Come for a matcha latte and stay for a possible Justin and Hailey Bieber sighting. Or is it the other way around? No matter the time or day, Community Goods, a small coffee shop in Beverly Grove, draws a crowd of twenty-somethings in a line that stretches down the block.
Since opening last February, the cafe's cups with square logos have appeared in thousands of Instagram and TikTok posts. While overly posed latte photos are reminiscent of a now-cringe millennial Instagram, a glimpse of the community goods mug has become something of a Gen Z status symbol. At $6, it's more affordable than other photos taken just to be shared: a manicure in a luxury car, a glimpse of a designer shoe or a recognizable dish in a restaurant that is impossible to enter. However, it still implies (or at least tries to imply) a relaxed, influencer-friendly lifestyle.
Niki Zahedi, left, and Julius Woods eat burgers for breakfast in the narrow backyard.
Mónica Auiroz, left, and Carl Rodríguez pose for a portrait while waiting in line at Community Goods.
The line at Community Goods this Sunday morning features a variety of Los Angeles styles. Two friends match in designer sneakers, black leggings, and Chrome Hearts hoodies (if authentic, over $600 each). All versions of lip filler and Ugg boots exist in abundance. The strange industrial gothic breaks with the athleisure of neutral tones. In a line this long, it will take you 40 minutes to get to the cash register and another 20 to receive an order. There are lines for coffee at other places in Los Angeles, such as at Maru Coffee in Los Feliz and Canyon Coffee in Echo Park, but Community Goods loyalists seem to be excited, not frustrated, by the wait. Standing in the sun in front of Melrose Avenue in an elegant outfit is part of the day's plans. Online pre-order is available, but no one is in a hurry here.
Many in the crowd swear that they are not just there to see and be seen, but also for the quality of the product. The cafe is known for its iced matcha, vanilla lattes, and breakfast sandwiches on King Hawaiian bagels. The menu has some more original dishes, such as a salted maple cappuccino with ice and Hojicha Spänner (cream cap). Drinks range from $4 to $7, sliders start at $10 before adding bacon or avocado, prices comparable to the competition.
“I think of the line as a group effort. We are all waiting and in the end we are all rewarded with our coffee,” says Shima Rable, 21, who is on vacation in Toronto. She and her friend Sasha Grub, 19, stopped by Community Goods several times while visiting Los Angeles and this is Rable's second day in a row there. “I learned about Community Goods through my queen Hailey [Bieber]. “She is my fashion inspiration,” says Rable. Even though the line was too long, the space too small, and his expectations were not met, Grub says he would still come back.
Sasha Grub, left, and Shima Rable, right, visited Community Goods several times while visiting Los Angeles.
Ibraheem Agaba was at Community Goods waiting for his appointment.
Ibraheem Agaba, 26, is waiting for his date to arrive at Community Goods. He was initially skeptical after hearing about the coffee from a friend. The crowd leaned a little “basic” for his liking. But after trying the food and drinks, he was hooked. “So I guess I'll be basic all day,” he laughs. The line inspires you to be on your fashion A game. “People try to put their best foot forward in terms of style when they come here and I appreciate that. That's not something I see a lot in Los Angeles. It's kind of dead. I think Community Goods is one of the only stores that maintains that expectation and that's why I'm here this morning.”
Julius Woods, 24, and Niki Zahedi, 25, sit in the narrow backyard, in front of a table piled high with burgers, cookies and drinks. “Community Goods is the new era of Soho House for young creatives. There is always a place in Los Angeles that is hot and this is the current one,” says Woods, who runs the music magazine Lucid Monday. When asked if he has ever networked or worked in coffee (the supposed purpose of Soho House), he clarifies that he prefers to people watch.
“There are many cafes, but this one really caught my attention because I love their logo. “I’m a graphic designer and I really love their brand and overall aesthetic,” says 24-year-old Sierra Lee. She first learned about it from the Biebers, but she also approves of matcha.
With no marketing or advertising budget, co-owner Pedro Cavaliere, 30, attributes the cafe's initial success to a decade of bank favors. “I worked my whole life for very influential people and never asked for anything in return. They saw me literally build the cafe with my own hands during the lockdown and were ready to support… I never expected it to become what it is,” says the Brazilian immigrant who was once personal assistant to musician A-Trak and DJ of Rihanna tour. .
Sierra Lee first heard about Community Goods from Justin and Hailey Bieber, but she said she also approves of the matcha lattes.
Austin Quire, left, wearing a Chrome Hearts hoodie, and Andrew Tabak wearing a cowboy hat.
Austin Quire, 20, and Andrew Tabak, 24, acknowledge that the cafe feels like what transplants and TikTok users associate with Los Angeles. “There's a lot of copy and paste…if you took a picture of this place, without context you could say it's in Los Angeles,” says Quire, who, like other customers, is wearing a Chrome Hearts hoodie.
The layout and car culture of Los Angeles reduces spontaneous interaction and leaves room for a coffee shop to be a place to plan outfits. An 18-year-old fan and a star enjoying the same latte create the illusion of access to a version of Los Angeles reserved for the rich and famous. It's pretty cool that a year later, the line is as long as ever and a second location is in the works in West Hollywood. Paparazzi haven't spotted Hailey Bieber at the cafe since November, but according to her 20-something fans, the matcha is still worth the wait.
