Regulars at the Ritual Coffee in Hayes Valley's PROXY may have noticed some construction taking place lately.
"El Niño is coming!" Ritual owner Eileen Rinaldi told us. "We're expanding at our little spot so that customers can come inside to get coffee and hang out." She wasn't able to share renderings, but the plan is to construct an enclosed seating area surrounding the coffee spot's shipping container, similar to the one at neighboring Smitten Ice Cream.
Ritual filed a building permit with the city in October of last year, to construct an "awning to provide a screened-in condition." Construction will take place during business hours, though Ritual may have to close occasionally in the coming weeks to accommodate it.
Ritual is changing something else in the new year: its prices, which have increased as of January 1st. "At Ritual, we've never had a hard time hiring great people, but unfortunately our employees are getting priced out of San Francisco," reads a sign on the counter. "For the first time in our 11 years, we don't have a flood of people moving to San Francisco to work in coffee."
Ritual's note to customers.
Most of Ritual's prices have gone up by a quarter: a latte, formerly $4.25, is now $4.50; cappuccinos rose from $3.75 to $4, and a shot of espresso, formerly $3, is now $3.25.
And more price hikes may be on the way. "Don't be surprised if we have to do this again in six months, to stay ahead of rising employment costs," it stated.
But the employment crunch hasn't quelled Ritual's expansion plans: it will be opening a fifth location on Haight Street in the coming weeks.
