Grounds for Connection: Stacey Jones on Ojai Coffee Roasters' 30 Years as "Ojai's Living Room"

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, host Bret Bradigan sits down with Stacey Jones, founder and owner of the Ojai Coffee Roasting Company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this Boxing Day, December 26, 2025.Stacey and Ojai Coffee Roasters is featured in the Winter issue of Ojai Quarterly magazine.Stacey recounts how she and her then-husband, Kent, were meandering through California’s wine country when they wandered into a café in Calistoga — and instantly knew what they wanted to do next. A former precision tools salesperson for the defense industry, Stacey traded machine parts for coffee beans and found her true calling in community and connection.Over the past three decades, the Ojai Coffee Roasting Company has weathered everything from recessions to a global pandemic, yet it remains one of Ojai’s most cherished “third places” — where locals gather, friendships form, and the pulse of the town beats strongest.Stacey reflects on what’s changed (and what hasn’t) in the coffee world, the courage it takes to keep a small business thriving in a small town, and how serving a simple cup of coffee can help knit together a community.We talked about flat whites, salted caramel lattés and favorite customers. We did not talk about mako sharks, the NBA gambling scandal or Zohran Mamdani.Check out more about Ojai Coffee Roasters at https://ojaicoffeeroasters.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooPQy-Ena5gGhqAfAESC9Jo_yHuGosU0FTAz832umAzl5trma04