Today we’d like to introduce you to Sachi and Chiyo Hartley.
Sachi and Chiyo, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Ever since we can remember Chiyo and I have been bringing delicious coffee beans to our family in Japan as gifts. When we would arrive in Japan, we would all get together over a cup of coffee and talk for hours. As the years went by, it became an inside joke that we should open a coffee business.
The time and place finally felt right in 2017 and we decided to make it happen. We’ve always loved how coffee brings people together and our mission became to open a space where neighbors met, where friends conversed, and smiles were exchanged.
We had our first brainstorm session, drew pictures of our ideal shop, discussed the things we wanted, and envisioned the community we would create. The Universe helped us out and we were able to find our location through a real estate friend four days later.
We got started right away as our space was completely empty and gutted. Architect, designer, blueprints, permits, contractors, etc. Chiyo and I have been involved with our coffee shop every step of the way. We had our ups and downs, learning curves, moments of uncertainty, motivation and success. A year and a few months later we would open our doors to the public.
Now we are one year and a few months into being open and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the shop we have created. Nestled in the small downtown of Del Rey, we have built a community of local regulars of all ages – everyone wonderful.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We don’t think we would feel the same sense of accomplishment or happiness if this project was easy. Getting open was a huge task and there were times where we needed to encourage each other to keep going and push forward.
Overall we would say our road has been smooth and we are very thankful that we were able to make it through some rough patches. There always has to be struggles but overcoming them makes us that much more proud of our accomplishments. Even when things are smooth, we are still putting in a lot of time and work into the shop. Weekends are our busiest so we don’t get that same type of break. It’s all worth it to us though.
Our biggest struggle was navigating the build-out process and learning how to work with the city of LA. Neither of us has a background in construction so there were some bumps in the road during build-out. They say that construction takes more time and more money as initially expected. This is very true.
We treated the whole process like a video game, taking small victories and patting ourselves on the back. Finding different treasures/new info and leveling up.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with SACHI.LA – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
SACHI.LA is a gathering place for the curious, kind and passionate- a gathering place for the people. We pride ourselves in good vibes, inclusivity, and connecting with others. While we specialize in coffee and tea, we are known for our friendly service and welcoming environment. We are so proud of the community of friends old and new that continues to grow. You are guaranteed to leave the shop with your day a bit brighter.
Along with our coffee bar, we also offer a small retail section with artisan goods, greeting cards, plants, vintage clothes, and sunglasses. This has also added a fun aspect to the shop.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
For right now we are focusing on streamlining our operation with potential for the second location in the future. We hope to find a place a bit bigger in a similar neighborhood-centric area.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4574 S Centinela Ave Los Angeles, CA 90066
- Website: sachi.la
- Phone: 213 785 7225
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @sachi.la
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sachi-la-los-angeles?osq=sachi.la
Image Credit:
Matthew Christopher Miller
matthewchristophermiller.com
@matthewchristophermiller
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