Beachwood Café Reveals Charming Secrets: How to Make it in a Tough Business
“I love working in this amazing neighborhood. It’s like living in a little time bubble.”
– Patti Peck of Beachwood Café
Image Credit: Luis Mota and (me!) Bethany Michaels
What does it take to “make it” in the restaurant industry, and how do you know when you’ve arrived? To find the answer, I set off with my Stampington sidekick Luis Mota to Beachwood Café, a local hot spot featured in the newest Where Women Cook. Not only did we find the answer, but we learned how family, community, and raw, authentic food are the key ingredients that transformed this old mom and pop shop into a treasured local favorite.
Perched in a historic neighborhood underneath the distinguished Hollywood sign, Beachwood Café beckons all walks of life and makes you feel right at home.
When we opened the doors of the café, we were greeted by none other than the gregarious owner Patti Peck. She sometimes works twelve hour days — a true labor of love — so it’s no surprise to see her behind the counter or mingling with customers at all hours.
Humble Beginnings & Building Community:
Patti is a firm believer in embracing and building connections with people. Having grown up in a densely Czech-populated farming community in Iowa, Patti incorporates traditions of the old at Beachwood, while putting a fresh spin on it. For example, she’s invented a pastime called “Pickin’ Kitchen” that’s just as fun as it sounds. It’s an activity that includes all her employees at Beachwood and the surrounding neighborhood, and embraces the community-building importance of her roots.
“We gather up to fifty people, map out the neighborhood’s fruit trees, and pick for hours, sometimes gathering up to 1500 lbs of citrus! As our way of saying thanks, we make delicious jars of Loquat halves from the collection of fruit and leave it on the neighbor’s doorstep.” — Patti Peck
She also uses the organic, fresh-picked fruit in many of her seasonal dishes at the café.
Other community-building events that Beachwood Café hosts are the Family Bingo Night and Beer Tasting, a perfect atmosphere for families and friends to connect.
What Sets this Community-Driven Business Apart?
- Patti’s welcoming heart and wonderful sense of humor
- Local, farm-to-table ingredients
- Recipes that combine tradition with modern twists
- History and location – the circa 1933 neighborhood is charming and welcoming
- The tasteful and fun interior restaurant design – Patti incorporated vintage décor from the adorable antique shop next door
- The amiable employees and satisfied customers, many of which Patti now considers family
The Art of Presentation:
Just like Stampington, Patti thinks that “packaging is everything.” This adorable blue mason jar cup, white Beachwood beverage sleeve, and sip top would look so perfect packaged up to send to one of our blog readers, wouldn’t you agree?
Giveaway:
[This giveaway has ended.]
To share a taste of Beachwood Café with you, we’re specially wrapping and giving away this cup package to one lucky person, selected at random.
Enter for your chance to have it delivered to your doorstep by describing what most intrigued you about Beachwood Café in the comments section below!
Click here to browse images and read excerpts from Where Women Cook Autumn 2013, the issue that dives deeper into the heart of Beachwood Café.
Deadline to enter: Thursday, October 26th (U.S. only)
Posted: Thursday, September 26th, 2013 @ 1:10 pm
Categories: Contests and Giveaways.
Tags: art, Beachwood Cafe, community, cook, decor, family, ingredients, Inspiration, local, Packaging, recipe.
Subscribe to the comments feed if you like.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
As a person who only eats “real food”, I love the fact they serve local, fresh food. Wish I lived closer :)
I love the old world charm with touches of modern elements. The fresh menu with the fusion of farm to table offers a magical story book quality. It feels like a secret garden where taste embraces community and welcomes you home.
(I so want to win!)
It reminds me of my mom making her famous jellies and pickles-giving them as gifts! There is nothing like a taste of summer on a winter’s day!
Patti sounds like a peach!
Her sense of community stuck me first thing … that, and the fact that she was raised in the Heartland, which is where I live.
I like the idea of farm to table, Fresh food.
How ingenious! Love the thought of that Cuppow. Does it leak?
all of the community events she does sounds great. Like the idea of using vintage décor in the café. If I’m ever in the area I will try to stop by.
Sent this article to my son who lives right in that community and he is definitely going to check it out. He said he had been there before it was remodeled. It’s a little hard for me to visit from Colorado, but I love the beautiful jars of fresh food that have been canned. I will certainly stop in the next time I visit my son.
I loved the idea of Pickin’ the Kitchen. Community building is so important and yet so ignored nowadays!
Next visit to Cali is the Beachwood Cafe! Love picking and Bingo. Already selected what I want to try: runyon scramble for breakfast, beet salad for lunch, and PORK CHOP for dinner.
I love the fact that the owner, Patti, obviously wants the café to flourish and succeed. Why else would she work 12 hour days? This to me says everything wonderful about her business. She takes a front seat making sure everyone is happy, well fed and in a cute but modest atmosphere. Love the fact that Patti purchased local vintage furniture for her diner. She wants the whole neighborhood to flourish, as well.
I like the idea of using food from the neighborhood that would otherwise go to waste. I grew up in Southern CA and have fond memories of picking fresh loquats in my neighborhood! Great to know some of the items in the restaurant are from the shop next door too. I liked this blog showing that art comes in many forms. It is what touches are senses!
We live in the country and grow alot of our own veggies- canning helps us eat well through the winter. Sure wish there were places like yours around our neck of the woods to go out and experience someone else s cooking! “)
Lovely and how unique which sets her apart and creates a lovely environment.
susan s
A restaurant that connects with community and supports the local farmers and businesses is a blessing! I helped with the harvest on my grandparents land during the summers in the 60’s….we drank out of mason jars!
I like the idea of organizing a group to pick fruits & make jam for friends.
I love the concept of going out into the neighborhood for fruit and then giving it back. Also, I have a loquat tree! I don’t know anyone else with one!
What a fabulous world to live in, in my town, everyone leaves super early and comes home super late due to commutes to the city, there is no neighborhood gathering spot. It would be so cool to live in a “folksy” kind of place” In addition, community based anything can only make people stronger and more resilient in the event of something less fortunate occurring
I love the community aspect of how she operates her cafe. Getting the community involved and then sharing the harvest is an amazing example! Makes me wish I lived in a community like that – and had a cafe like this one!
Gosh I don’t think I have ever tasted a Loquat. Love the idea of group gathering! We have wild persimmons here in Oklahoma that will be ready soon. Any ideas on how to use them?
good healthy food
beautifully presented and friendly people
that is as good as it gets!
Wow such great ideas. I love fresh heathly food. I wish I lived closer as I would be there.
[…] Beachwood Café Reveals Charming Secrets: How to Make it in a Tough Business […]
Hi, I do think this is a great blog. I stumbledupon it ;
) I’m going to come back yet again since I bookmarked it.
Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may youu be
rjch and continue to guide others.