The Alley - Old Soul Co. a Bakery and Coffee House in Sacramento - Midtown

Our original location in the heart of Midtown is still at the heart of everything we do. A former storage warehouse for the Eppie’s Restaurant chains, we completely renovated the brick and wood beam building in 2006. At a little over 2,400 square feet, the alley warehouse holds not only our baking and roasting operations but also our first retail café. In addition, the alley location is home to our educational classes and can be rented out for private events most evenings.

We are skilled roasters, artisans, and neighbors. We are a platform for local farmers, brewers and purveyors. We are a community space and eatery that connects and celebrates its patrons.

In 2002, our friendship began over a shared passion for cafe culture and the craftsmanship behind coffee roasting and baking. Sacramento is surrounded by farms and abundant agriculture, so we saw the perfect opportunity to source and pair fresh food for wholesale partners.

In 2006, we purchased and completely renovated a storage warehouse in Midtown Sacramento. The two of us, with the support of our families, began selling wholesale coffee and bakery products featuring regionally produced food. We worked long days and nights in an obscure alley, chasing our shared dream of becoming a hub for farm-fresh dishes.

As people walked by and caught a whiff of the aroma, they began requesting coffee and pastries for retail sale. To be honest, retail was outside of our comfort zone so for the first year, we were taking $2 cash payments for coffee or pastries in a jar using the “honor system”.

We began seeing tremendous value in pairing premium ingredients with a down-to-earth and community oriented cafe. We loved the idea of having a physical space for the community to connect over specialty coffee and gourmet baked goods. That is when The Alley became the first retail location in Sacramento where all products are handmade on-site from scratch with a farm-to-table menu.

Today, the company still operates out of this location and we’ve expanded a bit due to loyal customers and dedicated coffee producers. We’ve grown to encompass an array of distinctive products from incredibly talented local artists, an unwavering staff and incredible network of partners within the wholesale program, whom entrust us to supply their establishments with handcrafted products.

In the ensuing sixteen years, concrete has been jointly jackhammered and trenched, 23 hour days have been worked, three other cafes have been opened, joints have gotten more creaky, hair has been lost (especially for one of us), and a lot of expertise and knowledge has been gained.

Throughout the years, however, one thing has remained constant — at the heart of Old Soul Co. is telling the stories of farmers and artisans around the world by providing a platform for them to be recognized for the hard work, passion and unparalleled artistry they put into their craft. These are the unsung heroes of the world and we celebrate them. Without them, we couldn’t bring customers fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

The partnerships we have with local artisans and purveyors stems from an acknowledgement of similar qualities that Old Soul Co. is built on — dedication, passion, excitement for life and living each day with purpose. If we don’t make a product ourselves, we know the person who did, and they are the absolute best craftsmen of their trade.

Through humble beginnings, clarity of vision, a passion for work and life, and immense contributions from employees, family and friends, we have been blessed with a high level of success and are eternally grateful.

From zero employees and zero locations in 2006, we have grown to four retail locations, 50+ employees and a select number of high-end wholesale account partners. There are a plethora of places to get coffee and food in the Sacramento region, and we recognize the trusting relationship customers have for us. So we thank you for your friendship and business over the years, we both believe the best is yet to come!