Living the Dream — John Alvarez, owner of the Nautical Bean in Oceanside, stands aboard his two-story houseboat, Jodi K, in the harbor where he works and plays. The father of two brews gourmet coffee and serves up fresh treats daily at the only coffee shop in the harbor.
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Hi gang, Rick Ostler here again bringing you Bayliner Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. OCEANSIDE — As coffee-lovers flock to the mainstream java houses located throughout the city, boat owners and locals alike frequent the Nautical Bean, a coffee shop tucked away in Oceanside Harbor among vessels, restaurants and small shops.
Known for its specialty brews, homemade whipped cream and mochas, clients receive more than just an ordinary cup of joe here.
“We don’t sell Chevys or Volkswagens here, OK?” explained Capt. John Alvarez, owner of the Nautical Bean. “We sell Ferraris, Bentleys and, once in a while, a Beemer.”
The shop serves eight coffees on a daily basis: Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona Extra Fancy Greenwall Estate, Masters Blend, Nightwatch and African, Central American and decaffeinated blends.
Boaters get a quick Java Pick-me-Up
For deckhands coming in from a long trip, recreational boaters preparing for a relaxing sail or harbor area customers searching for a quick pick-me-up, the java hut offers something for everyone.
“I enjoy the panoramic view and the sense of excitement from the harbor,” said Bob Whelan, a customer who has been ordering coffee from the Nautical Bean for 10 years.
Those who aren’t taken by coffee can order sodas, teas, juices, bottled water and smoothies. Sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches and pastries are also available.
As a coffee aficionado, Alvarez, 59, understands the importance of a caffeine fix from his long days as a deckhand and a captain of sportfishing boats in the harbor.
Looking back to how he made it to where he is now, Alvarez said it was “a series of misfortune, bad timing and poor dumb luck. Because if I would have planned this out, I would have utterly failed.”
Luck, mixed with hard work and determination, also added to his current success.
In junior college, Alvarez was determined to make his way as a deckhand on one of the many boats docked in the harbor. He took a job as a dishwasher at the Dolphin Inn — and as he worked, he’d admire the free-spirited captains of the sportfishing boats who would saunter in for a cup of coffee.
“They would have their hip boots on, were tanned and had sunglasses and wore hats and gray shirts, and I thought ‘man that was so cool,’” he remembered.
As an employee, he was able to join in the trips and fish for free, allowing him to meet captains and learn his way around a sportfishing boat. Eventually he was asked to come aboard a 65-foot vessel and work as a deckhand.
A year later, a mentor and friend asked Alvarez to join him at H&M Landing in San Diego, where management sent him to navigation school. There, he earned his captains license. The years following his departure from the company, a decision he made when he realized his children Jodi and John almost didn’t recognize him after long trips at sea, are filled with self-owned businesses — ranging from Sun Graphics, a silk screening company to Standing Ovation, a singing telegram service.
In 1994, luck struck again when a buddy mentioned his ambition to open a coffee shop. Alvarez quickly jumped on board, attending an annual coffee show that happened to pull into town that month. The building that once housed a surf shop in the harbor was also empty and looking for a new tenant. “I was pumped,” Alvarez admitted.
In 1994 he opened the business, without his friend, and began to make his name known in the harbor by offering first-class brews and entertainment. “John’s concerts are the best,” gushed Linda Whelan. “They are just great.”
The Nautical Bean - There for Summer Concert Series
Together Linda and Bob Whelan have frequented the Nautical Bean, where they regularly grab a cup of coffee, read the daily paper, absorb the views and take in a summer night concert. Many boaters like the Whelans, who recently sold the 20-foot Bayliner they kept in the harbor for several years, cruise out to the shop to enjoy the music series.
“They dock, and they take their dinghies and skiffs and watch the concert,” Alvarez explained. “We call it ‘Humphreys North,” a mini-Humphreys by the Sea.” A stage is located in the patio area of the store, which overlooks the harbor — a perfect situation for boaters who can tie up to the docks and watch the shows on land.
While he is not on site everyday — his employees consist of a family that is beloved by many in the harbor — as a liveaboard, he is always nearby.
In 1996, he purchased a 26-foot Islander Bahama sailboat from a customer for $1,000 — and on a whim, Alvarez decided to move from his “bachelor pad” in Carlsbad when the harbor upped its liveaboard number from 45 to 90. “I had to really regroup,” he said as he made the transition to the 26-foot boat. “But I loved it.”
As time progressed, he traded up to a 69-foot sailboat — and moved from Marina South to Marina North. There, he noticed a houseboat that he just had to have. Berk Eastman, known for his Cape Codder houseboat design, agreed to build a 29- by 11-foot houseboat for Alvarez.
Equipped with fishing portal, hardwood floors, a patio and an office, Alvarez could never imagine leaving the harbor. “Here I am, living the life — and to this very day, I have to pinch myself,” Alvarez said. “There are 40 million guys going to work, driving an hour to go to their cubicle where they fire up their computers and look at the screensaver of the Bahamas or a boat — and they’re going ‘man, one day I’m going to do that.’ And I’m doing it,” he said. “If I would have planned this I would have blown it.” Thanks to Ambrosia Sarabia, http://www.thelog.com for this.
For more information on the Nautical Bean, www.nauticalbeancoffee.com
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