Photographer Brett Masse frequents Magpies Newsstand Cafe to browse the magazines and enjoy them over a cup of coffee.
Though Magpies isn’t the only coffeehouse he visits, he’s fond of it. Masse appreciates the vibe each shop has to offer, and he has made friends at many establishments around Durango.
For a town Durango’s size, there’s no shortage of coffee shops, and Durangoans are often loyal to a particular one. Some attract a younger crowd while others draw a more mature bunch. Some are small kiosks that allow drivers to fill up without getting out of their of their cars. Others offer retail shopping and lounge-style seating, where customers can surf the Internet or casually read a book.
Despite their abundance, local coffee shops are thriving.
In fact, a new one just opened last month, 81301 Coffee House and Roasters at 3101 Main Ave.
Taylor Anderson, co-owner of 81301, said there is plenty of room for another shop. Though his shop has been open for only a couple of weeks, business has been good, he said.
Durango needed a sit-down coffee house on the north side of town, he added.
Customer David Rust has been to 81301 twice.
“There are so many coffee places, and we can try them all,” Rust said.
Sage Anderson, Taylor Anderson’s wife and business partner, said the coffee shop provides a laid-back, mellow atmosphere.
The couple acknowledged that their pour-over coffee-making process is slower. This assures quality coffee, they said. It is the only shop that roasts its coffee in-house.
Room for everyone
Not every new shop has received a warm welcome.
When Starbucks opened its Main Avenue store in April 2005, some residents feared the coffee giant would bankrupt their favorite “mom and pop” shop.
Shortly after Starbucks opened, vandals threw rocks through the windows, urinated on a window, put gum in front door lock and spray painted windows with obscenities, including the phrase: “Go back to Seattle you corporate scum.”
LeAnna Lloyd, district manager of Durango Joe’s, said when she learned about the vandalism, she sent the shop flowers – on behalf of Durango Joe’s team – to welcome them to Durango.
Eventually, the vandalism stopped, and Starbucks attracted its own clientele. The coffee business recently expanded to north City Market and still operates its Albertsons kiosk.
The Washington-based franchise and locally owned coffee shops have found it possible to coexist and thrive in a heavily competitive market.
If anything, Durango Joe’s could be considered the Starbucks of Durango, with four locations in Durango and four more just across the New Mexico border in Farmington, Aztec and Bloomfield.
Joe Lloyd, owner of Durango Joe’s, has an appreciation for how Starbucks introduced coffee culture across the country, but he said his company has remained “community minded.”
“It’s just a whole different ball game,” he said of Starbucks.
Joe Lloyd has said Durango Joe’s is going for a family experience. In January, his company was recognized for its impact on the community by the Durango Chamber of Commerce with a nomination for the Business of the Year Award.
“People are truly important to us, and we feel like we’ve earned their trust and loyalty,” LeAnna Lloyd said last year.
More than coffee
In an effort to stand out and add to their bottom line, many shops offer more than their signature coffee.
“The cost of doing business can’t support the cost of just selling coffee,” said Tom Mulligan, Magpies’ owner.
At Magpies, customers tend to walk straight past the coffee and food counter toward the magazine racks.
The Steaming Bean Coffee Co. has been a fixture on Main Avenue since 1992. In recent years, Steaming Bean acquired a liquor license to expand its beverage selection. The shop also gives customers the option of paying through PayPal.
Manager Erica Fendley said the Bean strives to provide an alternative yet welcoming environment.
“We work really hard at creating an atmosphere that people love being part of,” she said.
Durango Coffee Co. owner Tim Wheeler prides himself on selling coffee that’s been roasted within 10 days, but his shop also sells an assortment of kitchen supplies.
Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District, and an avid coffee drinker, said Durango is fortunate to have a bounty of coffee shops, and that is just the downtown area.
“Diversity makes the world go round,” LeAnna Lloyd said. “Each coffee shop has a different personality, and there is one for everyone.”
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
