It含羞草研究社檚 right off a bike path, five minutes from downtown, in a residential area and 含羞草研究社� not what you含羞草研究社檇 expect.
Just off Clement Avenue and Gordon Drive, the 1100 block of High Road is getting a whole lot of attention due to two tenants that have opened shop.
A match made in heaven 含羞草研究社� coffee and chocolate.
Kelowna chocolatier Julian Helman, with co-owner and retired chef Vincent LaPointe, opened to the public on April 10. The new store joining forces with next-door tenant to give the forgotten block a new lease on life.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 up and coming ,含羞草研究社� said LaPointe. 含羞草研究社淭he city is trying to revitalize this area, we got wind of that and lucky for us a spot came open.含羞草研究社�
For nearly a year chocolatier Helman sought out a store front on the busier streets, but found the rent unattainable.
含羞草研究社淚 had explored several roads around town, Bernard Street, Pandosy Avenue, the usual places, but unfortunately the $36-$39 per square foot was not an option,含羞草研究社� said Helman.
含羞草研究社淚 think that is also part of the reason you see so many businesses shutting down here in Kelowna.含羞草研究社�
To keep the business small, keep it local and keep it affordable he needed to find another option.
含羞草研究社淢e and Dave from Canoe had worked together a little bit and done a few collaborations and I got a random phone call from him one day saying that the space next to him had opened, I was really excited,含羞草研究社� said Helman.
含羞草研究社淚t was a no brainer to move in here. The company is coming up to its two-year anniversary. It started really, really small, but over the last year and a half I saved money, acquired inventory, worked hard and it allowed me to start his little place.含羞草研究社�
The renovations were not pain free as the older building had some issues, but now the space is just what Helman had hoped for.
含羞草研究社淚t looks great, we are super happy with it. I love my neighbour next door and everyone in the community has been super supportive of us,含羞草研究社� added Helman.
Canoe Coffee Roasters founder, barista and owner Dave Upshaw explained that he has been using the space on High Road to roast his coffee, store the coffee trailer and host the public.
含羞草研究社淭his area had no coffee in it,含羞草研究社� explained Upshaw. 含羞草研究社淭here is lots of residential around us, but we are right on the bike path so we have people passing through and it works out perfectly.含羞草研究社�
Upshaw started roasting the beans in his garage with a home-built roaster and gained a following by serving coffee out of his trailer at the Kelowna Farmers含羞草研究社� Market each week for the last two years.
As his business grew, he bought a sophisticated roaster out of the states and started roasting the coffee on High Road about a year ago.
含羞草研究社淲e still sell at the Farmers含羞草研究社� Market, but now we also have this space to serve the community when we are not at the market.含羞草研究社�
Posted by on
As for why Upshaw left his previous career for coffee, it makes people happy.
含羞草研究社淚 love coffee,含羞草研究社� said Upshaw. 含羞草研究社淚t has always been a passion of mine. I tried other things, nothing made me happy, I always went back to coffee. The art and science of it, it is fun experimenting. I love making people happy, which coffee does.含羞草研究社�
Why chocolate, Helman asks what含羞草研究社檚 not to love?
含羞草研究社淓verything about it, learning about the different origins, the technicality of chocolate, how it含羞草研究社檚 made, the process of making it, the final product itself,含羞草研究社� said Helman. 含羞草研究社淚 am seriously addicted to it, not even making it, but the process of making it. Cracking out the molds, it含羞草研究社檚 addicting. When you see that shine and the colours it is pretty sweet.含羞草研究社�
While the coffee shop and chocolatier are bringing customers to the block now, there are rumours a nearby residential neighbour is hoping to open his own Italian-style pizzeria in the near future to add to the block含羞草研究社檚 buzz.
含羞草研究社淭hings are happening here,含羞草研究社� added Helman.
