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Richard Wiech enjoys a cup at House of Coffees, on Ham Lane in Lodi. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

Coffee culture in Lodi

By Lauren Nelson
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Richard and Rose Mary Wiech have been going to House of Coffees since before it moved to its corner location in the Lakewood Mall. They sit near the wall lined with French presses, colorful vintage-style fans, unique coffee mugs and other trinkets, chatting and people watching.

House of Coffees, Java Stop, Coffees Etc. and Starbucks are the foundation of Lodi's coffee culture. Places like Tillie's, Scooter's and Panera offer specialty coffee drinks to go with their sandwiches and salads.

Lodi's coffee culture may not be at the level of some college cities such as Chico, Berkeley or even Sacramento, but it still exists.

In Lodi, groups of students don't often sit in coffee shops until midnight, typing away at pristine Apple laptops as they prepare for midterms. Nor are coffee shops known as hubs for artists, musicians and writers who yearn to share their creativity with others like themselves.

Lodi coffee shops offer something different for early risers and longtime residents.

Places like House of Coffees have become spots for regulars to sit and talk with some of the same people they see every day. For Wilma Trujillo, it is a place for her and her small Pomeranian dog, Chancy, to sit outside and sip black coffee or iced water as they keep an eye on the goings on of Ham Lane and Lakewood Shopping Center.

"Coming here is like seeing an old friend," Trujillo said, in a thick French and German accent. "Everybody talks to me and we have a lot of fun."

Sometimes the dining area is crowded, and other times, she is the only customer. Either way, she is happy. With a drive-through coffee bar and a sitting area modeled after a winery, Java Stop owner Bob Casalegno is ready and waiting for coffee people to sit for hours on their computers, using the free Wi-Fi he offers. While cars flood in and out of his drive-through parking lot during the morning coffee rush, the dining area is often quiet.

Coffee shops in Lodi seem to have two primary functions: To provide the pre-work cup of joe and a place to catch up with friends and family members.

Peter Pirnejad, planning manager for the city of Lodi, does both. He's a regular at Tillie's, where he orders a regular coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. Around noon on a recent workday, Pirnejad ordered at the pastry-filled glass counter and sat down with a co-worker for a meeting. If he's in town on the weekends, he says he often stops in for an iced blended mocha.

Smaller coffee shops are faced with the challenges of offering a variety of quality coffee, an atmosphere that makes customers want to return and providing wireless Internet access.

At House of Coffees, across the street from a Starbucks set to be completed this year, customers joke that no one will want to show their faces if they visit the new chain coffee shop.

"We're not going to worry about people crossing the street," Trujillo said.

A small chain that first sprouted with its several shops in Long Beach is It's A Grind Coffee House in Galt. As one of the only free wireless Internet providers in Galt, it is popular for all age groups in the evenings and on the weekends. Pets are welcomed on the outside patio area and the coffee shop provides dogs with It's A Grind doggie bowls of cold water.

For people like Richard Wiech, drinking his morning hot chocolate in the wicker rocking chair at House of Coffees is a ritual he enjoys and doesn't plan to give up.

Experience local coffee culture

House of Coffees, 239 N. Ham Lane, (209) 368-2611. Hours: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
Java Stop, 321 S. Hutchins St., (209) 369-9381. Hours: 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Coffees, Etc., 1040 W. Kettleman Lane, (209) 365-1775. Hours: 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Tillie’s Coffee, Tea, Etc., 21 W. Pine Ave., (209) 365-6644. Hours: 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Closed Sunday.
Scooter’s, 121 W. Elm Ave., (209) 369-8100. Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
Starbucks, 111 N. School St., (209) 368-9672. Hours: 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
Starbucks, 2431 W. Kettleman Lane, (209) 366-0457. Hours: 4:30 a.m.-midnight on weekdays, 5 a.m.-1 a.m. weekends.
Starbucks, 1139 E. Kettleman Lane, (209) 366-2964. Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday, 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Starbucks, 224 N.Ham Lane, (209) 368-4579.
Panera, 2533 E. Kettleman Lane, (209) 367-1322. Hours: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.
It’s A Grind, 10420 Twin Cities Road, Galt; (209) 744-9770 Hours: 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. weekend.
Cafe Latte Co., 1000 C St., Galt; (209) 745-7158. Hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m., 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends.
Texas Mudpit, 1067 C St., Galt; (209) 744-1131. Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Mugzzz, 14083 E. Highway 88, Lockeford; (209) 727-5454. Hours: 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.