For 32 years, Le Cafe Creme, a coffee shop in Pasadena run by husband-and-wife team Sam and Rose Nassanian, has been more than just a business. It’s been a warm gathering place, where a loyal base of customers grew into friends – and, in many cases, like families to the owners.
Located on the main floor of Colonnade Mall on Lake Avenue, the shop became known locally not only for its welcoming environment, but also for its freshly baked quiches, sandwiches, pastries, along with Mediterranean-inspired soups and salads that reflect the owners’ Middle Eastern heritage – all prepared daily by Rose herself.
But this Saturday, Oct. 19, Le Cafe Creme will open its doors for the last time, marking the end of an era for many in the community and the Nassanian family.
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“We’re getting older, and it’s just time,” Rose Nassanian said in a recent interview, reflecting on their decision.
The couple, who have lived in Pasadena since 1979, ventured into the coffee business in 1992 after the LA Riots forced them to close their lingerie store in Hollywood, she said.
Seeing the opportunity to introduce something new to the community, the Nassanians decided to open a coffee shop.
“There was an empty spot in the building, so we decided to go ahead with it, even though the coffee business was not something we had done before,” Rose Nassanian said.
At the time, there were no other coffee shops nearby, and Le Cafe Creme was one of the first to bring that experience to the community, she said.
Despite facing challenges over the years, including the ups and downs of the pandemic, the family-run business stood the test of time and became a treasure trove of fond memories, one of which is watching generations of customers grow and evolve, Nassanian said.
“When we started, some young women would come in and they would be pregnant and then they’ll have babies,” she said. “And then their babies are now teenagers, some are married, and they’ll have kids.”
Over the years, the couple has also built many meaningful friendships with their customers.
“We consider them not clients, not customers, just members of us, members of our family,” she said.
The couple’s son, Hrag Nassanian, remembers helping his father open the store shortly after graduating high school.
“Over the years, my parents have built a loyal following of customers who have become more like family,” he said. “They serve fresh, housemade dishes, pastries, and some of the best espresso drinks in the area. Their love and dedication to the café have created a warm, welcoming space that’s been a social hub for many.”
While the couple will step away from Le Cafe Creme, Rose Nassanian’s other business, Tres Jolie, a lingerie business she has run for 37 years in the same building, will remain open, she said. She invites her regular customers to stop by and say hi whenever they can.
With the coffee shop’s closure, the couple looks forward to having fewer responsibilities and plans to set aside more time for their family, especially for their grandchildren, and travel more often.
Despite moving on from the cafe, Rose Nassanian hopes that its legacy will not only be remembered for the business itself, but also for the personal connections they’ve forged over the years.
“I want them (customers) to remember who we were, personally…not like business, not like dollars, (but) as an individual, as a human being,” she said. “To remember (us) as we respected them, we appreciated what they did, their support over the years.”
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