Revisiting an old friend part: 1

I’m revisiting an old friend. That old friend is Mast Coffee.

In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I quit my full-time job at Apple to pursue woodworking as a career. At that point, I had been woodworking as a hobby for around five years. I had completed small commissions, but nothing substantial enough to make me consider transitioning to woodworking full-time. That’s when my good friend Mike Sanchez reached out, asking me to help build furniture for his new coffee shop, Mast. Mike and I have been close since around 2011.

We met a few times to discuss his vision and how he wanted the space to feel. After visiting the location (2421 17th St, Sacramento, CA), I felt a wave of inspiration. White oak with brass details blended perfectly with the concrete and brick of the old building. Midway through the project, I realized that this was exactly what I wanted to do for a living. The process of taking someone’s vision and transforming it into a tangible, functional, and aesthetically pleasing space unlocked a new passion for me.

I knew the decision to quit my stable job at Apple was a risk. I didn’t do a financial assessment or create a five-year plan. I didn’t even know if I’d have more work after the coffee shop was finished. But I consulted with my wife and the people closest to me, and to my surprise, I had their full support. The thought in my mind was, “Do it now, or you’ll regret not trying later.”

So I did it. I poured 100% of my energy into building my woodworking business, and soon, it began to grow. Word of mouth spread, and slowly, I started taking on more projects. The decision wasn’t calculated, but it was one of the best I’ve ever made.

Now, four years later, I have the opportunity to build furniture for the second Mast Coffee location (1430 28th St, Sacramento, CA).

This new location is unique. The space is large, and almost every surface is concrete. Our challenge is to introduce warmth through wood, fabric, and a new lighting scheme. Mike and I have been planning this space for over two years now, and the ideas have evolved significantly during that time. I’m not just building furniture for this location—I’m also helping to design the space itself.

I’ve spent countless hours sitting in different spots in the building, imagining the flow, light, and experience from every angle. I’ve created multiple iterations of 3D maps and sketches. As we dive deeper into each concept, the ideas keep evolving. Knowing when to stop refining is one of the hardest parts of design. It’s easy to oversimplify or overcomplicate, but hitting the brakes when it feels right is essential.

Right now, we’re working on seating for the perimeter of the space. We’ve decided on beech tops for the benches, with a structural skeleton wrapped in durable laminate. To break up the hard edges of the space, we’re using curves in the bench design. These parts were designed using software and cut out on a CNC machine.

One of the biggest challenges is making the benches look like a single, smooth unit even though they’re made from multiple sheets of plywood. Hundreds of parts have to come together seamlessly, which requires careful planning. Every piece is labeled, and once smaller sections are assembled, we have to organize how the larger sections will come together. At this stage, organization is key.

Follow along as I share more details about this build.