Since opening, Blue Sparrow (3070 Blake) has served Sträva Coffee. "They're always on our shelves; we use them for espresso always. They're kind of our anchor," says cafe manager Kevin Piaskowski. In addition to Sträva, Blue Sparrow likes to showcase other small-batch roasters, so every two to three weeks, the shop bring in new beans from roasters around the world. Previous roasters have included Five Elephant out of Berlin, Germany, Little Wolf from Ispwich, Massachussetts, and current roaster Tailored Coffee from Eugene, Oregon.
"There are so many big craft companies... We think they make great coffee, but one of the great things about the connectivity of the Internet is that it allows small businesses, like Tailored Coffee, to showcase coffees that you wouldn't normally get and are exceptional," says Piaskowski, who often uses Instagram to find new roasters far beyond Colorado's borders. "I think it's so cool that we can do that. Since we are small [as well], it's great to showcase small roasters that are doing big things and give them attention that they wouldn't normally get."
At just 470 square feet, Blue Sparrow's interior is small, but it was carefully designed by Jeffrey Knott and Fiona Arnold to utilize every bit of space. Knott has had his hand in opening and designing many Denver-based coffee shops, including Prodigy and Pigtrain, but Blue Sparrow is the first he's owned. He joined forces with Arnold of Mainspring Developers, the team behind Backyard on Blake. While working as a barista at places like Fluid and Thump, Knott made a list of what he liked and didn't like, all of which came to fruition in Blue Sparrow.
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Blue Sparrow doesn't serve beer yet, but has eight taps pouring cold brew, tea, soda and kombucha.
Danielle Krolewicz
Monday through Friday, the shop serves as a meeting space for people who live and work in the neighborhood, and baguette sandwiches from Marczyk Fine Foods and pastries from Enzo the Baker are delivered fresh daily for those lingering through lunch. On weekends, the shop attracts a different crowd of visitors to the neighborhood, according to Piaskowski. Regardless of whether you're visiting RiNo or work nearby, the patio offers great views of Denver, the mountains and surrounding construction (okay, you can get that view just about anywhere in RiNo). The cafe is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week.