The Steaming Bean has been a fixture and the local’s coffee shop in Shell Beach for decades. It has gone through several modifications through the years, most of which have been the changing of ownership. The Bean has acquired its fifth owner since its inception. Marshall Williams is the latest owner and has big plans for the local hangout.
The tiny coffee shop went through an expansion phase 10 years ago, when a wall that separated two parts of the building was knocked down. The Bean now has two front doors and no longer has that cramped feeling that plagued it for years. Williams plans to expand the shop even further with a hooded grill and an ‘L’ shaped counter where people can sit and watch the short-order cook work.
“We’re going to make it the real deal,” said Williams.
Williams also has other renovations in mind for the building. He plans on taking the tiny bathroom out and putting two in the basement (yes, the Bean has a downstairs) to capitalize on as much floor space as possible and to build a deck on the back that will give an ocean view for customers.
The owner of the property and Williams have made arrangements to sit down and discuss changes to the structure.
“The owner’s coming to town,” said Williams, “and wants us to get together and map it all out.”
Williams spent 27 years in the car business when he finally decided to move onto something else. He felt that the dealership business model was changing and moving away from the relationship building practice that it once was.
“I really love dealing with people and interacting with people,” said Williams, “and the car business was just getting [less and less] of that because of technology and everything, I feel. So, it’s a good time to do a new venture.”
While the Bean will undergo changes in the future, much of what makes the coffee house a local favorite will remain the same. The baristas will not be replaced, save those who have to go back to school, and the coffee will still come from Coast Peaks Coffee, though Williams has been advised by one of his employees that an espresso bean should be added. Probably the most important thing that isn’t going to change (and never has throughout multiple ownerships) is what the customers bring with them. The Bean has that je ne sais quoi, that “Central Coast feel,” where surfers grab a cup to warm their bones from the ocean waters, where business deals are sealed with handshakes, where the occasional celebrity stops in and leaves unnoticed, and where you do not have to be a local to be treated like one.
The Steaming Bean located 1651 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach is serving desserts, wine, and (of course) coffee to celebrate its new ownership on 6 to 10 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24.
By Mark A. Diaz
