Protect Evergreen Coffee Co: Save Our Local Family Business in Evergreen Village Square
The Issue
For years, our family has opened the doors of Evergreen Coffee Co before dawn, working 7 days a week to serve the neighborhood we love. Every single morning—rain or shine—we are here brewing coffee, preparing breakfast, and getting ready to welcome you.
We built this shop with our own hands, endless early mornings, and non-stop hard work. Evergreen Coffee Co isn't just a business to us; it is how we feed our family, support our dedicated staff, and contribute to the community that welcomed us. Over the years, our counters have become a second home where neighbors catch up after dropping kids off at school, students spend hours studying, and friends start their day together.
Now, everything our family has sacrificed to build is facing an existential threat.
Without any prior notice, property management signed a lease with a regional corporate chain offering virtually identical coffee, espresso, and breakfast items to move in directly next door in the former Subway unit.
Placing a corporate franchise side-by-side with an independent, family-run shop creates immediate market saturation. It doesn't bring new options or variety to Evergreen Village Square—it simply splits our customer base. If this corporate chain opens right next door with an overlapping menu, it will cannibalize our sales and risk pushing our small family business completely out of operation.
We aren't asking for special treatment—we are just asking for a fair chance to survive and keep serving the community we love. But we cannot fight this corporate pressure alone. We are turning to you—our regulars, neighbors, friends, and local community—to stand with our family.
Who We Are Asking to Help (Decision Makers)
By signing this petition, you are joining our family in asking:
- Property Management (Shapell Properties & Leasing Team): To sit down with us in good faith and provide us a solution to protect local business from corporate tenant.
- San José District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas & Office of Economic Development: To advocate for local small business retention by helping facilitate commercial mediation between property management and our family.
Please sign, share, and stand with Evergreen Coffee Co. Help us protect our family's livelihood, our staff, and the local heart of Evergreen Village Square!
How You Can Help Us Take This Further
If you want to make an even bigger impact for our family, please take 60 seconds to send a direct email to our District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas.
Contact Email:
- District 8 Representative: District8@sanjoseca.gov
SAMPLE EMAIL TEMPLATE (Copy, Paste, Edit & Send)
Subject: Support Evergreen Coffee Co - Protect a Local Family Business in District 8
Dear Councilmember Domingo Candelas,
My name is [Your Name], and I am a resident of District 8 / San Jose customer.
I am writing to express my strong support for the family behind Evergreen Coffee Co in Evergreen Village Square. They work tirelessly 7 days a week to serve our neighborhood, support their staff, and provide a welcoming gathering space for our community.
I recently learned that property management signed a lease with a regional corporate chain directly next door that offers a near-identical beverage and breakfast menu. Placing duplicate corporate uses side-by-side with an established family shop threatens to push a beloved local business out of operation.
I respectfully ask your office to step in, facilitate commercial mediation with property management, and help protect this hardworking family business.
Thank you,
[Your Name / Neighborhood]
145
The Issue
For years, our family has opened the doors of Evergreen Coffee Co before dawn, working 7 days a week to serve the neighborhood we love. Every single morning—rain or shine—we are here brewing coffee, preparing breakfast, and getting ready to welcome you.
We built this shop with our own hands, endless early mornings, and non-stop hard work. Evergreen Coffee Co isn't just a business to us; it is how we feed our family, support our dedicated staff, and contribute to the community that welcomed us. Over the years, our counters have become a second home where neighbors catch up after dropping kids off at school, students spend hours studying, and friends start their day together.
Now, everything our family has sacrificed to build is facing an existential threat.
Without any prior notice, property management signed a lease with a regional corporate chain offering virtually identical coffee, espresso, and breakfast items to move in directly next door in the former Subway unit.
Placing a corporate franchise side-by-side with an independent, family-run shop creates immediate market saturation. It doesn't bring new options or variety to Evergreen Village Square—it simply splits our customer base. If this corporate chain opens right next door with an overlapping menu, it will cannibalize our sales and risk pushing our small family business completely out of operation.
We aren't asking for special treatment—we are just asking for a fair chance to survive and keep serving the community we love. But we cannot fight this corporate pressure alone. We are turning to you—our regulars, neighbors, friends, and local community—to stand with our family.
Who We Are Asking to Help (Decision Makers)
By signing this petition, you are joining our family in asking:
- Property Management (Shapell Properties & Leasing Team): To sit down with us in good faith and provide us a solution to protect local business from corporate tenant.
- San José District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas & Office of Economic Development: To advocate for local small business retention by helping facilitate commercial mediation between property management and our family.
Please sign, share, and stand with Evergreen Coffee Co. Help us protect our family's livelihood, our staff, and the local heart of Evergreen Village Square!
How You Can Help Us Take This Further
If you want to make an even bigger impact for our family, please take 60 seconds to send a direct email to our District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas.
Contact Email:
- District 8 Representative: District8@sanjoseca.gov
SAMPLE EMAIL TEMPLATE (Copy, Paste, Edit & Send)
Subject: Support Evergreen Coffee Co - Protect a Local Family Business in District 8
Dear Councilmember Domingo Candelas,
My name is [Your Name], and I am a resident of District 8 / San Jose customer.
I am writing to express my strong support for the family behind Evergreen Coffee Co in Evergreen Village Square. They work tirelessly 7 days a week to serve our neighborhood, support their staff, and provide a welcoming gathering space for our community.
I recently learned that property management signed a lease with a regional corporate chain directly next door that offers a near-identical beverage and breakfast menu. Placing duplicate corporate uses side-by-side with an established family shop threatens to push a beloved local business out of operation.
I respectfully ask your office to step in, facilitate commercial mediation with property management, and help protect this hardworking family business.
Thank you,
[Your Name / Neighborhood]
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Petition created on September 9, 2026