Apparently, Cocaine Bear had a little brother, Coffee Bear.
Officially, he’s Bear Coast Coffee in Laguna Beach. This is the third store by the San Clemente-based coffee den. There is another in Dana Point.
Located at 1391 S Coast Hwy., it’s a squeaky clean, minimalist store that underwent a complete remodel by Dornin Investment Group. There’s lots of light, exposed infrastructure and hard white plastic chairs.
Interestingly, you could almost throw a frisbee and hit the beloved, quirky Koffee Klatch across the street.
In Laguna terms, Bear Coast Coffee is to Koffee Klatch as The Taco Stand is to Taco Loco – or was.
New versus old. Formula versus character.
Bear Coast Coffee is fine. The coffee is actually very good. The ambiance … meh. Maybe they will soften up over time and get, well, a little more snuggly.
To be fair, Bear Coast Coffee is by no means a big, anonymous chain. Founded in 2014 by Jeff Clinard, the company’s values seem authentic and local.
“It would be easier to roast inexpensive coffees, use store-bought sugary syrups, use almond milks made in huge factories with preservatives and fillers, and hire minimal staff who’s only goal is to keep the line moving and make sales,” they write on their website. “All of that would be easier and definitely cost us less. But we chose to do things better.
“We make all sauces and flavorings in-house. Including our lavender-infused caramel, nutmeg-accented vanilla, and dark chocolate ganache. All of these sauces compliment the coffee rather than over-power it. We also make fresh almond milk every single day.”
So there’s that. The adjacent new liquor store is similarly proper and functional.
Perhaps, come summer, the sheen will wear off just a bit, and the Laguna vibe will start to take hold.
Let’s hope.
