At age 22, Crown Point Coffee owner Summer Abu-Zahrah moved from Michigan to the West Coast with no set plan, but with the driven, entrepreneurial spirit of “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” It was during her job at Crown Point Coffee that she learned to make everything with love, and she eventually took over the business.
“When I first took over the shop, I really listened to the peoples’ demands and asked what they thought would be good in this area,” says Abu-Zahrah. After remodeling the coffee shop with new countertops, small cosmetic updates, extending the patio, and expanding the menu, the business took off. “We went from just a few customers throughout the day to about 10 times the amount of customers the first year,” Abu-Zahrah says.
Serving as a local Crown Point community hub for the last 10 years, Abu-Zahrah says one of the most fun parts is seeing the families grow from year to year. “A lot of these homes and families have been here since the beginning so we’ve gotten to see the kids grow up. Some are in college now, high school, or turning 10 years old,” says Abu-Zahrah. “It’s kind of like the place where everyone knows your name and you feel comfortable.”
Abu-Zahrah attributes the coffee shop’s success to a combination of high-quality goods and impeccable customer service. “We offer a service that there is a demand for, but we also put a smile behind it,” she says. “We make people feel like this is their spot, locals or tourists alike.”
In today’s technologically driven society, coffee-grabbers often tend to grab a cup of Joe at their closest coffeeshop, setting themselves up at a table for an hour on their laptops. Instead of plugging themselves into social interaction, they’re consumed with their technology. This isn’t the case at Crown Point Coffee.
Crown Point Coffee’s quaint patio has a special social charm that not all coffee shops provide. “Our customers like to have face-to-face communication with us. They like to be addressed by name and I think that is another reason why people gravitate towards us. We have fun and it’s contagious!” says Abu-Zahrah.
The shop’s menu has evolved drastically over the last 10 years, constantly keeping up with the current food and drink trends. Customers can find plenty of on-the-go lean protein options, including bowls, smoothies, and egg whites, with unique dishes like the green eggs and lemon bowl with double cage-free egg whites, spinach, cucumber, avocado, lemon, and lemon pepper.
Staying true to their local roots, the shop carries San Diego Coffee Tea and Spice Co., Trident cold brew, and baked goods from Bread & Cie.
When asked what’s in store for Crown Point Coffee in 2019, Abu-Zahrah encourages locals to stay tuned for news on upcoming fitness classes to be held upstairs above the coffee shop, starting sometime in the spring. Crown Point Coffee What: 3510 Ingraham St. Hours:?5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Info:?crownpointcoffee.com, 858-272-8003.
