Pablo's Coffee

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Pablo’s is the darling of coffee houses. Owner, Craig Conner, put this Capitol Hill neighborhood coffee shop in motion after opening an espresso bar in the Denver Center for Performing Arts Complex in 1995. Connor says he did everything business school told him not to do. “I sold my house and maxxed out my credit cards but I knew I always wanted to own a business.”

Carri Wilbanks with shop owner Craig Conner at Pablo’s Coffee in Denver

By 2002, he was ready to open Pablo’s coffee, and by 2010 expanded to buy a space for the roastery and to store the sacks and sacks of coffee beans. Conner worked in several industries but couldn’t decide what type of business he should focus his energy on. “I kept interviewing business owners. But the coffee guys seemed really happy. In this business you have a connection with the whole world” he reveals.

From season, to crop, to farm, Conner and the baristas knows stories about almost every coffee they serve. I pointed to a coffee bean filled bucket from Brazil. “This is socially conscious coffee made on the Neves Family. The wife does micro lending. Oh, and a nickel from every pound we buy goes to education and healthcare,” Conner told me. He adds it’s not just about good stories but good coffee.

You can tell his staff of 17 take pride in their knowledge of coffee and also their jobs. Which is why baristas strive to work at Pablo’s. “They are professional baristas. Most have worked here between six to eight years, some have been with us since the start,” says Conner.

Treat yourself to some of that goodness with an espresso, Americano, Vietnamese coffee or drip coffee.

The business model Connor created is unique because it’s non-hierarchical. Connor says with a small staff it doesn’t make sense to have manager and that everyone should be on the same level. Whether it’s artwork on the walls, or helping build the countertops, the employees have influence all over the shop.

You can tell Connor is proud of his staff. He talks about them and treats them like friends. He points to the baristas-serving customer behind the bar. “Rebecca is an artist, she just finished up a print making workshop. That’s Brian, he brews beer. Right now he’s working on a coffee porter. And Jason is a musician and has a record label.”

Connor makes a point to stay in touch with former employees as well. A former barista turned brewer with Great Divide contacted Connor when he was thinking of brewing beer and coffee. The result is Great Divide’s Oak Aged Espresso Yeti, brewed with beans from Pablo’s.

You can also buy fresh bags of coffee from Pablo’s from Brazil, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and several other countries from across the globe.

The only way to get coffee fresher than you will find at Pablo’s is to roast it yourself. Coffee here is fresh roasted at 7^th and Lipan, loaded up in a van with the shops “monkey logo” and delivered to Pablo’s at 6^th & Washington. You can also buy fresh bags of their coffee from Brazil,, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and several other countries from across the globe. If you are unsure of what to sip, a barista will tell you what to expect in flavor and character. The Danger Monkey is the shops signature flavor. It was made for a holiday blend but with such positive reviews it is sticking around for good. You can also find the coffee is several local establishments like Watercourse Foods, Sputnik and Spinelli’s Market.

Pablo’s goes through 1,000 pounds of beans a week, which is about 6,000 gallons of coffee a month! Treat yourself to some of that goodness with an espresso, Americano, Vietnamese coffee or drip coffee. You will also find several varieties of teas, breakfast burritos and pastries. No matter what you sip on, Pablo’s knows their craft.