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Fort Bragg coffee roasting plant damaged by fire
Investigators from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Department and Cal Fire look over the scene of a fire at the Thanksgiving Coffee Company in Fort Bragg, Tuesday July 6, 2010, that gutted portions of the production and sales department.
KENT PORTER/ PDPublished: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 8:11 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 9:21 p.m.
For years, the sign heralding the values of Thanksgiving Coffee Company — “Not just a cup but a just cup” — has graced the building that overlooks the harbor in coastal Fort Bragg.
Tuesday morning, the values remained, but the slogan was erased under the charred remains of the roasting plant, with only “just cup” visible on the building facade as fire investigators and the curious surveyed the remains of the town's biggest fire in recent memory.
“It's a heartbreaking thing to look at but it could have been much worse,” said Jenais Zarlin, company director of business development. “We're lucky and we're going to get through it.”
The large roasting plant near Noyo Harbor caught fire Monday night in what may have been an act of arson, Fort Bragg Fire Chief Steve Orsi said. No one was injured in the blaze that was reported at 9:23 p.m. Monday, a holiday for workers celebrating the Fourth of July weekend.
As many as 50 firefighters, mostly volunteers from the region, turned out to battle the burning building and save one of Fort Bragg's signature companies.
Zarlin said the fire will not cause a disruption to customers. The inventory of beans stored in the warehouse wasn't damaged and the company roaster also was saved.
By late Tuesday, a company spokesman issued a statement confirming that support from members of the community and the specialty coffee industry in the Bay Area will allow the business to continue operating on schedule.
“We're feeling good about being able to continue to fulfill all our customer needs,” Zarlin said.
A team of state forestry and Mendocino County sheriff's investigators were on the scene Tuesday afternoon trying to determine the cause of the fire, including the possibility of vandalism and arson.
“There were signs people had broken in, damage not caused by the fire,” Orsi said.
The middle of the building was reduced to charred remnants, including a production area and administrative offices.
“The owners were pretty happy we were able to save the biggest part of the machinery,” Orsi said. “That part of the building, we were able to keep the fire away from. That's where the big dollars were.”
Fort Bragg, Cal Fire and Mendocino firefighters responded to the harbor after several callers reporting flames shooting from the building.
“By the time we got there you could see flames from a long ways away. It was cooking,” Orsi said.
The Fort Bragg-based company founded by Paul and Joan Katzeff in 1972 has become an iconic local business.
It began as a cottage hippie business, specializing in high-quality coffee with low-volume sales, later developing a reputation as a leader in organic and fair trade coffee.
In the early years it sold about 50 pounds a week. By 1977, the business sold up to 200 pounds a day. It currently produces about 750,000 pounds a year with annual sales of about $4.6 million.
“They're one of our major employees and a flagship for our little town,” Dave Turner, vice mayor of Fort Bragg, said. He also noted the role the company plays in the community, most recently donating the coffee for the 39th annual World's Largest Salmon Barbecue held last weekend.
The roasting plant and offices were in a collection of wooden buildings that once housed the Noyo River Inn, bar and restaurant, on a hillside overlooking the harbor.
“Between insurance coverage and help from other specialty coffee roasters, we expect to keep all staff working,” Joan Katzeff said.
Its hillside location as well as the size and configuration of the much-remodeled building hampered firefighting efforts, said witnesses and fire officials.
Orsi said he did not let firefighters work from inside because of the danger of the roof collapsing.
“It just wasn't safe,” Orsi said.
That made the department's aerial truck the best weapon against the fire. Firefighters placed it on the highway above the building so it could spray water onto the complex.
A hose was laid across Highway 20, closing the road, with traffic diverted through a Holiday Inn Express motel.
Firefighters were at the scene until about 3 a.m.
Tuesday afternoon, people were wandering by to check out the damage.
Stephen and Darlene Brown had walked down to the harbor to gather free coffee bean hulls the company lets them use as fertilizer. The couple had not heard about the fire until they arrived.
“It's just a shock, coming down here and seeing all this yellow ribbon,” said Stephen Brown. “They're really great with the community.”
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