Back in October of last year, Equator Coffee and Teas accepted the key to 2 Miller Avenue, officially taking over the space that was, until that point, home to La Coppa—Arnold Spinelli’s longstanding café. While Equator worked to secure building permits, the company set up a mobile coffee cart to jumpstart their mission— fueling Mill Valley, the beginning of many a bike ride, and the corner that would soon host their flagship café. Now, the permits have officially been granted and build out is slated to begin soon.
Though Equator Coffee and Teas has been around for over 18 years, 2 Miller will be the company’s second retail location. The first, in the Proof Lab surf shop at Tam Junction, is nearly one year old. Equator spent the intervening years seeking out direct relationships with farmers, partnering with social enterprises in coffee producing countries, sponsoring various women’s empowerment initiatives, and growing a diverse network of wholesale accounts. In the beginning, Equator was a small roasting operation, born in a garage in Corte Madera, and has since grown to a beacon of social responsibility, bolstering the connection between quality coffee and the quality of farmers’ lives.
The buildout will blend the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. Redwood salvaged from Mill Valley’s surroundings will comprise some features as well as the café ceiling, coupled with a few copper accents and the classic Equator black and red. The space, designed by Boor Bridges Architecture, will be open and inviting, clean and warm, and ready to open its doors in August.