Gavina coffee company opens cafe in downtown LA

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- They are known for their coffee: Don Francisco's, Cafe la Lllave, Jose's Gourmet. Those are now iconic brands in Los Angeles and beyond.

The company behind the roasted beans, F. Gavina and Sons, which started brewing in Los Angeles in 1967, is still family-run and embarking on a new journey.

As part of the company's 50th anniversary celebration, they decided to take on a new venture - Don Francisco's Coffee Casa Cubana. It is the company's first brick-and-mortar coffee shop, located in downtown Los Angeles.

The company's story began in Cuba 150 years ago.

"My grandfather was born in a coffee plantation," said Lisette Gavina Lopez. "That's where he learned about cultivating coffee, growing coffee and selecting the best coffees for roasting."

The Cuban Revolution forced the family to leave in the 1960s, heading first for Spain and then ending up in Los Angeles.

Now the family business encompasses four generations.

Casa Cubana takes you back to the Cuba of the 1950s, serving up the family's most popular brews and family recipes that don't disappoint.

For this immigrant family who has achieved the American dream, continuing to add jobs and grow the local economy makes them proud Angelenos.