Food for Thought

Jenny Phreab, owner of Thinkers Café, located at 1631 20th Street, across from the Potrero Hill branch of the San Francisco Public Library, has realized the American Dream. Though not without some sleepless nights.

She came to the United States from Cambodia in 1998, anxious to put memories of her impoverished childhood in the rearview mirror, motivated by her belief in hard work as the road to success. Ten years later, she sold her first business—a bakery in Mountain View she’d owned since 2003—and bought Thinkers Café, name and menu included. 

She purchased the shop for three reasons: “The neighborhood, the weather, and the view.”

She enjoys these attributes after a 90-minute commute from Patterson, California, near Turlock. where she lives with her family, including three children: 24-year-old Michael, 19-year-old Khannikha, and five-year old Allie. She originally planned to move closer, but rent is too expensive.

Like many small business owners, she’s faced numerous challenges. The COVID pandemic hit her especially hard. Although she didn’t close, people stopped going out to eat; she lost customers. In 2022, thieves broke in, vandalized the counter and stole all the cash on hand. It wasn’t the first time, but the damage was extensive enough to warrant a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for repairs. She quickly raised $1,500 and, with help from the landlord, installed a stronger security gate designed to prevent future break-ins.

Post-COVD recovery has been slow. In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, Michelle Allersma, director of the Office of the Controller’s Budget and Analysis Division, said that sales tax revenue is down sharply throughout the City compared to pre-pandemic levels. This is especially true in the Financial District, where much of the blame can be placed on the switch to remote work, which has kept people away from shops and restaurants they formerly patronized during their workday. This year’s $774,000 total sales tax revenue generated in Potrero Hill is down 34 percent from the same period in 2019.

Phreab remains optimistic. “I consider myself lucky.” she said, “A lot of other small businesses out there, they lost. But I survive.” Something she credits to her dedicated employees and regular customers.

Phreab has added drink options, such as smoothies and frappes, as well as panini-style sandwiches. She’s especially proud of the bread she uses, which is made by a friend who owns several bakeries in Campbell. 

“I get all our bread from her because I can’t find anything like it anywhere else.”

Phreab confessed that she doesn’t know the origin of the café’s name. The logo, which features a likeness of Rodin’s famous statue pondering a cup of coffee, provides a clue. Perhaps the proximity to the library offers another. The answer is something you can ponder when you visit.

Thinkers Café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.