Sonder Coffee & Tea Curates Community

MARKETS CREATIVITY, IDENTIFY, PLUS CAFFEINE

Sonder: “A realization that each random passerby has a life just as vivid and complex as your own.”

Customers are greeted with these carefully painted words upon entering one of Denver’s newest coffeeshops, and the clear depiction explains that Sonder Coffee & Tea is more than just about providing your traditional coffee faire. It’s a fusion of vision, creativity, entrepreneurship, and coffee.

Nestled deep within a suburb of Denver, Sonder is carefully tucked into the layout of apartments surrounding this one-of-a-kind community business. The noteworthy business venture, which newly opened last month on Oct. 1, allows the community to stop by for a quick Monday morning pick-me-up or to work on a presentation among the swirling sounds of indie tunes in the background.

Somehow, being at Sonder inspires the feeling of being a part of something larger, a community that brings together all different types of identities together. The minimalist décor intermixed with a sprinkle of potted green plants and hint of warm wooden accents invites guests to create their own ideas and creativity.

Sonder fortunately didn’t follow the traditional recycled tropes of curating a full size coffee chain. It’s no Starbucks and it’s no Dunkin Donuts: it’s Sonder, and it has its own story to share.

Sonder patrons would assume that Sonder creators Ernest, Pop, and Julia had some previous experience in the coffee industry. Ironically, for opening what appears to be a community favorite, none of them had any previous knowledge and deided to incorporate learning more about the coffee business into their own creative process.

In Sonder’s blog Dream |A| Latte, coffee industry enthusiasts get a peek into the founders’ thought processes. One of their goals on their website included, “To inspire, encourage, and equip other dreamers or aspiring entrepreneurs interested in pursuing their own (coffee) business or the coffee industry through the resources and lessons we’re gaining along the way.”

Sure enough Sonder creators didn’t follow a typical formulaic process for developing their new business venture. Through their own curiosities they began to understand the perplexities behind what goes into making a business unique. Such topics included diving into a well-executed business plan, finding the perfect location, and working with ideal coffee roasters.

They also describe that something so simple like developing a name didn’t happen overnight:“It took seven months to come up with our name, and another seven for the logo.”

These insider thoughts were made public with the intention to inspire others to create their own business regardless of their background in the field. Sonder carefully analyzed the community surrounding it, and put thought into finding ways to create special moments for everyone walking in for a latte on a weekend afternoon.

College students mobbed the electric outlets as they worked on their impending term papers, and in one corner a grandparent helped her granddaughters work on a scrapbook. All were sharing a warm latte and had a flashy pink doughnut in hand.

Although coffee is a necessity for the basic functioning of a college students around the nation, Sonder has found a way to provide something more than a caffeinated drink. They want their guests to build a community with each other, especially while sharing a laugh over a hot cup of a smooth pour over coffee.