La Mesa Coffee Shop Workers Walk Out Over Month Without Pay

Employees highlight wage theft crisis across industries as they seek back wages from owner.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:08am

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A photorealistic studio still life featuring a stack of unpaid paychecks, a broken car part, and a cracked piggy bank, all arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background to conceptually represent the financial struggles of workers facing wage theft.Unpaid wages, car troubles, and dwindling savings symbolize the financial hardship faced by workers denied their full pay.San Diego Today

Workers at a La Mesa coffee shop, Public Square Coffee House, walked out after not being paid for over a month. Employee Alex Lopez said he's owed nearly $5,000 in unpaid wages, with only $420 received so far. The coffee shop's owner, Aaron Henderson, acknowledged the situation in a message to staff, saying the business doesn't have the money to pay them right now due to its own financial struggles. The Employee Rights Center is investigating the wage theft allegations.

Why it matters

This case shines a light on the widespread issue of wage theft across different industries, from coffee shops to healthcare. It highlights the challenges workers face in getting the pay they've rightfully earned, and the need for stronger protections and enforcement to prevent such exploitation.

The details

After not receiving paychecks for over a month, Alex Lopez and his coworkers at Public Square Coffee House in La Mesa decided to walk out. Lopez said he's owed nearly $5,000 in unpaid wages, with only $420 received so far. In a message to employees, owner Aaron Henderson acknowledged the situation, saying the entire family is owed tens of thousands in back pay and their personal house is in forbearance to avoid foreclosure. Henderson said the business truly doesn't have the money to pay workers right now, but promised to get the remaining staff caught up on the next paycheck.

  • Workers walked out of the La Mesa coffee shop about a week-and-a-half ago.
  • The owner's message to staff was sent recently.

The players

Alex Lopez

An employee at Public Square Coffee House who is owed nearly $5,000 in unpaid wages.

Aaron Henderson

The owner of Public Square Coffee House, who acknowledged the business's financial struggles and inability to pay workers their full wages.

Alor Calderon

The director of the Employee Rights Center, which is investigating the wage theft allegations against Public Square Coffee House.

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What they’re saying

“Out of almost, I think $5,000 of wages that I'm owed, I've only gotten, like $420. My car decided to break down this month so now I have to pay that, and, I mean, financially, I'm struggling a little right now.”

— Alex Lopez, Employee

“Normally they go and hide and talk about it instead of thinking that there's a process in which you should be able to resolve it because you did do the work.”

— Alor Calderon, Director, Employee Rights Center

What’s next

The Employee Rights Center is continuing its investigation into the wage theft allegations against Public Square Coffee House. Workers may also file claims with the San Diego County Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement or the state labor commissioner.

The takeaway

This case highlights the widespread issue of wage theft across different industries, from coffee shops to healthcare. It underscores the challenges workers face in getting the pay they've rightfully earned, and the need for stronger protections and enforcement to prevent such exploitation of workers.