The ‘Cheers’ of Coffeehouses

It’s safe to say that Studio City’s Sonoma Blue Coffee House is a real family establishment.

On a recent evening, co-owner Steve Hemmert is behind the counter frothing cappuccinos. Behind him, his daughter Sara, 11, draws with crayons. Hemmert’s wife, Nancy, the other co-owner, is also about. So are his brother, Rick, his mother, Dottie, and his son, Adam. “I created this place to be like the ‘Cheers’ of coffeehouses,” says Hemmert, 44, a former human resources executive who ditched corporate life for cafe life 15 months ago. “It’s just friends and family getting together.”

Make that a rather eccentric group of friends and family. On this night, Hemmert wears an outfit that’s a bit of a departure from the artsy, tattoos-and-tank-top look prevalent among cafe workers: a well-pressed tuxedo.

The penguin suit is a tribute to Dean Martin, the deceased Rat Packer whose birthday is an excuse for throwing an open-to-the-public soiree. Added to the cafe’s usual decor of twinkling lights and dark blue walls (from which stems the coffeehouse’s name) are a big-screen television featuring Dino’s movies, bottles of the official “Dean Martin” brand of California Cabernet Sauvignon, circa 1995, and tons of Martin-related books and CDs.

“That’s Amore” plays in the background as a cigar-wielding Hemmert urges members of the crowd to come forward and tell their favorite Dean Martin stories and memories. The proprietor also addresses this request to Adam, who is all of 7 but apparently already a Dean disciple.

As Hemmert explains it, he just likes to throw a good party--and if it will attract more patrons, well, all the better. For Valentine’s Day, for example, he held a romantic poetry contest at the cafe, with $500 going to the winner of the most lovelorn poem. One hundred and fifty entries poured in, and professional writers did the judging.

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For this evening, Hemmert chose Dean Martin’s birthday because the star was his own personal favorite. (“Oh, Steve’s crazy about Dean,” says Nancy, 34, with the air of a tolerant wife. “He cried the day of his funeral--but don’t tell him I told you that!”)

Hemmert seems to view his cafe as a social outlet for himself as well as a means of financial support for his family. “If you have theme nights [like this], you meet people with similar interests. I like to do things that are out of the ordinary; this is not a Starbucks, corporate type of place, where you take a number to get your latte,” says Hemmert, who breaks off conversation frequently to inquire about customers’ jobs and families.

Another recent event featured local musician Bill Clark putting Shakespeare’s sonnets to his original compositions. The Hemmerts do not usually charge a cover, although they will for this weekend’s Fourth of July bash, featuring acoustic music and a full barbecue.

Hemmert’s approach seems to be succeeding. Sonoma Blue has a small group of loyalists whom Hemmert will invite to dinner at his Santa Clarita home or set up on blind dates with fellow patrons. And he says the business has just “had its best two weeks ever” financially. Celebrities who have stopped in--and then signed the same wall where Hemmert’s daughters crayon--include Tony Danza and Kelsey Grammer.

“L.A.’s so jaded, but you come here and it’s more like family,” says regular Carla Olson, a 46-year-old musician from Studio City. Olson adds that besides just enjoying the place, it’s important to her “to nurture the mom-and-pop businesses.”

“Everybody who comes in here knows each other--and if they don’t, they’ll get introduced,” adds frequent customer Orna Rachovitsky, a 33-year-old Web page consultant from North Hollywood.

But trouble may be on the horizon for this family concern: The owners are currently fighting off developers who wish to raze Sonoma Blue’s particular strip of Ventura Boulevard to make way for a shopping center. And plans are afoot for, yes, Starbucks, to open up shop smack across from the Hemmerts.

Although Sonoma Blue’s customers can sign a petition against the development plans, Hemmert knows that ultimately he can control only so much, such as making sure that he’s working hard each day to attract new customers and keep old ones coming back. “When you’re a little guy, you have to try harder,” concludes Hemmert. “And if people have fun, they’ll be back.”

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Sonoma Blue Coffee House is at 10962 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The menu features beverages and light meals, including organic coffee and vegetarian dishes. Live music or other performances are scheduled most nights, including on the Fourth of July. Call (818) 769-0232.