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Business & Tech

Konni Thomas and Kassi Swalboski

The mother-daughter team behind First Street Coffee talk about fresh-roasted beans, why they love Gilroy, and Mayor Al Pinheiro's espresso taste test.

Konni Thomas and her husband, John, bought First Street Coffee in 2006. Since then, Konni and her daughter, Kassi Swalboski, have become familiar to hundreds of Gilroyans; it's not unusual for Kassi to start making someone's coffee drink even before they step up to the counter to order.

Gilroy Patch talked to Konni and Kassi about fresh-roasted beans, knowing their customers by name, and working together as a mother-daughter team.

Gilroy Patch: Konni, is it true that you've always wanted to own a coffee shop?

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Konni Thomas: It's true.

Kassi Swalboski: Even when we still lived in Minnesota, she would say, "When I retire, I want to own a coffee house."

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Patch: You came from Minnesota and were in Gilroy for five years before you bought First Street Coffee?

Konni: Right. It’s funny because Kassi worked as the manager at It’s a Grind, and then she got a job at a real estate firm.

Kassi: My first day on the job—just a few hours after I started—I saw a listing for First Street Coffee.

Konni: She called me that day and said I should think about it. Within a week, we had made an offer.

Patch: It was meant to be. What impresses me is how you remember people’s names. The second time I came here, you knew my name.

Konni: I like to know people’s first names but Kassi is the one who remembers everyone’s drink orders.

Kassi: It’s funny; I’m not that good at remembering things outside of work, but for some reason, once I’ve made someone’s drink once or twice, I’ve got it.

Konni: And sandwiches too—you’re good at remembering which sandwiches people buy.

Kassi: I love that. People sometimes call me or text me and say, “Make my sandwich Kassi, I’m coming in.”

Konni: There was one afternoon recently when Kassi couldn’t be here. I was amazed at the number of people who were worried about their sandwich. They’d say, “Will Kassi be back soon? Are you sure you know how to do sandwiches?” (Konni and Kassi both laugh.) “Yes, I think I can make a sandwich without Kassi this one time.”

Patch: I was here recently when you made a toast to Tim Plum, who had died the day before. It was 9 a.m., and you gave everyone in the place a glass of champagne—Irish champagne—and then stood on the bar and had us all join in a toast to Tim. That made a big impression on me.

Konni: I met Tim when I was a customer at First Street Coffee, before we bought it. He was funny and vivacious. He loved to make people laugh, and, yes, the champagne we poured for him had to be from Ireland.

Kassi: When we did Relay for Life, Tim joined us. Anything that you asked of him, he would do it with a smile. That’s the best thing about this job: You learn people’s stories when you see them every day. You learn the hardships people have to overcome, and you do make a connection. That's what I like most about Gilroy—how connected we feel to the people here.

Patch: It's interesting how you have groups of people, depending on the time of day. It seems like mornings are people from their mid-20s up to 70s. A good range, but a little on the older side. In the evenings, you have students, kids from 16 or so up to 25. I like coming in both times of the day, but it's a different experience.

Konni: You're right, there is a difference between our morning customers and our evening customers.

Kassi: We want First Street to be a comfortable place to meet others or just have a quiet cup of coffee. It has become a good hangout, and we're happy about that.

Patch: Let’s talk about coffee. When you started, you used Tully's coffee.

Konni: We used to buy Tully’s beans for our house blend and our French roast and America’s Best Coffee for the flavored beans.

Kassi: We always thought that the beans from America’s Best looked better and smelled better.

Konni: We would call Tully’s warehouse in Oakland to order, and it took some time to get the beans; when we ordered from America’s Best, we’d call in the bean order on Monday, they’d roast our beans for us on Tuesday, and then we’d have our beans on Wednesday. It’s so freshly roasted, that it makes a big difference in how the coffee tastes. But people get nervous when you talk about switching their coffee beans.

Kassi: So we did taste tests. For about a week, we’d put two cups of coffee in front of our customers and ask them which coffee tasted better.

Patch: It was a blind taste test.

Kassi: Yes. We had little slips of paper under the saucers.

Konni: And even though people said they preferred Tully’s, in the blind test most people chose America’s Best.

Kassi: Even the mayor.

Konni: Yes, Al Pinheiro comes in every day for his espresso—sometimes twice a day. He was not enthusiastic about our switching beans.

Kassi: But when Mayor Pinheiro chose America’s Best beans in his blind taste test, then we knew the switch was going to be fine.

Patch: What other changes did you hope to make when you bought First Street Coffee?

Konni: We really wanted to put in a drive-through. That has been more of a challenge than we imagined. We still hope it might happen. I'm from Minnesota, where it's a real luxury not to have to leave your car.

Kassi: We also wanted to serve wine and have a wine bar.

Konni: For that, we’d need a separate room, and we aren’t big enough. Also, we are all about family. I would never want a place that wasn’t kid friendly.

Patch: What’s your favorite thing about First Street Coffee?

Konni: Working with my daughter, and getting to know so many people in Gilroy. I lived here for five years before we bought First Street Coffee. I worked in Hollister and didn’t know anyone in Gilroy. I feel blessed by all the people I've come to know. We have a lot of family now in Gilroy—family who isn't related except for how close we feel to them.

Patch: Is it ever stressful to work with a family member?

Konni: No, not at all. Kassi and I spend a lot of time together, but it works. We just mesh.

Kassi: I love working with my mom. There’s nobody else I could work with so closely; we’re a good team. When she’s not here, it feels like I’m missing an arm—like I’m trying to make drinks with just one hand.

Konni: It’s nice too, to think that one day this will be Kassi’s.

Kassi: Although I still want you to come in to work with me every day.

Patch: Last question: What’s your favorite coffee drink?

Kassi: Iced coffee with vanilla syrup. I have it every morning.

Konni: Plain coffee made from caramel-flavored beans.

Patch: No sugar, no milk?

Konni: I’m Norwegian. We don’t put stuff in our coffee. I do like the flavored beans. I’m always surprised when I go into other coffee shops, and they don’t have flavored beans. They want to add syrup to my coffee, but I don’t want syrup—just good beans and somebody behind the counter who knows how to make a good cup of coffee.

First Street Coffee. 1211 First St., Gilroy. 408-842-1340.

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