Building a dream

MURAL MATCHES LABEL: Raymond Randle, Jr., owner of the Copadouro, a coffee shop opening soon in the old 49 Club building, holds packages of coffee he imports from his own plantations in Brazil.

Raymond Randle, Jr., listed the things he loves – old buildings, coffee, music and construction. The Oakland native and former U.S. Marine Corps officer also loves to fish and hunt. Fourteen years ago, Randle came north to the Anderson area and bought 160 acres so he could do just that.

Randle also noticed an historic building on the corner of East Center and Ferry streets in Anderson. The building, originally constructed in 1886, housed a drug store, a bar and a brothel, according to Randle. More recently, it was home to The 49 Club. Randle said that when he first went into the building, he looked toward the ceiling in the old tavern and could see specks of blue sky peeking through the top of the two-story building.

He purchased the building five years ago and started then to create his dream.

During the week of Mar. 10, the first part of his dream will become reality when he opens up Copadouro, a new coffee shop facing Freeman Street. Copadouro, which means “cup of gold,” will feature the coffee that Randle personally imports from his own coffee plantation in Brazil. His “Top Coffee” brand features a logo that he has painstakingly recreated in a large mural that adorns one of the walls in his shop. One of his other coffee brands, “California Bay,” prominently features on the label the date 1886 that his building was constructed. The second part of Randle’s dream is contained in the front part of his building where he is constructing a bar that will feature jazz and blues music. The 49 Club name will remain as the club’s name. An accomplished saxophone player in his own right, Randle is shooting for a mid-April opening of the 49 Club.

The building will also have four apartments on the second floor.

As a building contractor, Randle purchased some used oak flooring from Allan Demolition in Oakland. When the company salesman heard that the recycled wood was being used at a remodeling job in Anderson, Randle was informed that the flooring was originally part of the local high school’s gym. Randle has taken the wood and refinished it. Several of the pieces still have the lines of a basketball court painted on them, he said.

Randle intends to hang various memorabilia and photographs of historic Anderson on the walls as he completes the second part of his dream.