{"id":169718,"date":"2026-02-08T23:05:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T23:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/169718\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T23:05:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T23:05:08","slug":"reinnes-place-owner-tommy-le-creates-long-beach-coffee-shop-to-honor-girlfriend-killed-in-crash-while-helping-others-heal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/169718\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinne’s Place: Owner Tommy Le creates Long Beach coffee shop to honor girlfriend killed in crash while helping others heal"},"content":{"rendered":"

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — A Long Beach coffee shop is serving more than drinks.<\/p>\n

At Reinne’s Place<\/a>, owner Tommy Le believes each cup is an opportunity to help customers heal – and to honor the woman who inspired the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Le opened the shop in memory of his late girlfriend, Reinne Lim, who was killed in October 2022 in a wrong-way crash on the 5 Freeway in Tustin.<\/p>\n

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An alleged drunk driver struck their car head-on, leaving Le critically injured.<\/p>\n

“These 30 seconds do matter,” Le said. “I’m sometimes someone’s first interaction for the day. How can I make an impact on their day – just that day – and continue to do that every single day.”<\/p>\n

Reinne’s Place currently operates as a long-term coffee residency inside Open Gallery<\/a>, located a few minutes from the brand’s flagship location.<\/p>\n

Le still remembers the night of the crash vividly.<\/p>\n

“I remember seeing the lights coming and I think in that moment, I think anyone almost freezes,” he said. “I think my first reaction was to just grab her.”<\/p>\n

Though his physical injuries have healed in the three years since, Le said he continues to mourn the loss of Lim.<\/p>\n

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At the caf\u00e9, customers are encouraged to leave “Reinne Checks” – handwritten messages dedicated to loved ones who have passed away or who remain part of their lives.<\/p>\n

“They all hold their own story, but I think it showed people when you’re looking at this whole wall of ‘Reinne Checks’ or you look at this whole stack of ‘Reinne Checks’ is that we all have a lot more in common than we think we do,” Le said.<\/p>\n

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The coffee shop has also become a hub for local causes.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Reinne’s Place raised nearly $1,000 for Oral\u00e9, an organization advocating for immigration rights, during the ICE Out rallies.<\/p>\n

“It was one of our busiest days on record,” Le said. “The community showed up that day. We were able to raise almost $1,000 for Oral\u00e9, which was a beautiful thing.”<\/p>\n

Le hopes Reinne’s Place will eventually become a permanent community space.<\/p>\n

He said the residency will continue to operate until the shop’s brick-and-mortar location opens in early spring.<\/p>\n


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