Wade Windsor, the charming, affable, kind coffee pioneer who brought Long Beach some of its first taste of third-wave coffee with the (much-missed) Lord Windsor in Alamitos Beach, is facing one hell of an uphill battle. A double diagnosis of Lyme disease and pancreatic cancer has left his family struggling emotionally and financially.
And they are now asking the community for help in nearly any capacity.
The onslaught of medical bills has prompted a need for supporting Wade Windsor’s family.
Wade’s pancreatic cancer has metastasized to his liver that led to a discovery of both Lyme disease and a parasitic infection. It is a “combination that adds serious complexity to his treatment,” his wife Lindsay sid.
Now a patient in a progressive clinical trial at UCLA that includes “intense chemotherapy every other week,” the Windsor family are seeking help.
“From where we stand, it’s awe-inspiring to see their resilience, but it’s also clear they can’t do this alone,” said a GoFundMe page. “Medical bills, specialized supplements, IV treatments, and alternative therapies weren’t planned expenses. We can see how much a little help could mean—giving them breathing room to focus on healing. We’re aiming to raise $40,000 to ease their financial burden and show Wade he’s got a whole community behind him. Whether it’s $5, a batch of homemade bone broth, or a share of this page, every bit counts. We’ve always known this family to be there for others—now it’s our turn to lift them up. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for anything you can do to help Wade keep fighting. Let’s rally around them together.”
What happened with Lord Windsor in Long Beach?
When it comes to coffee in Long Beach, Lord Windsor was a trailblazer: The roaster and coffee shop that formerly served Alamitos Beach where Black Dog sits now was once just one of its kind—easily forgettable when it comes to roasting-shop spaces like Rose Park, Black Ring, Recreational, Stereoscope, Caffe Luxxe…
The now-ubiquitous third-wave coffee shop—even those who don’t roast themselves, from the stellar Wide Eyes Open Palms to Confidential Coffee—was non-existent when Lord Windsor owners/spouses Wade and Lindsay Windsor first opened in 2012, let alone a third-wave roaster and coffee shop.
Utilizing a three-group La Marzocco espresso machine and fleet of Hario V60 cones, Lord Windsor offered no wifi (you can actually talk amongst yourselves for once), no televisions—just an L-shaped, airy, calm space that became a staple before a drunk driver slammed into their space in May of 2021. The crash proved inescapable: Dealing with the landlord’s insurance and an inability to fix it on their own, they never reopened their doors.
It is now home to Black Dog Roasters.
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