Enter Circadian Coffee, the long-awaited, and now in-business, drive-thru coffee shop in El Jebel. Located in the plaza by the El Jebel Laundromat, it’s a convenient place to sit while you wait for your laundry or even pull a boat through on your way to Ruedi.
It’s been more than three years in the making, starting as a pop-up shop at Thai House Co & Sushi, and finally coming to life in a custom, Texas-built shipping container at 70 El Jebel Road. They serve Wild Roaster coffee, locally made empanadas, paninis, pastries and more.
“I just want people to be able to come here and know that everybody in here is stoked,” said owner Heather Short. “I just want to create a little community.”
It’s been a long process to turn her vision into reality. Short often gets asked the same question: How did this all come together?
It all began in Washington state, where Short grew up going to and working at drive-thru coffee shops. In college, she enrolled in Dutch Bros’ “All Star” program, which helps establish new coffee stands and train employees.
“At the same time, I was going to school for business at Arizona State … It was all hand in hand,” she said. “I thought, ‘Okay, I do want to do this one day.’”
When she was living in Colorado Springs, she was drawn to the Roaring Fork Valley, but Dutch Bros was unable to open a shop here. Her then-boyfriend, now husband, was living here and she moved to support him.
Short started teaching for Aspen Gymnastics, but her real passion remained in coffee and serving. She reached out to Arik Sananikone of Thai House Co & Sushi, and asked if she could use the space in the mornings, as the restaurant only operated in the evenings.
“He was like, ‘Yeah, sure. Do it.’ So we did coffee in the mornings, and then they switched to dinner in the evenings,” Short continued. “We operated out of there for about two years.”
Then began Heather’s relationship with the Crawfords, the landlords, who have played a key role in the project, according to the Circadian team.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Operations Manager Kathryn Smith said. “They’ll say, ‘Hey, what needs to be fixed? Does something need to be adjusted? Does something need to be fabricated?’”
The long process to open included locating a property, building out the container, procuring permits and figuring out a plan that honors idling laws.
“The containers themselves were built out in Texas, and we had them shipped here,” Short stated. “The local crowd was able to make it functional.”
Circadian rhythm is the body’s natural flow and internal cycle. Short found the name fitting, as many times throughout the process, she found herself back at the drawing board.
“I didn’t truly understand patience until I’d been told ‘no’ 100 times,” said Short.
Although the process was long, it gave way to new friendships and connections. Vaughn Shafer, a local artist and metalworker, is responsible for the “Circadian Coffee” sign, as well as a coffee bean sculpture on the corner of the drive-thru entrance.
Quality ingredients and community connections are very important at Circadian Coffee. They offer food and pastries from five different local vendors and make syrups and açaí bowls in-house.
“If you’re someone out there who cares about your food and your ingredients, these guys cut no corners,” said Nate Grinzinger, a regular patron of Circadian Coffee.
They offer vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options. The employees also make it a point to remember customers’ faces and orders, keeping things moving while still creating a welcoming atmosphere.
“Even if we’re having a bad day, you’ll still be able to come and feel welcome and not have our bad day trickle onto you,” said Short.
The welcoming atmosphere extends beyond just the cash register.
“It’s a fun environment, and we all get along with each other,” said Smith.
“Kathryn [Smith] is like my little sister,” Short added.
“This place is a female powerhouse of besties!” Barista Lilly Goodale concluded. So stop by and get “loc’d out at Circadian Coffee!”
Shop hours are 7am to 2pm every day except Wednesday.