Cesar Fuentes

Caffe Tazza Coffeehouse & Bistro • Terra Nova Plaza • Chula Vista, CA

In 2009, on the heels of one of the worst U.S. economic recessions on record, Cesar Fuentes and his wife, Isela, set forth to acquire Terra Nova Plaza’s Caffe Tazza. Isela, a frequent Caffe Tazza customer for more than a decade, knew everything about this small gathering spot. Frequently conducting client meetings there, she was familiar with the ins and outs of the menu, the customer service and the overall operation. And she envisioned all kinds of ways to make it even better. The opportunity to make Caffe Tazza her own finally came, but the timing couldn’t have been worse.

With the economy in a tailspin and banks rarely granting loans, Cesar and Isela, along with their co-owner, Chris Madruga, boldly put forth an all-cash offer and acquired the business. This terrifying leap was wrought with potential pitfalls. Many Americans were eliminating the “extras”, and specialty coffee certainly fell into that category. The first two years were a master class in navigating uncertainty. But with financial reserves in place, they forged ahead, implementing an aggressive hands-on approach that took Caffe Tazza through the storm.

When 2020 hit, Cesar & Isela faced an even bigger challenge – the pandemic and the retail apocalypse that followed. They were forced to shutter their business for nearly two months, but their rocky start in 2009 was now fuel for much needed faith and resilience. Caffe Tazza was in the perfect hands. With a depth of experience overcoming adversity, the team turned 2020 into another successful year. NewMark Merrill was by their side through it all.

The Caffe Tazza team is relieved that the challenges of 2009 and 2020 are in the rear-view mirror, and they’re hopeful and anticipatory about continuing to be the neighborhood place to grab great quality coffee, mingle with regulars and be part of a special Chula Vista, CA community.

NewMark Merrill has been absolutely awesome. They are incredibly hands-on, it seems like they’re always here on site and they’re amazingly communicative. They’re truly invested in the success of small, family-owned businesses, like ours.