Red Rock Coffee [Caffeine * Culture * Community]

The Red Rock Story

Red Rock is built on three values: CAFFEINE, CULTURE, and COMMUNITY. But before we get to that, let’s back up. We’re all in search of that perfect place, aren’t we? The music’s good, the coffee is hot, the staff is friendly, the tables are clean, and we know that when we walk in the door and plunk our money on the counter, we’ll feel good about it - the food and drink will be a perfect escape, and the atmosphere, vibe, sounds, smells, and conversation in the room will be rewarding.

The Red Rock was built to be that café.

You have a great experience, and we make a little money. Everyone’s happy, right?

Wrong.

Red Rock was born when a group of people came together and wanted to create a place of genuine community. Not just a great place to meet and hang out, but a place that truly gave back and supported the community that supports it. That’s why the Red Rock functions as a not-for-profit business. We take all profits not used to support the ongoing business of the cafe and donate them to other non-profit and charity groups.

So, you can actually feel good about that triple vanilla latte with a side of carrot cake.

The point is, the more you support Red Rock. The more you support the community. We’re talking little leagues, food banks, community fairs and festivals, art endowments, homeless shelters, local schools, etc. It’s a little way toward making our small corner of the world a better place. An old idea, yes, but a good one.

So, the VALUES, then:

Caffeine
We serve fresh coffee, all the time - always brewed within seven days of roasting. We’re coffee freaks, not coffee snobs. If you don’t like what you get, send it back and we’ll pull it again. Our beans come from a local roaster in San Jose, CA - the precise location of which is guarded by the IRS, Secret Service, and an independent coffee quality assurance strike team called "The Ground Force." The point is, we’re fanatically obsessed with coffee and espresso in all it’s foamy, steaming, forms - particularly the hot stuff crafted in the espresso traditions of Italy. We could go into the excruciating minutiae of roast grades, group heads, and cupping, but you probably just want a good cup of coffee, right? We’ll spare you the details. If you are a certified coffee geek, feel free to e-mail JEAN, our manager, or JOHN, our coffee QA guy, who has been known to roast beans in his own garage.

Culture
Red Rock supports local art in all its many glorious varieties. (NOTE: We do support non-local art as well, it just gets expensive to fly bands and artwork in, but if you’re in the area, contact KEVIN...) We love bands, music, spoken word, visual art, photography, poetry, writers, dancers, thinkers, servants, and comedians, among other things. The world is running out of places to see a good live show or cheap art event, so we’re holding out as long as we can. One last thing - we want the shows at Red Rock to be quality. If you’re still learning your instrument, or say, learning to sing on key, we salute and encourage you as you refine your craft, even if we can’t offer you a show at Red Rock. If you’re ready, and most of you are, e-mail KEVIN for information about playing, performing, and showing at Red Rock.

Community
As we said earlier, the money you spend at Red Rock goes back into your community. In kind, we support the gathering and reasoning together of community, whether it be support groups, reading groups, knitting groups, foreign language conversation groups, or whatever. We want to make our space available to your group if it’s within reason (no violence or pyrotechnics, please). Contact KEVIN for information about using our space.

The Future?
Ah, we’ve got big plans. We’re expanding to the 2nd floor to create a (slightly) larger performance / seating area, which will be available for your group to use for a nominal fee (AA groups, reading groups, discussions, business meetings, etc.). And, we’re expanding our menu to feature sandwiches and other light fare, so keep checking in.

The Past
Since you’re an observant, tasteful person, you’ve already noticed the façade of our building and wondered, "Is that one of the oldest historical buildings in downtown Mountain View?" Why yes, in fact it’s the oldest. 201 Castro served as the town bank from way back in the late 19th century, and has gone through many manifestations, including a spell as a butcher shop. In the 1980’s, 201 Castro was the headquarters of the Mountain View Redevelopment Agency, until the Red Rock Coffee Company opened in 1990.

If you’d like to know even more about Red Rock, just E-MAIL us.