Hundreds of new customers have flocked to Mar Vista cafe Saba Surf and Coffee after owner Gal Tshnieder appeared on this season of “Love Island USA.” Manager Mak Howard said she’s been seeing “record numbers” at the shop.
Fans were hoping to catch a glimpse of surfer and entrepreneur Tshnieder, who was voted off in the July 3 episode of the reality dating competition show, which is filmed in Fiji and eliminates contestants through audience voting, with the top couple awarded a $100,000 prize.
In its first two weeks, this season racked up 2.3 billion minutes viewed, a 50% increase over Season 7, according to Nielsen.
Regulars of the surf-themed coffee shop say the influx of attention is bringing life to the neighborhood.
“They’re doing a fantastic job accommodating the whole thing,” said Brian Mark, a frequent customer. “This place is like a cultural hot spot now, for Mar Vista. Finally putting us on the map.”
Mark said that before Tshnieder left for Fiji, he was an exceptionally hands-on owner who would always be front-of-house and chatting with customers. Now, swarms of fans are visiting the cafe for the first time, in hopes that he’ll be the one making their coffees.
“Honestly, I was kind of expecting to see Gal,” said Reagan Ertman, a high school student from Manhattan Beach who visited early Tuesday morning with four friends. “I mean, I didn’t think we were going to, but I was hoping.”
When Tshnieder, who declined a request for an interview, arrived just after noon on Tuesday, he greeted and took photos with several fans.
Tshnieder first co-founded Saba with Laura Quintana as a surf wax and apparel brand in 2022, and opened the cafe on Venice Boulevard in 2024.
Its most popular drink is the Breakwater, according to Howard, who curates the menu. An espresso latte with house-made vanilla syrup, whole milk and coconut water topped with salted vanilla cold foam, it also can be adapted for matcha lattes, but the original version is so popular that the shop offers it on tap.
Saba hosts regular community events, including a night market. To further woo “Love Island” audiences, Howard and her staff recently started hosting watch parties for the show. When public opinion of Tshnieder soured, with many criticizing his conversations with since-eliminated “Love Island USA” contestant Jennifer Terry, an L.A.-based model whom he was in a “couple” with, Saba’s response was to serve free drinks to people named Jen.
Howard said the free drinks were wildly popular. Even though Tshnieder was eliminated, she’s planning a watch party for the show’s finale this Sunday — with a dunk tank that will drop Tshneider into a pool of water whenever guests successfully hit the target.
“We’re just girls running this shop, you know?” Howard said. “We want to make sure all women out there felt heard. We love them.”
The staff accepted a certificate on Tuesday brought by Hayley Hutt, a liaison for Assemblymember Tina S. McKinnor. Hutt said the plaque celebrates Saba’s contributions toward its surrounding community.
“There’s a long line in there, and that is amazing,” Hutt said. “That is what a small business brings. That is what Gal brought to [the neighborhood].”
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