Kenya Carrillo
Staff Writer
Bonita Coffee Co. is a new coffee shop in San Dimas that provides a space for customers to try new beverages, as well as spend time with friends.
The shop, which is located on 143 E. Bonita Ave. in San Dimas, welcomes customers with a colorful and inviting atmosphere, giving the shop a fun and relaxed feel as people walk in.
The menu has a variety of drinks to choose from such as coffee, lattes, matcha, cold brew and teas. They also sell pastries and baked goods like croissants, cheese danishes, chocolate chip cookies, blueberry bars and banana nut bread.
Drinks range from $3 to $7.50, while pastries range from $3-$7.
Kayleen Akimoto, the owner of Bonita Coffee Co., has worked as a barista for several years. Opening her own coffee shop was something she has wanted to do for a while.
“I’ve been in the coffee industry for a while now as a barista, and I’ve always wanted to open my own coffee shop,” Akimoto said.
Akimoto shared her experiences at other coffee shops and how they shaped her.
Sometimes it felt like baristas were not very friendly or that she didn’t fit in. She wanted her own coffee shop to have a different ambiance from those environments.
“I wanted to make one that felt like it was a part of the community,” Akimoto said.
One thing that makes Bonita Coffee Co. different, Akimoto said, is the time employees spend making each drink. She said the shop might take longer than others but the extra time helps make sure the drinks are made correctly and with care.
“We make sure that our recipes are balanced with our coffee and just take the extra time to make sure our coffees are good,” Akimoto said.
Mel Umana, a shift lead at Bonita Coffee Co., said she enjoys working at the shop because it can feel like playing a game.
“I don’t know if you ever played those barista simulators on your phone,” Umana said. “It’s just like that.”
Umana also said the colorful design is one thing that makes the shop different. This is exemplified by a lively mural inside the shop.
Letty Fajardo from Lynwood visited Bonita Coffee Co. for the first time after searching online for coffee shops and this one caught her attention.
Fajardo ordered the “Linda Latte” because she was intrigued by the sweetened condensed milk cold foam.
“I haven’t heard of that anywhere,” Fajardo said. “I thought it was very interesting.”
Fajardo said she also liked the mood of the shop and how easy it was to order her coffee which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Emily Nava from Bell Gardens found the shop after going for a run. Nava enjoys searching for local coffee spots, and discovered Bonita Coffee Co.
Nava order a special latte because that was a blend of her favorite flavors.
“I got it because of the white chocolate in it which I hardly ever see, so that made me lean towards it,” Nava said.
She commented on the shop in its entirety.
“The name itself, the drinks that they offer, it’s different from the ones I’ve seen,” Nava said.
At Bonita Coffee Co., Akimoto loves to come up with new flavor combinations and see customers try them.
“Getting to make recipes for lattes by myself and seeing everyone’s reactions and actually seeing them enjoy it is my favorite part of owning this place,” she said.
Akimoto hopes Bonita Coffee Co. can become a place where people in San Dimas feel comfortable coming in, getting a drink and spending time together.
Kenya Carrillo can be reached at kenya.carrillo@laverne.edu.
Kenya Carrillo is a sophomore communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Amyah Smith is a senior political science major with a minor in photography. She is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
