""This coffee's quite special. It's grown in Yunnan, China, and it's processed with a special yeast to give it a peachy, kind of osmanthus-y flavor," he says."
""I was like, you know what? I can either try this coffee shop thing when I retire, or I could just do it now.""
""If we're gonna run an Asian American cafe, why don't we make a point about that? I think there's power in the name and specifically referencing a kind of experience.""
""The name is an homage to how my great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather actually immigrated to San Francisco," Pong says."
Alex Pong moved from a tech career into coffee after a 2023 layoff and now operates two thriving Paper Son Coffee locations in San Francisco. The shops serve Asian-inspired specialty drinks and pastries in partnership with Tano SF. The name Paper Son references a historical immigration practice that helped Pong's ancestors enter the United States during the Chinese Exclusion Act era. Customer reactions range from recognition to curiosity, and Pong intentionally centers Asian American identity in the cafe experience. Pong's background as a weekend barista before working in tech informs the blending of Asian and American coffee cultures.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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