Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsea Richmond.
Hi Kelsea, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Looong story short, we were just traveling the country when we ran out of money in Monterey and had to find real jobs and settle back down. We found ourselves helping this local wealthy guy open up a coffee shop, and just 3 months in he decided he didn’t want to do it any longer. Within a week we figure out a way to buy it, forcing us to learn all the ins and outs of running a business (and roasting coffee!) without any prior knowledge of how to do any of it. We’ve had a close connection to our community ever since, and they are the ones who continue to support us and give us the energy we require to continue working as hard as we do. We started off with our Monterey shop in 2018, opened the Pacific Grove shop in 2022, and in December of 2025 we opened up our tiny location on the corner of our roastery building in Sand City. The wholesale side of our business has grown exponentially as well, selling our beans, cold brew, and Nightfall cold brew to nearing 100 different vendors across California and beyond.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I truly cannot say it has been a smooth road, especially because the pandemic hit not long after we turned a year old.. and the insanity that is inflation has been our biggest obstacle. Yes, things are more expensive.. but that trickles down to not having money for repairs, wage increases, or adding on new positions that are necessary for continued growth. We have always made due, but on a personal level it has been tough to know what we want to do, but not always had the funds to do so when we want to. This is a harsh reality of ownership, and not something everyone can understand until they are in the position themselves!
While this has been true, to this day we still offer a great PTO program and health benefits, without having to pass on some sort of service charge to customers.
We’ve been impressed with Captain + Stoker, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Captain + Stoker has been run by my fiancé Tyler Ellis and I since day one, and we have had our hands on every single thing that has happened even 8 years down the road. We know all of our 35 employees, and we continue to chat with all of our regular customers daily. It means a lot to us to continue to stay this connected to everyone and everything C+S, because that is how our authenticity stays alive within the brand. We have always been complimented on the way our social media has been handled, and we never want to lose that like some other businesses do when they start to grow.
My side of the business is the everything creative – merch, social media, anything graphic design related, website, and some of our annual events. Growing up I was always artsy, so being able to do something I love on a daily basis is the best. At the moment, we are working on holiday merch, and it is so incredible to be this far ahead of the game (about 5 months) compared to how we used to always be last minute. Our design team is kickers, to say the least. When it comes to social media, I have always been complimented on how it reads to customers.. which has been great, but was tough for me the last few years. I became pregnant, and then of course had my baby, so there was an almost 2 year period where I slacked a ton. I hated it, but also just wasn’t able to get the content I had been getting before! Eventually, I was able to come back to work and had a lot more energy for it all.. and I’m just now getting back on my feet which feels incredible.
As the owner though, I am also doing a lot of the boring stuff like payroll, managing benefits, permits and tax preparation stuff, etc. To do what you love, you’ve still gotta deal with a little of the stuff you dont.. thats showbiz baby!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about the Monterey Peninsula is that we live in a dream vacation land! It is so beautiful everywhere you go, and I am so honored to get the chance to live here. We are originally from Michigan, so it is a big change! We’ve got the incredibly beautiful coast line and ocean to explore. You can drive just a few minutes into the valley for some heat and wine, or drive a few hours for a completely different scene like San Fransisco. During the winter, you’re just 4 hours away from great snowboarding! So you kind of get it all living here.
What I dislike about this area would honestly be the weather, which some will gasp at, I’m sure. There isn’t really any “bad” weather, and there also isn’t really any “great” weather. It never gets too cold, and never gets too hot. So in the mornings and at night, you will absolutely need to dress like it’s freezing outside. Then midday it’s pretty hot and you’re going to wish you had shorts on. So basically, you need your entire wardrobe all year long haha, which is very different from our time in Michigan where you could pack away your seasonal clothes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://captainandstoker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captainstoker
