With a name representing the idea of “it’s never too late to do anything,” 11th Hour Coffee is co-owned by brothers Joel and Brayden Estby.
Joel says the business’ initial inspiration was them stopping at a café on a camping trip as young adults and being inspired to one day open their own. Brayden caught the coffee bug, roasting at home and working in the local industry as Joel pursued a career in the tech sector.
They eventually circled back to opening a business, founding 11th Hour in 2017 with Joel handling the back-end logistics, marketing and design aspects while Brayden led the coffee program and customer-facing side of the business. In addition to their second Westside location, the original downtown spot has a local-centric vibe that gives earthy and organic with prominent wood tones, furtive houseplants and a full-size tree growing in the space.
Complementing their full espresso bar coffee selection with specialty picks like the tiramisu latte is a food menu rife with fresh, mostly housemade breakfast/lunch items. The build-your-own breakfast sandwich on scratchmade biscuits is a signature offering, and other popular picks include breakfast burritos and bowls, avocado toast, lox bagels and pastries like cardamom rose cake, chocolate chip banana cookie and gluten-free almond scone.
What inspired you to leave tech?
JOEL ESTBY: I always wanted to start something of my own and not spend my life sitting behind a desk. I also wanted to build something for the community and through that become a part of the community myself. I love that almost ten years later, I’ve met people through the business that have become close friends and I see the same people walk through the door that have been coming here since day one. This makes me really proud, knowing how integral we’ve become in people’s lives.
What’s your favorite part of owning a business?
I love the fact that we get to be so creative on a daily basis when it comes to our coffee and food. Whether it be dialing in a new coffee roast or coming up with a new pastry, we are inspired by this level of freedom and love seeing guests enjoy our creations. We also outsource our kitchen to aspiring food businesses and this really creates an alive and dynamic space here.
1001 Center Street Suite 1, Santa Cruz, 831-322-4599; 11thhourcoffee.com
