Aptos Coffee Roasting Company Forced to Close

By Noel Smith

The owner of the Aptos Coffee Roasting Company, Bronson Baker, was sent a “30-Day Notice Of Termination of Tenancy” effective August 31, 2018. The notice was signed by Jill Raffee of the Raffee Law Group in San Diego, CA representing TRC, the owner of the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center.

The notice of termination on behalf of TRC reads in part, “The Lease requires you to surrender the Premises in good and “broom clean” condition and repair upon termination (See Lease, §37). Please make the necessary arrangements with the Landlord to surrender the Premises in said condition on or before August 31, 2018.”

According to Bronson’s Daughter, Sarah de Sousa, TRC had “kept us hanging on for over a year.” The Aptos Coffee Shop Owner had informed TRC management several times over the past year that they were willing to invest in the business in order to keep their lease but had not received any response to their offers.

“There was no negotiation,” said de Sousa, “We were blind-sided by this sudden out-of-the-blue notice of termination. After over 30 years of being in this location (since 1987) and part of the community of Aptos, we now have just until August 31 to vacate.”

They will be looking for another location in Aptos said de Sousa but they will have to relocate and lay off some of their 15 employees, most of whom are young people just starting out, because there is no way they can find another place, move and begin operations before August 31.

“We can only speculate on why TRC decided to terminate our lease but please let everyone know that Aptos Coffee Roasting will continue to be a gathering place here in Aptos serving our friends and customers,” said de Sousa, “We’ll let you know where this will be as soon as we can.”

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Editor’s Note: Times Publishing Group, Inc. reached out to TRC, which has chosen not to make a comment at this time.