, canned coffee sold at the grocery store.

The San Diego Coffee Merchant recommends storing your fresh ground coffee in an air-tight container in the fridge once you get it home. Coffee gases off many of its flavor compounds after it’s ground and oils in coffee beans will oxidize more quickly if left out. Storing coffee correctly will help keep it fresher and better tasting longer.

Satisfy your coffee cravings at the San Diego Coffee Merchant in space

B16 every Sat. and Sun.

Article from September, 2003 Issue of Kobey's Magazine.
Prices and items subject to change.