Inside a Palm Desert coffee shop taking advantage of World Cup action
Gavin Nguyen
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A Palm Desert coffee shop has gone all-in on the World Cup!
Rutina Coffee, located along San Pablo Avenue in Palm Desert, just north of El Paseo, is Latin-owned. With the World Cup well underway, they’re fully taking advantage of the opportunity to provide a space for coffee lovers and soccer fans to enjoy the fun.
With flags hanging from the ceiling and a projector constantly lighting up the walls, customers have enjoyed every second of play since players took the pitch. The baristas set up a projector to play World Cup matches from open to close, so customers never miss a minute.
One college student, originally from La Quinta, made her first visit to Rutina on Tuesday. “This is actually my first time ever at Rutina Coffee. So when I walked in, it was a pleasant surprise to see the game being played,” said Avery Ballew, a big fan of Portugal’s soccer team.
She’s been following along closely, especially since she played during her time at La Quinta High School. Now in college, she was delighted to see Portugal win its match against Uzbekistan as she worked on assignments for summer courses.
It gets even more engaging, though, when fans show out for their favorite teams. The shop is hosting a watch party for Wednesday night’s match between Mexico and Czechia. Judging by the hundreds of likes on an Instagram post promoting it, it’s set to draw a big crowd. Rutina is even offering a discount for customers who walk in wearing a soccer jersey.
Gisselle Ortiz, the events coordinator at Rutina, was the one who came up with the idea. From a business standpoint, it’s been successful.
Caleb Calderon, the assistant to the manager, chimed in, “That’s drawn in a lot more people. I see a lot of jerseys in the morning and people head to work after that. So it’s nice to have something to excite people and bring them in.”
The staff at Rutina said the traffic they have seen through the first couple of weeks of World Cup play have been comparable to Coachella, where lines would commonly wrap around the building. They’re certainly enjoying the business boom, especially when the summer slowdown is a hurdle for any desert business.
Revenue aside, though, Ortiz said she was happy she was able to combine coffee with community and culture.
“This spot is super welcoming. So, like, all of our cultures, it’s been like that since day one,” Ortiz said. Gesturing to the flags hanging from the ceiling, “Front and center – [it is] just the first thing you see when you walk in. I think it is great, beautiful. It’s very simple but, you know, it represents everyone.”
And while soccer and coffee might be an unorthodox pair to some, Calderon said it represents Rutina’s roots, which are woven into the cafe’s menu.
“Our owners are very proud of their Latino roots. So I think the way we present our drinks and our recipes tie in pretty well,” Calderon explained. “I mean, I’d say soccer is a Latin-dominated sport, so it is a strange combination, but they end up mixing pretty well.”
From the customers who only briefly stop in and notice the World Cup decor to those who stay a while and soak in the atmosphere, the sentiment is clear: Rutina scored a winning goal by playing into the tournament buzz.
“The World Cup is heavily revolving around culture, and it’s the same thing with this coffee shop. So it makes you feel great that they’re able to merge both,” said Ballew with a smile.