Guerilla Cafe, the small artist-run coffee shop and gallery tucked into North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, has quietly called it quits after roughly 19 years. The windows at 1620 Shattuck Ave. are now papered over, and a brief note taped to the door thanks regulars for their first dates, friendships, and long conversations over coffee. For nearly two decades, the space served as both a caffeine stop and a showcase for politically minded art.
The closure appears to have come in recent days. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Berkeley Eats newsletter cited an expired lease and a looming rent hike as reasons for the shutdown. The Chronicle noted the papered windows and farewell letter, and reported that owner Andrea Ali did not respond to requests for comment.
A Home For Art And Activism
Guerilla opened in 2006 as a joint project from ceramist Andrea Ali and Keba and Rachel Konte, and quickly became known as much for its gallery walls as for what was in the mugs. The cafe regularly showcased work by Bay Area artists of color and featured politically engaged pieces that aligned with the name on the sign. The owners turned the former Smokey Joe’s site into a hybrid pop-up and exhibition venue that hosted performances, shows, and community events, a transformation documented by Berkeleyside.
A Launching Pad For Red Bay Coffee
During their time at Guerilla, Keba and Rachel Konte immersed themselves in roasting and hospitality, an experience that would fuel their next act. In 2014, they launched Red Bay Coffee as a roastery, then expanded into cafes and wholesale accounts. Their work at Guerilla helped shape Red Bay’s mission to center people of color in specialty coffee, from hiring practices to community outreach, according to Cuisine Noir.
Closures Pile Up Across The Bay Area
Guerilla’s shutdown lands in the middle of a rough season for Bay Area cafes and restaurants. A roundup from the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Red Bay closed its Fruitvale headquarters at the end of November and filed for Chapter 11, a sign that even well-known regional coffee brands are feeling the squeeze. Rising commercial rents and shifting consumer habits were cited as key pressures behind recent closures.
For neighbors who treated Guerilla as a go-to spot for art, politics, and strong coffee, the loss is immediate and personal. Whatever moves into the corner at 1620 Shattuck Ave. next - another indie shop, a chain, or an empty storefront - will say a lot about where Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto is headed in the months to come.
