Equator Coffees & Teas Named 2016 California Small Business Of The Year
The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Equator Coffees & Teas the 2016 California Small Business of the Year.
According to a press release issued by the federal agency, this marks the first time a certified LGBT-owned business has won this prestigious title.
Equator was founded by partners Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell in 1995 in their Marin County garage. Today, the company has 90 employees across its burgeoning retail and wholesale operations, and rebounded quickly after losing one of its major wholesale clients, La Boulange, the Chronicle reported late last year.
The company's first San Francisco cafe opened last spring in Mid-Market, and plans are in the works to bring a second location to the newly-constructed high-rise office complex at 222 Second St. in SoMa. Many restaurants and coffee shops also carry Equator, including Napa's three-Michelin-starred The French Laundry.
