Journey lands at the DeVille
MONTHS after arriving here, fate took their job and changed their plans. It replaced them with a brainstorm of ideas. One smelled like coffee. In 2013, Nicole and Morne Van Staden launched a coffee truck in Vaca’s Premium Outlets. They knew little about specialty coffee, only that it brings people together. That has always been their True North. On the truck was painted “Journey Coffee.” They learned from coffee mentor Scott Rao—so well, in fact, that in 2014 they opened the bricks/mortar coffee shop in Alamo Plaza. On its marquee: “Journey Coffee.” It grew. In 2018, they tripled their space with a bakery and café. At the same time they opened shops and roasting operations in Fairfield. Energized by success, they started dreaming of raising the bar.
They did that, and then some. Mar. 11, Journey’s journey landed on Main St.
Nicole and Morne are now owners of Theatre DeVille, built 95 years ago as Clark Theatre, Vacaville’s historic movie and entertainment center for decades. They’re calling it “Journey Downtown.”
They bought it, they own it, plus all the lives and times of Vacaville that go with it. After months of a costly remodel by Jason Johnson, and a resale to Farzad Mobin, with spasms of closings and reopenings, the 1926 movie emporium is theirs--their four young sons, too. “It’s a humbling experience,” Morne smiled. He told me Tuesday they plan to keep all of their Journey coffee shops percolating.
THEIR business plan is centered by a desire for the theatre to embrace the community, and vice versa. “I want to make it available to everyone,” he said, as a center for music, local talent, social functions, movie nights and seminars. Metaphorically, he sees theatre options as a Swiss Army Knife: a wide variety of functions in one package. Morne is from South Africa; Nicole, from the East Coast. They came here so Morne, a pilot, could ferry planes for Jeff Sharman, an aircraft broker he knew in South Africa. Jeff lost his life in a local crash several years ago.
Look for a soft opening on Monday, April 5, the day after Easter, offering a breakfast, maybe lunch, and yet-to-be announced entertainment. Facebook and a web to follow. The team will offer food throughout the day. A full bar won’t hurt either. If, over time, the public assumes ownership of the 95-year-old treasure, Morne and Nicole couldn’t be happier.
Shea, of McGuire Realty, did the deal.
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AFTER one of the most devastating wildfires in history, our blackened hills are greening up. But healing is far from over. The 250 August-October LNU fires destroyed 1,491 buildings and damaged 230 more. Hundreds of wildlife and farm animals perished, including refugees in several sanctuaries. One is Zinger Ranch, in Cherry Glen. Like many others, Steve and Missy Benzinger were in the path of a surge of flames on the night of Aug. 16. They raced to save themselves, and as many of their sheltered animals as they could; for some, they could only open the gates and hope they’d find their way out. They lost a mix of 75 chickens and quail.
As she typically did, just days before the fire Missy gave friends eggs from the same chickens. When the friends learned the Benzingers lost all their fowl, three of them decided to try incubating the 20 eggs they still had, in hopes of restoring Missy’s flock: “Three hatched, two died,” she said. One miraculous chick survived.
The trio brought it to the sanctuary. It’s a rooster. Missy calls it “Pauly.” He’s doing well and rules the roost. Ironically, if not for the fire he wouldn’t be alive.
Missy and Steve bought the 185-acre ranch about three years ago. They moved from San Francisco with the idea of creating a sanctuary. Both were sworn S.F. Police officers. Missy retired after 12 years; Steve has 23 years and is still on the job. Their house was spared, but rebuilding all else is staggering. “It cost us $20,000 just to repair the road,” she said. All sanctuaries need help. Zinger Ranch Facebook has donor portals to support chicks, goats, cows, sheep and donkeys. Is “Pauly” coping? I asked “He’s with our new chickens,” Missy said. “He’s happy.”