“We really want this to be a place to gather as much as a coffee shop,” says Sally Oban, owner of Blend Coffee & Company, which opened along Richards Street in Douglas earlier this fall.
From a couch and comfy chairs around the fireplace to scattered tables, the coffee shop provides ample seating and a cozy atmosphere. “I have a background in design,” says Sally, who did much of the interior décor herself. Large kitchen whisks that she found online were repurposed into light fixtures and a stack of suitcases adds a wonderful pop of color. Artist Talia Schnider, who specializes in creating art from businesses’ logos, painted the piece that hangs above the fireplace using coffee as her “paint.”
“My logo is a coffee stain,” says Sally. “It signifies being relaxed with friends, not worrying about the mess, and just hanging out. The coffee shop is a mixing of life with coffee, a big old blend of life.”
“My sister-in-law,” says Sally, “owned the first coffee hut in town. I always thought it was really great that she got to visit with so many people in town. I love people and this has always been a dream of mine.”
Since embarking on the journey to open the shop, Sally says that she and her team have learned a lot about coffee. “Our roaster has Q graders,” she explains. Much like a wine connoisseur, these experts in the field can taste a coffee and determine where it was grown, the elevation, soil temperatures and more. “Coffee beans aren’t even a bean, they’re the pit of the coffee fruit,” says Sally of her growing education in coffee.
Sally chose to partner with Coda Coffee Company of Denver as her roaster. She loves their coffee and likes their approach to business.
