This story aired in the August 5, 2025 episode of Crosscurrents.
You might know Crockett, Calif., as the last exit on I-80 East before you get on the Carquinez Bridge or by the huge C&H Pure Sugar Cane factory sign that’s hard to miss. It’s not the first place you’d think of when you’re trying to find a quick place to eat or get coffee, so how do small businesses make it in a town that so many just drive by?
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Story Transcript:
REPORTER: It’s a busy afternoon here at Calaca Coffee, a coffee shop in Crockett’s small downtown.
Behind the counter, co-owners José Rodriguez and Christian Soto move in sync, aided by Sofia Pineda, José’s sister-in-law
They craft unique drinks with their signature, house-made flavors like Tres Leches and Piloncillo.
CHRISTIAN SOTO: So the flavorings and like the inspiration really comes from our, what we grew up in our like households and what we saw being made in our grandma's house and like my Tia's house.
Christian uses steel tongs to grab freeze-dried strawberries to lay onto a layer of tres leches cold foam, finishing up a Matcha Blush.
It’s for Salvador Olvera, who made the 40-minute drive from Napa.
SALVADOR OLVERA: So we found this place on Instagram. And so, uh, we've been wanting to come here and so we, uh, decided to come and try it.
REPORTER: José and Christian say a lot of customers find them the same way and make the trip to the quiet, small suburb of Crockett to try their coffee.
Crockett is a town that is mostly tucked away under the highway overpass. There are less than 4,000 residents and the downtown is only a couple of blocks long.
Christian says the pace of Crockett is different from the known hustle of the Bay.
CHRISTIAN SOTO: We thought we were gonna be like up and going early in the morning, but it definitely has a little slower start to the day here.
REPORTER: But José and Christian didn’t let the slow pace get in their way. They wanted something they could shape from the ground up. And they were ready to put in the work.
This wasn’t their first project together.
They met back in middle school — bonded over graffiti, streetwear, and coming up with fun business ideas.
CHRISTIAN: We're constantly just creating like that never went, never stopped, honestly.
REPORTER: They started working together officially back in 2019, when they launched a Mexican-inspired boba pop-up. A few years later, they shifted their focus to coffee, and came up with the idea of Calaca Coffee.
It started as a pop-up, too.
They always dreamed of a brick-and-mortar, but signing a 10-year lease? That felt risky.
JOSÉ RODRIGUEZ: We wanted to go somewhere where we knew that regardless of how long it took us to like find our momentum, we would be able to like fully sustain itself.
REPORTER: So they eyed Crockett. It wasn’t super busy, but the rent was doable. It was cheap enough that they could run things with just a small crew and make it work.
JOSÉ: We both kind of grew up in Contra Costa County and we noticed that there isn't kind of past Berkeley, there isn't much to do as far as like, you know, you don't get all of like the, the cool hip restaurants.
REPORTER: And with Vallejo, Richmond, and Concord nearby, it felt like a spot with potential.
They took a risk and signed a 1-year lease for an abandoned lot on the edge of town, across from a power plant and down the road from the C&H Sugar Factory.
They decorated the space to reflect their rich culture. Like tiling the outside of their trailer with colorful ceramic Talavera tiles.
When they needed a break, they headed to the only sandwich shop in town: Lucia’s Craft Sandwiches.
JOSÉ: They were big sandwiches, so we only had to really buy one, and me and Christian could split that and that'll be enough.
REPORTER: This was a partnership that would help Calaca find its footing.
Crockett residents Randy Valdez and his wife, Faith Harrison, opened the sandwich shop in 2020, during the pandemic.
RANDY VALDEZ: Like we used to be open from like seven to five, and we would sit there and nobody would come in, but we would just stay open, you know, stay open, stay open, stay open, stay open, stay open…
REPORTER: As the shop found its rhythm, it began attracting more customers. Then came José and Christian — running Calaca on the weekends and pulling people in with their coffee through word of mouth and social media.
Jose’s sister-in-law, Sofia remembers when she was brought in to help.
SOFIA PINEDA: ‘Cause they were starting to get really busy. Like there was like a line across the block and it's just the two of them.
REPORTER: After a year, José and Christian decided it was time to begin looking for their first storefront. They saw the perfect opportunity: a vacant wine bar that sat between Lucia’s seating area and an Italian restaurant.
CHRISTIAN: Luckily, we knew Randy already, and so we approached him, presented the idea, and he was just like, 'Hey, when, when do you guys wanna start?' And it just, from there we're just like, 'Whoa, okay, let's go, let's, let's see what we can do.'
REPORTER: Randy wanted to see Crockett’s empty downtown filled with new life and Calaca had the energy it needed.
And for José and Christian, setting up next to an established local spot like Lucia’s gave them the guidance and steady footing they needed in their first big leap from weekend trailer to full-time storefront.
JOSÉ: So it's kind of one of those things where like both of us being together in the same spot really does help, you know, raise up both our businesses. Like, you're not on the island by yourself.
RANDY: I think that they kind of just walked in and knocked it outta the park, and I’m happy for that because that’s, what else more can I ask for?
REPORTER: There’s no competition here. Just collaboration.
CHRISTIAN: You know, we get people in the morning that want like a nice savory breakfast. Uh, at the moment we don't have that, but we're like, 'Hey, Lucia's, next door has great breakfast, nice bacon, egg and cheese.' Like, check it out. Boom. Sales back and forth, back to back.
REPORTER: For José and Christian, Calaca is a stepping stone — an entry point into the industry and a way to figure out where they fit in.
CHRISTIAN: So it's Calaca Coffee, it's like our, our baby. So it's like we're like holding it with our, like our hands and just carrying it around. But eventually we're gonna like become more than just, you know, it's gonna grow. It's like something way bigger than this.
REPORTER: While they see themselves growing out of their current spot (they eventually want a kitchen), Crockett is still home.
They imagine a downtown where the storefronts are full and the sidewalks invite you to linger. A place you don’t just pass through, but one you come back to.
