On the new Milk & Honey Espresso store in Denver. All pictures courtesy of Milk & Honey.
Even earlier than Milk & Honey (Instagram) might formally open its doorways, the Colorado espresso startup nonetheless discovered a technique to sweeten Denverites’ days with espresso service.
Whereas ending building and reworking in a interval rife with pandemic-related delays, Milk & Honey Co-Founder Allye Wagner bought a bounce on the enterprise utilizing a espresso cart borrowed from pals at Denver’s Queen Metropolis Collective Espresso.
“She sat out on the patio slinging espresso on the espresso cart as we completed constructing,” Wagner’s accomplice and Milk & Honey Co-Founder Tim Pendarvis instructed DCN.
Initially working below the identify Kardia Espresso in a high-foot-traffic spot between the RiNo district and Coors Discipline, the enterprise has rebranded below the brand new identify. Aesthetically, it presents an eclectic foil to minimalist, vibrant white retailers.
Pendarvis described the plant-filled house as extra “darkish and moody.”
“It felt applicable to clean our arms of our authentic identify, sort of take a step ahead in a special mild,” Pendarvis mentioned. “We’ve been open to the general public longer as Milk and Honey than as Kardia.”
The brand new store additionally displays a DIY-driven ethos that developed throughout the pandemic-era building, the place prices elevated and supplies and contractors grew to become extra scarce. YouTube movies and assists from pals grew to become instrumental in pulling the store collectively.
Wagner urged each espresso store proprietor ought to keep a DIY method in a roundabout way, even when building is completed and the doorways are open.
“If one thing occurs and your employees can’t present up, you want to have the ability to step in and do it your self,” Wagner instructed DCN.
Now contained in the store, Milk & Honey serves coffees from Queen Metropolis Collective, together with the flagship “double-origin” Belafonte mix, lots of which run via a Slayer Steam espresso machine.
“I initially realized craft espresso on a Slayer, again within the day,” Wagner mentioned. “I needed to pay tribute to my roots and the place I come from.”
Wagner has been part of the Colorado espresso scene for greater than a decade, working as a barista and store supervisor. Pendarvis, an Air Drive veteran and fellow Coloradoan, mentioned the couple needed to open a espresso store each for themselves and to offer a welcoming house to the area people.
Mentioned Pendarvis, “At the very least [in] our expertise right here, in Colorado, a lot of the different main retailers, they’re not our rivals, they’re our colleagues.”
The tight menu is concentrated on simplicity and high quality, with all syrups made in home, from traditional vanilla to seasonal choices.
“Now that we now have extra folks on employees, getting extra minds behind it, we’re going to begin engaged on another specialty drinks,” Wagner mentioned. “With extra manpower, it’s extra possible.”
The founders are additionally in search of to get a beer-and-wine license, which can open up some non-coffee experiences later this 12 months.
“On the finish of the day, it’s not concerning the espresso you’re serving,” Wagner mentioned. “It’s concerning the expertise your prospects have as soon as they stroll within the door.”
Milk & Honey is situated at 2401 Blake St. in Denver. Inform DCN’s editors about your new espresso store or roastery right here.
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Libby Allnatt
Libby Allnatt is a author with a ardour for attempting new espresso retailers. She lives in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah.
