Sal is the brawn behind the brains and the brains behind the brawn - the grease on the squeaky wheel that makes Actual Cafe go. He has done lots of things to pay the bills, most recently a long stint as a technology manager, building systems and networks for cell phones. He found that work unfulfilling and, after being laid off in 2008, went backpacking for several months through Latin America. During his travels, he was reminded of the value of local business in building community. He yearned for the pre-dotcom Oakland of the early 90's, when it was a town full of creative, odd people doing interesting things, gathering at neighborhood coffee shops to socialize.

Though some of those creative people left the area when real estate prices skyrocketed, many remained - but their gathering places were gone. Sal realized that his desire to have a community space in his adopted home town wasn't going to be fulfilled unless he jumped in and created it himself. This was the genesis of Actual Cafe.

Sal is an avid cyclist, a four-time AIDS/Lifecycle rider, a member of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, and lives just a few short blocks from the Cafe (far enough to keep him sane, but only a couple minutes away by bicycle). He is also an ex-jewelry maker, ex-musician, ex-recording studio owner, and ex-Trader Joe's jockey.

Also, he's pretty friendly, and would love to meet you.