Two-generation KP family opens Gig Harbor coffee shop

By Jeanette Brown

Special to the KP News

Coffee has definitely become a “family affair” at the Renckly-Nelson household. Robin Nelson and her husband, Jake, recently became co-owners of the most recent upscale Gig Harbor franchise of the Forza Coffee Co. together with Robin’s parents, Bob and Cindy Renckly. The two couples even live on the same street in Wauna; the Nelsons both are lifelong residents of the Key Peninsula.

Jake and Robin Nelson with her parents and co-owners, Cindy and Bob Renckly, at a Tacoma Forza Coffee, where they were undergoing training in mid-December prior to opening their own shop in Gig Harbor.   Photo by Jeanette Brown

While enrolled in the paralegal program at Tacoma Community College, Robin honed her skills as a barista at a Bertolino Bros. Coffee Bar in Tacoma for six years. For the past year there, she was a manager — and now she will enjoy  her role as manager of the family business, overseeing the day-to-day operations full time. 

“I am very supportive of Robin’s position as manager of our new Forza Coffee Co. location,” Jake Nelson said. His experience in equipment maintenance has already come in handy while construction was under way at the Gig Harbor store, which is located on Olympic Drive in the same complex as Harbor Greens.

Cindy Renckly, who home-schooled all four of her children, has a background in accounting and will help with office and bookkeeping tasks. Bob Renckly, a senior systems programmer and software developer for Intel, plans to keep his day job, as does Jake, who works for the city of Gig Harbor. Bob expects his role to include “processes, procedures and ambiance.”

“We have hired about 10 baristas to staff our Gig Harbor store, and the Forza Coffee Co. and Dillano Roasters has a great training program,” he said. “In addition, both companies have a policy of partnering and giving back to the community. Our baristas use semi-automatic espresso machines for better quality control during the brewing process.”

Baristas train for five days, two of which are spent at the corporate-owned store located in Tacoma on Pearl Street. The baristas then finish up with three days of training at Dillanos Coffee Roasters in Sumner, the company’s exclusive roaster of choice. In fact, Dillanos has grown to become the largest handcrafted micro-roaster of specialty coffee in the Northwest and supplies a special signature blend unique to the Forza Coffee Co., which specializes in a true Italian ambiance espresso café experience. Customers take a special delight in the dark, rich wood interior and Italian porcelain tiled floors that can be found in every one of the charming and enjoyable locations.

All stores offer comfortable leather sofas and chairs placed near a warm fireplace, where customers can sit and enjoy espresso and other specialty coffee drinks, teas, soft drinks or smoothies with their friends and family. Fresh pastries, sandwiches, salads and whole bean coffee are also on the menu, and every store is equipped with wireless Internet service.

“The Gig Harbor store does not have a drive-thru, but (our) Port Orchard location will,” said Robin, who will also manage that store, which will be located near the intersection of Sedgwick and Sidney. “We are looking forward to opening our second franchise location during the first half of 2008.”

Brad Carpenter, a former detective who retired from the Gig Harbor Police Department in the spring of 2000, is one of the co-founders of the Forza Coffee Co., and thinks “the Rencklys are great people.” The inspiration for the company came “from the Italian shops and the appreciation for the way they live… stopping in small espresso bars to connect with their friends and community,” Carpenter said.

The Forza franchise has experienced tremendous growth since its inception. “Our growth is a little crazy right now; from three shops two years ago, seven last Christmas and 21 this year (2007),” he said. This translates into a 300 percent growth rate over the last year.

“We have an additional 25 shops in the works in six other states and Canada,” Carpenter said.  In the spring he will be traveling to Milan, Italy, to set up a barista exchange, and some of the Forza baristas will have the opportunity to work in Italian espresso bars.

“The word Forza signifies strength in Italian, and  one of the reasons the family selected the Forza Coffee Co. is because Forza strives to establish themselves as partners in the community, making each relationship a strong one,” Bob Renckly said.

In Italy, the local espresso shops define their communities. “Forza intends to fulfill their commitment to the community by partnering first with schools and churches, in order to strengthen our communities,” Renckly said. “Our family feels that the Lord is leading us in this new endeavor and partnership with the Forza Coffee Co.”

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