Espresso Roma bustles with students ordering coffee, preparing for long hours of studying or just trying to make it through class after staying up too late the night before. The back patio is crowded on sunny days, and on rainy days, the crowd migrates inside to fill the seating area.
Located at 825 E. 13th Ave., Espresso Roma has been serving the Eugene area for the past 13 years. It is managed by Miguel and Maria Cortez, who also operate Café Siena. The café is a part of a chain of about 50 coffee houses on the West Coast owned by Sandy Boyd, whose corporate office is in Berkeley, Calif., Miguel Cortez said. Though all the coffeehouses are part of the same chain, only three are called Espresso Roma, Cortez said.
“The chain of coffeehouses began when Boyd built a café near (the University of California at Berkeley) in the late 1970s and saw the popularity for coffee among college students. He then decided to build coffeehouses near universities,” Cortez said.
According to Cortez, the chain is relatively small compared to Starbucks, but this makes Espresso Roma more family-oriented. Operating cafés is a family affair; Maria Cortez has three brothers who operate coffeehouses in California and have been involved with Boyd’s corporation since it began.
“I attempt to make people happy and establish personal relationships with all my customers. We have clientele that have been coming here for 10 years, especially from the hospital and professors from the University,” Cortez said. “We really appreciate all of our customers and many professors hold their office hours here, which only helps the business.”
Kate Downing, a senior psychology major at the University, likes the personal atmosphere the owners have strived to create.
“The people are always friendly and know your face. The coffee is great, and it’s not owned by Starbucks,” Downing said. “I get sick of the cookie-cutter atmosphere of places like Starbucks. Espresso Roma provides something different and unique.”
Espresso Roma has one advantage that Miguel Cortez said he doubts any of the other coffeehouses in Boyd’s chain have: a back patio. He said the patio helps business because it is a nice place for people to sit and relax on sunny days. Maria Cortez also developed the idea to sell pastries with coffee, and she bakes a majority of the pastries featured at the café.
Cortez attributes his business’s success to good service, reasonable prices and good coffee.
“I think that it is cheap and good,” said Kellie Matecko, a junior journalism major at the University. “It is less expensive than other places, like Starbucks, and (it) is close to campus.
“I love it!”