Robert “Bob” Sinclair, who founded Pannikin Coffee & Tea and Café Moto, has died following a motorcycle accident according to our media partners at the La Jolla Light.
Sinclair lost control of his motorcycle while driving in New Mexico on July 28. He died from his injuries on Aug. 6 the paper reported.
Sinclair opened several other branches of Pannikin as well as La Jolla's Brockton Villa. The restaurant is now owned by Sinclair's daughter Megan Heine and her husband David.
Active in the development of the East Village, Sinclair purchased real estate in the section of downtown (including the Wonder Bread building) and helped found the East Village Association.
A former assistant manager at the La Jolla Pannikin posted this memory of Sinclair:
"[Sinclair] would pull up to the café once or twice a week in his worn Levi’s, cowboy boots & Indian vest, his salt-and-pepper motorcycle moustache whisked by the wind, and a twinkle in his eye. Just by the way he strutted about the place, doing his work, you could tell Bob was a cool dude."
