Mural for a Revolution
It was May 2017, roughly two years after our Oceanside cafe opened its doors. We had been dreaming of filling the empty canvas on the south-facing wall of our flagship cafe at 1836 S Coast Highway since its opening. This timeless stretch of SoCal’s Coast Highway that our cafe sits on sees thousands of travelers, commuters, cyclists, and passersby each week. This once-empty wall felt like an opportunity to create something meaningful that would call in community and help carry the story of this Revolution.
This mural was dreamed up from the spirit and core vision of Revo: to revolutionize the way specialty coffee was experienced, and to create a gathering space for all people, from all walks of life. To make specialty coffee an accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone. Whether you drink light roast pourovers or flavored iced lattes, with kids in tow or a laptop tuned into work - everyone would find home and community within these walls.
When our owner, Miriah, was in her early biotech sales career, she traveled the country slinging cancer research equipment, but her favorite part of the job was visiting specialty coffee shops while she was on the road. She loved the craft coffee experience, but often noticed the snobbery that came along with it. High-brow attitudes, purist mentalities that did not tune into what she felt most people really wanted.
When Revo was conceptualized, it was with the intention to offer a wildly craft experience, but without the attitude. Good coffee and good food - with the best vibe in town.
At the time, Riverside based trailblazing muralist Geoff Gouveia was changing the game for specialty coffee with his whimsical art form on main streets and coffee shops like Auggies Coffee House and Lyft Coffee Roasters. We were drawn to how he created murals with such aliveness: raw, organic, and palpable. His work seemed to speak to Revo’s brand, spirit, and coastal vibe in a most natural way.
The original sketch from 2017
We connected with Goeff and through a collaborative process dreamed up a mural involving his signature long-limbed, gangly creatures with animalistic heads. Odd characters in unison - all parading towards our doors carrying a flag calling for a Revolution. The symbolism was intentional: people from all walks of life, moving together in the same direction. Entirely unique and different, but eternally the same.
So the creation began, and we watched the miracle of his art come to life. No stenciling, no measuring - a free hand process that was unforgettable to witness and has left an incredible mark on our city in the years since.
Assisting Geoff on the mural was Taylor McMaster - a native San Diegan who was a regular at Revolution since our opening. Full circle, just 7 years after this project completed, she joined the Revo team as a barista at our Carlsbad cafe and you can still find Taylor slinging your favorite drinks at Revo 2. She continues to help Geoff on large format murals like recent art for Adidas and one up and coming for the World Cup. Just recently, Taylor touched up the mural that she assisted in painting almost ten years ago. That is our kind of Revolution
Geoff has also expanded his career and creativity by opening his own coffee shop in Riverside called Mikey G’s. If you pass through the area, be sure to check out one of our talented friends' many creations.
This May, we continue to be surrounded by so many creatives from all walks of life that inspire us and continue to pave the way for specialty coffee in all the ways. We are so grateful for the weathering of the years both on the wall and in our cafes – because the message has remained the same through and through.
We hope you find comfort in it, and we welcome every creature to come experience it for themselves.
