The Things We Do For Coffee: Profile of the Man Behind JAVA JUNGLE!
By Ben Miles
Like any java junkie (including this writer), Scotty has more energy than any one activity can sustain.
First, he is an international surfer. Having explored the tides worldwide, Scotty is partial to the South Pacific — especially Indonesia.
Why? Because of the waves, naturally; but also the people and their customs are unique. Part of the appeal of this Island republic according to the energetic proprietor of Java Jungle, is that it is the one place on earth where you can expect the extraordinary. Not only is the surf out-of-this-world, there is also an inherent “weirdness” in the environment that Scotty finds enchanting.
A purity exists in Indonesia that cannot be found here. Unlike Huntington Beach, where the coast is cluttered and the water is full of “crap,” the Pacific Islands are “clean,” even pristine, suggests the Huntington Beach unofficial spokesperson.
It is not that Scotty doesn’t feel an attachment to the area that provides him and his employees with a living. It’s just that he hates what City Hall hacks and big time developers have done to his hometown.
Indeed, Scotty’s Java Jungle is currently on a month-to-month lease. This makes the future seem uncertain to say the least, as far as Scotty is concerned.
But this is not to imply that Scotty is overly concerned. While he hasn’t taken a board into the local waters in over two years due to filthiness of the shore, Scotty has other pastimes.
For instance, he is an avid Rams fan. A curt “f–you” was his bombastic response to a couple of anti-Rams customers in search of cappuccino.
Also Scotty has a taste for mango martinis (in moderation), a specialty of Chimayo’s Cantina by the pier in Huntington Beach.
And recently, our man Scotty made the 5 plus hour trip across the Mojave to visit that mecca of gambling madness and to enjoy the bliss of desert excess in Las Vegas. He lodged at the grand new Venetian.
When asked how his trip turned out, the coffee maven turned pensive for a short period. Soon, however, his reductionist verbiage stabbed the air in front of him, “Choice!” Clearly, Scotty, is more intense than conversational.
But who is this guy Scotty, really? Beyond being the cocky consciousness for the corner of 6th Street and PCH, as well as a sort of 21st Century Shane by the Sea, Scotty is a sensitive guy who is pleased by the community that Java Jungle has attracted. It is an offbeat little bastion for morning surfers, afternoon loafers, and punked-out insomniacs.
It is a palace for people watching and a great place to get a cup of coffee.
And, it is a surf shop to boot.
Java Jungle is located at 6th and PCH in Surf City, USA. It opens early and closes late.
