Laidrey Coffee Roasters, the San Fernando Valley’s first majority woman-owned specialty coffee roastery and café, opened its second location in Encino, California on Thursday, July 20th. Originally starting as a coffee cart serving one-of-a-kind cups of joe and artisan pastries, founder and owner Gacia Tachejia expanded the business in January 2022, to open the first location of Laidrey Coffee Roasters in Tarzana. The new Encino café will serve as a place to grab a cup of coffee made from high-quality beans sustainably sourced from around the world.
Prior to launching Laidrey, Gacia Tachejian worked as a behavioral research scientist and started roasting as a hobby to save herself a detour on her commute. She started roasting in her garage with a small, 1lb Behmor Roaster, and she took to the process almost immediately. Gacia deepened her knowledge by training with specialty coffee legends David Myers, and Probat. Soon enough, she was excitedly refining her craft and started sharing her roasts with friends and family. Quality guides every aspect of Gacia’s process, starting with partnering with passionate coffee farmers who sustainably harvest their crops and hand-pick each coffee cherry.
The Encino café will serve a full menu of brewed coffee, single-origin pour-overs, espresso-based specialty drinks, and nitro and cold brew lattes on draft. Gacia works especially hard to ethically source her beans from the most sought-after regions in the world, paying a premium to ensure equitable pay and opportunity is given to coffee farmers who are 70% women. Guests can expect Laidrey’s signature drinks prepared with housemade syrups such as the Maple Oat Latte, Honey Lavender Latte, and Beach Brew, in addition to seasonal favorites and new drinks like the current cult favorite, Chocolate Chai Aerocano. Food menu items will include pastries baked daily by Bakers Kneaded, open-faced sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients, Laidrey’s signature Breakfast Sandwich, and Breakfast Tacos. Laidrey’s grab-n-go fridge will be stocked with vegan and gluten-free meal options from Virtu LA such as protein bowls and chia seed parfaits.
The modern, rustic café is cozier than the Tarzana location but still features ample seating for meeting with friends or remote working. Laidrey’s exterior features a mural created by Julia Soria of PrettyGoodPainters, that highlights all things coffee from the beans to a fresh cup of coffee. Those interested in takeout are able to order ahead through the Laidrey website. The retail space features Laidrey’s coffee bags, locally sourced craft items such as ceramic mugs, cold brew kits, pour-over carafes, books on roasting coffee, Laidrey subscription boxes, and a selection of books covering all things coffee and travel. The group will continue to offer public coffee cupping and single-origin educational sessions throughout the year, for a chance to learn more about the process behind your favorite morning ritual.
At the end of the day, Gacia is most excited about the community and connection that coffee brings. As a mother, she knows how grounding and necessary a special cup can be on a hectic day. The name of the business is a combination of the names of her and her business partners’ children – Leo, Aiden, and Audrey. The space begins and ends with a celebration of gathering and the things that mean the most.
Laidrey Encino is located at 17034 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316, and will be open from 7:00 am – 5:00 pm daily.
