My Coffee Sleeve Collection
- Bri Kelly
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
I don't know when the collection started- Okay that's a lie. I do know. I had been interested in the art of coffee, brewing techniques, I went to the seminar, started following the US Barista Championship. You know, just very healthy dive into an addiction, nothing to worry about.
It started at Coffeeholic in West Covina, I ordered my favorite at the time, a hot mocha. This shop was one of my first introductions to a "local" coffee shop. I say local in quotes because I'm pretty sure this store has franchised. However, the vibes were still there. When you walked in you were greeted by a tall counter, many stools and tables, a show counter with fresh made baked goods, and Her.
She is beautiful, she is large, she took my breath away, she is the Yama Tower that sits in the dining room of the store and slow drips fresh cold brew for hours. I knew I had found a good place, and my hunt for a good local shop came alive.
While I could go on and on about the Yama Tower, and where I would proudly display one in my future home, this is about the sleeve. Come take a walk with me as I show you some of my favorites.
Yup; there she is in all her glory. It looks simple, and it is. Simple coffee cup shapes with the "caution HOT beverage" warning creeping up from the back. This was the sleeve that started it all. I can hear my therapist diagnosing me now. Hey Derek! It was just so cute, I wondered what other little kinds of designs people would put in effort to make for their business. So in my purse it went.
20 sleeves later, I would classify this as a collection. Like any collection there are some that have sentimental meaning behind it. So, if you care to join me, I'd love to walk you through a few of my favorites.
The Sleeves
A deep dive
This was the second sleeve I ever collected. It was 2024, the shop was LovChCh in West Covina, near where I used to live. After Coffeeholic, I wanted to try more places and this shop was right down the street. The shop was small but cute with a little French theme to it. I ordered my usual at the time and when I said no to any food, the shop owner gave me 2 churros to try anyway.
The coffee was good, and the sweet gesture made me want to get the word out about this little shop; so I snapped a picture and put my little review on Google Maps.
So the photo got 50,000 views and it went straight to my head... yeah, so what? I found a little hobby, I drink coffee, I write a little review, I have a little fun. Did I ever think I would start a full ass blog reviewing coffee? Surprisingly, no, but I did enjoy feeling like a little reviewer. It only continued when I went on vacation.
It was June of 2024, I decided to take my falling apart Honda Odyssey (RIP Sally) on my very first solo vacation. I would drive 40 minutes to Santa Ana CA, stay in a hotel for 2 nights, and try to plan activities throughout the 3 days. All I knew is I wanted to go to a local coffee shop, and go to an art gallery. This was a big moment for me. I do a lot of things on my own but never something big like this. There was such an independence to it, not just physically but emotionally too? I decided to spend my money on this, I planned the hotel stay, I planned the activities, I drove myself there. Everything was done on my own.
I had gone on a self guided tour of the city, I went to a few coffee shops, I got drunk at the art gallery because I had whiskey with my very light lunch. I had wine, and snacks in my hotel room while I watched trashy reality TV. I got up early for the free breakfast and I stayed up late. On the last day of my trip, I needed my coffee, I promised myself I would get a coffee everyday on vacation, and if I had the opportunity to have multiple cups I would.
The Lost Bean was the first stop of my day. I got a large iced lavender latte, with oat milk. I had kicked myself because I didn't get it hot so I couldn't see if there was a sleeve to collect, and none of the other shops I had been to had any. I spilled a little coffee on the table and went to get some napkins and there it was. Not only was it designed, the design was cute (this is rare).
This little sleeve isn't just a sleeve in my eyes, but a reminder to do the intimidating thing.
Now, not all of my favorite sleeves have a sentimental backstory; but that's okay! The reason I liked The Lost Bean so much was it was a cute design, but it was also because it was different! it wasn't just the logo stamped on a coffee sleeve and called a day... Okay yes... the 3 above that I'm showcasing are just the logo stamped on a coffee sleeve and called a day... BUT they're all in a fun color! Look... they're coffee sleeves not Da Vinci paintings, I think the colors are cute!
I love this one because it is a little scene on a sleeve. The characters are studying, they're falling in love (with each other or the coffee we'll never know), there's a bunch of books that represent the store. It's honestly just adorable.
I squealed when I saw this one. It was Llama's 30th birthday, her husband had planned a bunch of activities; the first one being the Warner Bros. Studio tour. At the end of the tour, you get dropped off at their coffee shop and Friend themed gift shop. We were all in much need of a pick me up so we paid for the overpriced coffee and cupcakes. When I got my sleeve it was such a cute little detail that delighted me and honestly this one might be my favorite one.
The Friend's Offerings
I don't collect many things... honestly it's only really the coffee sleeves and my unintentional snow globe collection. Since this blog is about coffee and not about snow globes, you will never hear that story.
However, in all of my years of collecting, if you yap about how you collect something- your friends will start looking for that thing for you. (You know, if they're cool, and my friends are very cool).
Yes, 2 of the 3 pictures are the photos that were sent to me showing me that they snagged a cool coffee sleeves for me (the cherries are my favorite). So thank you to Star, Llama, and Matcha for these offerings.
While I don't have a personal connection with these sleeves, these are so special to me because people saw them and thought of me; what could be more beautiful?
In my reviews, I love to showcase whatever coffee sleeve the shop provides at the time. I think it's a fun little thing to take in the small little details they've put into it. Coffee shops are about the coffee, but when you're building you're own business you're thinking of every little detail, right down to the coffee sleeve. I just wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the effort shops put into their passion. I hope you enjoyed this little walk down memory lane with me.
-Bri
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