Coffee Bank Jazzes
Up Carmel Rancho
B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D
R
oger Dickens has been a jazz fan as long
as he can recall. Growing up in Berkeley,
he followed the greats: Miles, Cannonball, the
Crusaders. So, when he and his wife, Andrea
Prim-Dickens, decided to open an independent-
ly owned coffee shop in the shopping center
owned by Prim-Dickens' family, it was only natu-
ral that they incorporate jazz into the mix.
"I intend for Coffee Bank to be the premier
jazz venue on the Monterey Peninsula," Dickens
says. Known to one and all as "Bennie," Dickens
is almost always on hand greeting customers,
many of whom have become regulars and,
indeed, friends.
The shop occupies a former bank branch—
the imposing vault is still in place as are safe
deposit boxes used as décor—but has been
reimagined as a bright, airy and welcoming spot
to sip a wide variety of coffee drinks and nosh
on healthful, imaginative foods. Live music is
icing on the cake.
"We will be opening the space next door
soon as "Wine Bank," where we will offer local
wines," Dickens says. "We'll then have regularly
scheduled music simultaneously in three venues:
the two shops plus an outdoor patio."
Coffee Bank is located at 26135 Carmel
Rancho Blvd. Learn more at Coffeebankcafe.com.
SHORTCUTS
NEIGHBORS
Andrea Prim-Dickens and husband Roger Dickens opened Coffee Bank in the
Carmel Rancho Shopping Center. Live jazz music is coming soon, along with wine.
88 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 9
Photo:
Kelli
Uldall
