Long Beach’s latest splash of island color is parked right on the college strip. The Sunrise Shack, a Hawaii-born açaí and coffee spot best known for its sunshine-yellow hut and bullet coffee, has opened a mainland location at 4501 E. Carson St. near Long Beach City College. The shop quietly started serving in mid-February, bringing island-style bowls, toasts and specialty coffee to a stretch of Carson Street that has already been buzzing with new breakfast and cafe openings this year.
The operation is run by founders Alex Smith, Travis Smith, Koa Smith and Koa Rothman, and it leans hard into a clean, seed-oil-free approach to food, as reported by the Press-Telegram. That same piece quoted Travis Smith explaining that Long Beach, with its coastal, beach-loving personality, felt like the most natural place on the mainland for the Shack to drop anchor.
What the Shack Serves
According to the brand’s menu and locations pages, the Long Beach shop sticks closely to the Hawaii playbook, serving açaí and papaya bowls, smoothie blends with add-ins such as macadamia and almond butter, specialty toasts and a full lineup of coffee drinks that includes bullet-style options and espresso-based beverages. The company highlights whole ingredients, simple builds and a wellness-forward angle on its site. Sunrise Shack lists the current menu, online ordering choices and branded merchandise on its locations page.
Local Coffee Tie-Up
The Long Beach outpost pours beans from Costa Mesa-based roaster Common Room Roasters, which says it supplies a custom single-origin blend for the Shack’s espresso and brewed coffee. The roaster describes the collaboration as an easy match and plays up how the Sunrise Shack’s island aesthetic pairs with its specialty coffees. Common Room Roasters outlined the partnership on its blog.
Where and When
The Sunrise Shack sits at 4501 E. Carson St., Suite 113, a short walk for Long Beach City College students looking to trade cafeteria fare for smoothie bowls. The chain’s official page currently lists hours as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., while a local Business Beat column cited hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so anyone planning a caffeine run may want to confirm before heading over. The Press-Telegram remains a handy reference for hours and opening details.
Opening Reception
Local coverage from outlets including Longbeachize and student newspaper LBCC Viking News noted the shop’s mid-February debut, a bright mural and early lines of curious customers. Early write-ups and social posts have praised the bowls and laid-back island vibe, with plenty of locals saying the Shack nicely fills the gap for quick, health-minded breakfasts right by the college.
