The Koffee Kup Kafe

[KOFFEE KUP KAFE]
Photo © 1998 Claud L. Foster. Used with permission.

For many years, from perhaps 1940 through 1990, the Koffee Kup Kafe was one of the favorite meeting places of Campbell residents.

This photo was taken around 1970 by Claud Lee Foster, and shows the Campbell Band marching along Grand Avenue in the Peach Fair Parade, in front of the Koffee Kup. Claud's son Randy with a trumpet is the band member closest to the camera.

In the late 1940's, there was a bowling alley in the back of the establishment. Over the years, a lot of Campbell kids worked setting pins in that bowling alley, before the days of the automatic pin-setters. And a lot of folks enjoyed bowling there, although I think actually the game was called "duck pins," because the pins and the balls were smaller than with regulation bowling equipment.

In the above photo, Coca-Cola and NuGrape Soda are advertised on the front of the cafe. The business closed around 1990, and the building was torn down around 1994.

[GENEVA & JASPER]
Photo courtesy of Geneva (James) Mouton

Of the cafe's several owners, Jasper James and his wife Geneva are perhaps remembered the best -- they ran the business from 1946 to 1968. "Harve" Herman founded the business.

[OUTSIDE OF KOFFEE KUP]
Photo courtesy of Geneva (James) Mouton

From left: Bill Cole, Vernice Brannan, and Jasper James, in 1946.

[JASPER]
Photo courtesy of Geneva (James) Mouton

Jasper stands by a Genco "Wild West" pinball machine -- 25 shots for 10 ¢. Above the door is a Dr. Pepper clock, and "Johnny" is making a "call for Philip Morris."

[CORLEY IS ELVIS]
Photo courtesy of Geneva (James) Mouton

While big brother Mike Overall watches, Corley Overall does his impression of Elvis in the Koffee Kup, according to Geneva Mouton.

(Anyone with additional information, or corrections to this narrative, should send me an e-mail. Thanks !)

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