Meet some of Amazon’s neighbors in California’s Inland
Empire. See how our $15/hr starting wages are helping a
family café get through the pandemic.
Rising Tide: A Good, Strong Brew
“Amazon was close by, and we started noticing a few employees, little by little, coming in,” restaurant owner Letty Davila said. “It was a great relief that we knew someone was still working, and they were giving us the opportunity to serve them. It gave us hope.”
Hope was welcome and well-deserved for Davila and her family. They launched EastBrew Café and Bakery in January 2020—weeks before COVID-19 changed everything.
The family had faith that their reasons for picking Eastvale, California as the location for their business would be true again someday. They’re in a region where customers can afford to dine out, an area of southern California humming with ports, airports, highways, and logistics facilities.
Federal
Min. Wage
$7.25
California
Min. Wage
$13.00
Amazon
Starting Pay
$15.00
Amazon has about 3,000 employees in the area earning at least $15/hr—more than double the U.S. minimum wage.
“Amazon brings a lot of innovation, creativity, technology, jobs, and people to our community,” said Eastvale City Manager Bryan Jones.
Over time, as more pandemic restrictions are lifting, EastBrew is becoming the place Davila’s family originally meant for it to be—a showcase for expertly brewed coffee, local art that customers can buy right off the wall, and standout ingredients like eggs, microgreens, and goat cheese produced by little organic farms in nearby communities.
On a recent sunny spring morning, three Amazon employees met at EastBrew for coffee and fresh-baked breakfast pastries. “I’m all about supporting small businesses, especially family-owned businesses,” said Gina Gallegos, a packer at the fulfillment center.
Davila can already picture her restaurant “filled every day inside and in our patio area. I want my customers to sit down and have a good time, enjoy the music, enjoy the food, and enjoy each other’s company. Everything’s opening up a little bit more. People are feeling more comfortable. We've noticed the growth.”
Meet the owners
of EastBrew Café
In case you missed it
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The hope a family business needed
The region had what Davila remembered as a “ghost town” feel at the height of COVID.
A big exception was the Amazon fulfillment center in the community.
The facility, which had implemented hundreds of health and safety measures, remained open to serve customers ordering essential items.
One of the stars of the show at Drake Family Farms, where Ibarra gets goat cheese for his specialties at EastBrew.
Ibarra rolls out to head to the next farm.
Goat farmer Dan Drake says goodbye to Ibarra after handing off EastBrew's weekly supply of fresh goat cheese.
Ibarra picks up more of the fresh, organic eggs that elevate his breakfast dishes at EastBrew.
Follow Davila's son, Joel Ibarra, as he visits farms in the community to gather what he needs for his menu at EastBrew.
Ibarra gets a guided tour of the latest microgreens from farmer Justin Gay at Seeds of Xanxadu.
Ibarra loves hearing “Not a lot of people are buying this at the farmers market. You want to use this?” and being able to say, “Definitely. I can do something super creative with it.”
Ibarra drives through the Inland Empire countryside with his latest haul of farm-fresh ingredients.
"Everybody loves those eggs," said EastBrew owner Letty Davila. "You can see the yolk, very orange. And the flavors! You can taste the difference.”
See how EastBrew Café stayed afloat through COVID.
Staying strong
Amazon employees
show up for small businesses
Amazon’s investment in the Inland Empire since 2012, including infrastructure and compensation
to our employees.
$19 billion
Inland Empire jobs created
by Amazon (full and
part-time roles).
40,000
All Amazon employees earn more than double the federal minimum wage.
$15/hr
Amazon’s impact in California’s Inland Empire
The hope a family business needed
Staying strong
Meet the owners
of EastBrew Café
In case you missed it
Amazon employees
show up for small businesses
Ibarra rolls out to head to the next farm.
