CRO CAFE

I was lucky enough to work with many folks in the specialty coffee industry early-on when the scene and culture was blossoming. I’ve always loved cafe culture and having my own pint size cafe to design was a real thrill and privilege. 

I designed, built, and owned and operated the business over 12 years from a humble cart, and through 3 remodels. 

I thoroughly enjoyed maximizing the impact and the function of the tiny 240sqft space. Both for the general atmosphere, and for the needs of the business. Being an owner operator gave me tremendous insight in the importance of tending to the customers experience and the workflow for the employees. 

Probably my favorite moment of all those years of years of business was when my eldest daughter and the cafe’s namesake, Camille Rosemary Oldani, spent 2 months visiting and implementing a house made baking program (yes, we fit a comfortable bakery into a 240sqft coffee shop).  She’s now a pastry and bread chef in NYC. Visit her website here (Camille Oldani).

Cro cafe was sold in 2025, and now exists under new ownership and a new name as the “alleyway cafe”. Visit them in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland