A local San Francisco coffee shop is grappling with the aftermath of a break-in and is contacting the community for assistance. Keiko's Coffee, situated near St. Mary's Park on Mission Street, suffered a burglary early yesterday morning. The shop's owner, Daysi Leon, received an alert on her phone before 6 a.m. signaling the door had been breached. By the time Leon arrived, the damage was done. "I heard the alarm on my phone that the door was open, so by the time I got here, it was already broken into," Leon said, as per NBC Bay Area.
Surveillance footage shows an individual rummaging through the coffee shop and making off with the register and its contents. Leon expressed the frustration felt by the break-in, not just in the loss of property but in the violation of a dream being built from the ground up. This business was founded just in December of 2023, fostering a connection to Leon's Bolivian roots with unique offerings such as Nutella and ube lattes. "It's upsetting because it's something you’re building, you’re working your way up, and for them to just take it like that, it's upsetting," Leon said, as cited by NBC Bay Area. The shop also experienced important celebrations, like the Bolivian Independence Day special they had planned. Unfortunately, instead of celebrating, they are now repairing and rebuilding.
The gravity of the situation was further underscored by a post on the coffee shop's Instagram page, which revealed that Keiko's was not the only victim; another nearby coffee shop suffered a similar fate with a shattered window. The post urged neighbors to assist by providing any information that could help identify the person responsible for the incidents. "If you are apart of our neighborhood and this person looks familiar please contact us so that we can report more information to SFPD as we are currently working with them in catching the culprit", the Keiko's Coffee Instagram post detailed.
Despite the disruption and unwelcome intrusion, Leon has resolved to keep Keiko's Coffee operational during repairs, showing resilience in the face of adversity. The shop continued to welcome patrons from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., maintaining high spirits amid the clean-up. "I hope somebody recognizes this person, so that way they can help us out or at least prevent other businesses, you know," Leon shared, as per NBC Bay Area.
