With New Owner, Method Coffee Roasters Opens Second Denver Cafe

Inside the new Method Coffee Roasters cafe in Denver’s Art District. All images courtesy of Method Coffee Roasters.

Under new ownership, Denver’s Method Coffee Roasters has opened its second retail cafe, a colorful hub for freshly roasted coffees alongside literature and art. 

Inside the 1,200-square-foot Lincoln Park space formerly occupied by coffee and wine bar The Molecule Effect, the new shop is also the first major public development for the business since it was acquired by Sarah Zapien. An independent green coffee importer, Zapien purchased Method from founder Alex Rawal in 2021.

The deal included the brand and its original 1500-square-foot cafe, which continues to operate in the Lower Highland (LoHi) neighborhood.

The new cafe.

The new Method bar takes advantage of abundant natural light bouncing off a service counter and back wall painted Juniper Berry blue. The ladder color to play off the new True Periwinkle exterior of the shop, which was inspired by a 19th-century home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, that Zapien photographed while traveling. 

Inside, “The furniture is a mixture of handcrafted items, some antiques, and newly purchased items,” Zapien told DCN. 

The new Art District cafe will also be the home of Found Objects, a project curated by Zapien’s son, Patrick Zapien, and his girlfriend, Tatyana Skalany. The gallery will showcase the work of young, emerging artists while offering a selection of books by small publishers focusing on art, poetry and literature.

The new cafe.

Patrick Zapien and Tatyana Skalany are also behind a new mountain landscape mural at Method’s LoHi shop, where Sarah Zapien has added to the decor with various items from Mexico. Zapien also removed the original shop’s bodega component to make more room for seating, and expanded the offerings with a selection of mostly natural wines and local beers.

La Marzocco made the espresso equipment of choice on both Method bars. At the LoHi location, Zapien swapped the Linea Classic machine for a KB90 model. The new bar features a Strada for its low profile, allowing baristas to more readily engage with customers, according to Zapien. 

Zapien came to the Method business after independently importing green coffee from Mexico and Central America for wholesale clients. Roasting for Method Coffee Roasters is currently made possible through a partnership with Denver-based Middle State Coffee. 

“Middle State has been a great partner and friends in developing our business model,” said Zapien. “We import or purchase our own coffee, then work together to develop the roasting profile for each individual coffee. After that, they maintain the profile, roast, and assure the quality and taste profile for production.”

The new cafe.

Zapien hopes to add a third Method location at some point in 2024, while also developing the green coffee business.

Said Zapien, “We will continue to work with our current producers, and explore the options of new ones, to continue our ‘farm to cup’ vision of providing a wonderful product and a unique neighborhood coffee shop experience.”

Method Coffee’s Arts District cafe is located at 1201-A Santa Fe Dr. in Denver. Tell DCN’s editors about your new coffee shop or roastery here.