Caitlin Trude | Contributing Writer
The scent of brewing organic coffee and the youthful, artistic vibe penetrate the air at Klatch Coffee in San Dimas. Occupied almost entirely by college-age adults hidden behind laptop screens and espresso cups, Klatch Coffee is clearly the hub for students cramming for midterms, and is a much less crowded substitute to the more populated Starbucks cafes.
Junior international business major Jenn Simental used to frequent Starbucks before becoming a regular to Klatch Coffee. After hearing about the coffeehouse from multiple APU students, Simental began coming to Klatch Coffee at the beginning of the fall semester.
“I come here a lot to study, draw, and hang out,” Simental said, adding that Klatch Coffee grew as a better alternative to Starbucks over time. “To be honest, I would get headaches from Starbucks coffee.”
Founded in 1993, Klatch Coffee Inc., takes pride in its search for the perfect blend of coffee. According to the their site, it is continually “buying from the top one percent of beans available” and “roasts in small batches to ensure optimum flavor and freshness.” Klatch Coffee also maintains relationships with the Fair Trade organization which involves working with private and family coffee farms around the world.
Klatch Coffee provides a colorful array of beverage items, ranging from the classic hot coffee to the Blue Thunder Blend, Belle Espresso, and Indian Summer Blend.
The environment of Klatch Coffee caters to coffee enthusiasts, the studious as well as the artistic customers, and free spirits simply looking for a good cup of joe. For Simental, Klatch Coffee appeals to both her bookish and creative sides.
Simental describes the café as having a “cool” atmosphere. “I think their art it pretty cool, because I’m an artist; they change it up so it’s interesting to look at it.”
Offbeat sketches and murals line the walls of the coffeehouse, and even the seats are artfully designed. The coffeehouse combines a contemporary artistic feel within its classic coffee shop setting. Mellow indie music sounds softly from the speakers as customers come in to study, socialize, or just soak in the scene. Even the friendly barristas behind the counter seem to radiate the Klatch Coffee charm.
The Klatch Coffee in San Dimas is located on 806 West Arrow Highway in Suite A. It is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.