By Mary O’KEEFE

Reborn Coffee had its official ribbon cutting ceremony recently at its new shop at 3743 Foothill Blvd. The location that once held Starbucks has gotten a new look and a new approach to coffee.

“We named it Reborn because we use special water and [sprouted] coffee beans … for their healthy benefit and very clean taste,” said owner Jay Kim.

Another difference from big chain coffee stores is Reborn is owned and managed by people who know the area well. Kim is a Hoover High School graduate and his sister lives in La Crescenta. Jin Kim, Reborn’s Operations director, went to local Crescenta Valley schools and attended CVHS for one year before his family moved to the east coast. He attended college in Boston and in 2011 moved back home.

Both men know the area and the complex well. Jay is also the founder and owner of Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt and one of its locations is next door to Reborn.

Jin said coffee is sometimes stereotyped as bitter, bold or strong, but Reborn approaches coffee a little differently.

“[It’s about] all the effort we have made for a single cup of coffee,” he said. “We take care from beginning to the end …. [Coffee] is like a fine wine. It is complex.”

Another difference of Reborn is the way they treat their beans, from the “green bean conditioning to master brewing.” Their award-winning cold brew is also special because of its “overclass cold-brew extraction, which fully preserves each coffee bean’s distinct regional taste and flavor,” according to the company’s website.

The Foothill Reborn coffeehouse hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

  Mary Okeefe