Inspiring Conversations with Erika of Gravewave Coffee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika.

Hi Erika, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a child, everyone else’s comfort drink was hot chocolate, hot cocoa or some variation of it. Mine was hot coffee. Nothing was more comforting than a hot cup of café con leché, coffee boiled with milk, sugar and cinnamon. As I got older, and milk became intolerable, my go to was still coffee – but now I’d turn to café de olla – coffee boiled with brown sugar and cinnamon, no milk. Eventually, the acidity in coffee became a big problem for my GI issues and I realized that drinking coffee now hurt. The bloat, the heart burn, all the discomfort got to be too much and I was very close to giving up coffee altogether. Luckily, it didn’t have to come to that. During this period of my life, I’d already met Matt, who saw my struggle with coffee and decided to figure out why coffee was such an issue for people with GI issues. His research led him towards roasting his own coffee beans and then using those coffee beans to make a cold brew that was also GI health friendly. And thus, our coffee journey began.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to our own coffee shop has not been smooth. Our first and probably forever ongoing lesson is that, “we don’t know what we don’t know,” and that can sometimes affect you financially. Unfortunately, unless you have a mentor or friend in the industry, you won’t know what things to look out for or what questions to ask, before making big purchases or big decisions. From plug ins/voltage, to plumbing when picking a brick and mortar, to what qualifies as a commercial appliance, it seems each crucial part of the coffee making process requires a deeper understanding and research. Assuming your purchase is ready to go once you receive it, or even placing blind trust on a purchase, can hurt you financially.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Gravewave Coffee?
Gravewave Coffee started as a search for coffee you could have first thing in the morning, without any of the bloat or heartburn that can sometimes happen after a cup. Once we got the roast/recipe down, we began selling our cold brew, Brewbonic Plague, and roasted beans, at farmer’s markets in Orange County.

Eventually, we expanded our menu, adding signature lattes and matchas made with health conscious flavors and ingredients and inspired by our culture; like the Mourning Ritual, a Mazapán Latte and The Gravewave, an horchata Matcha, and began catering events from our mobile coffee cart throughout OC, LA, and the IE.

In July of 2026, we took the plunge and opened our first brick and mortar shop, in Redondo Beach, Gravewave Coffee and Tea, and while the shop decor and vibe is a reflection of its owners, goth/alt, it is not limited to any specific audience. Our goal is to offer a fun and inclusive place where people can come hang out with friends or sit and work/study in a welcoming, safe environment.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
When Matt and I first met, he didn’t really drink coffee. His hot beverage journey actually started with teas. I’d been drinking coffee since I was 4.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gravewavecoffee.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/Gravewave.coffee
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gravewave-coffee-redondo-beach