It all started with a pre-law student Todd Rippo (founder) studying in coffee shops in San Diego California. Todd fell in love with the coffee culture and out of love with the idea of becoming a lawyer, so he bought a motorcycle and took come time to figure out his life. That motorcycle took him out of California and to the front door of what is now Java on Fourth in Ketchum, Idaho. He resided in
the basement of that first store and open the doors on November 14, 1991, and thus Wake Up and Live Inc. With his vision as a driving force (he wears glasses) Todd began what today he would describe as a selfish endeavor. Essentially he created a place where he would want to "hang out." It was to be a hybrid of his favorite Cafes. He envisioned beautiful hand crafted bakery (most of the recipes from his sister Annie) and a plentiful yet "clean" breakfast and lunch menu. He also wanted world class Arabic coffees to have all this served in an inviting, fun atmosphere where the music is played a bit too loud! We bake only from scratch (with ingredients our Mothers would be proud of) and we offer homemade breakfast as well as lunch. Our creations are made of the finest ingredients from many family recipes, and of course built in-house with love and "soul." We have a strong commitment to serving the highest quality and custom roasted, fair trade and/or certified organic coffees as well as a large selection of all natural loose leaf teas. At Java we strive to be the alternative to "big box" coffee, having the best customer service in a welcoming yet Rock n' Roll atmosphere. We appreciate the importance of greeting customers by name, and having real conversations with them. We create an environment where people are comfortable, feel as though they belong and are genuinely appreciated. We are high energy, fast paced and have fun while we work. We understand and appreciate the need for adventure as it is part of why we are here in the first place. Java strives to promote environmental responsibility by recycling our glass, plastic, cardboard, newspaper, and aluminum. We also have grounds for your garden. And we strongly encourage the use of travel mugs. Java has grown to six cafes and has been written up in various publications including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Gourmet Magazine. Java Coffee and Café can be found in Boise, Twin Falls, and the Wood River Valley of Idaho.
-Wake Up & Live!
