A canopy and a lemonade stand
Before there was a shop, there was a folding canopy at county fairs and local events. Just lemonade, shaken to order, in the loudest yellow we could find.
How this happened
From a canopy to a corner shop
A lemonade stand, a trailer, a lease, a flood, and a rebuild — in about the order you'd least want them.
Where it started — the original trailer, still wearing the first Mellow Yellow logo.
The trailer
The stand became a trailer, and the trailer went where the crowds were. That circular badge still painted on its side is our original logo.
A huge risk
Then came a lease on a small yellow building on Westwood Ave. As Jewelia put it to KRCR: “We thought about it so much, and it was really a huge risk taking this place.”
One week later, the water came
Seven days after signing, the December floods hit Redding. “It came up past this building.” Thousands of dollars of damage, and a rebuild that took the flooring and the walls back to nothing.
We rebuilt it anyway
Personal loans, months of repairs, and a lot more time than we planned for. “We were like, yeah, we are going to need to have more time and more money.”
Doors open
We opened on March 26th, 2026 — a 1970s-themed cafe run by Jewelia, Nicodemus and the family. These days the rolls have been known to sell out in two and a half hours.
Quotes from Jewelia Gilbert, interviewed by Alexis Bruno for KRCR, March 2026.
Family run
Jewelia & Nicodemus
Gilbert
Every roll is made by hand, in-house, by our family. The dough for tomorrow goes in the moment today’s rolls are frosted.
In the news
Action News Now · Jesse Angelo · March 22, 2026
A story of perseverance: a Redding family turning their dream into reality
- KRCR · March 31, 2026Redding couple celebrates grand opening of Mellow Yellow cafe after flood rebuildRead it →
- Record Searchlight · June 17, 2026Mellow Yellow Cafe rolls are a hit in ReddingRead it →
- Record Searchlight via NewsBreak · July 17, 2026Have you heard about Mellow Yellow Cafe in Redding?Read it →
Come see the place we rebuilt
2190 Westwood Ave, Redding, CA 96001 · open 7:30am–3pm, closed Tuesdays.
Get directions