Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company

Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. was founded on April 1 1978 by student Colleen Crosby and her fiancé Bronson Baker. Inspired by a love of coffee and an econometric study, they built the first coffee roaster in Santa Cruz at the “Top of the Mall” on Pacific Avenue. Within a year they invented the BrewBar™, a hand‑poured coffee method that drew lines of customers eager for the freshest cup. The couple’s commitment to quality and innovation led to further growth and the founding of the Aptos Coffee Roasting Company. After the original location was destroyed in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, they roasted from their garage until opening a spacious café at 1330 Pacific Avenue in the historic Palomar Arcade. Today Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. continues to roast small batches of 100 % Arabica beans, maintains strong relationships with growers and emphasizes sustainability, fair trade and social responsibility.