Photo by: Justin Edmonds
Nestled in between the notoriously aesthetic shops on Pearl Street, Stella’s sits in its element. Stella’s is a quaint coffee house located on the corner of Florida and Pearl Street and a frequent hot spot among University of Denver students.
It is a trendy, sophisticated, welcoming place whose atmosphere can be summed up, as barista Mark Cawthray says, in the word “chilloshopical.”
Stella’s started about 16 years ago, in what is now only the front room.
“It started as just the front hallway,” says Cawthray, who has been working at Stella’s for over a year. Since its opening, it has taken over the apartment rooms next door, painting each in friendly and vibrant colors, and filling the walls with artwork.
“I like that it’s not a chain” says Katie Flansburg, a freshman student at DU. The whole place has an almost crowded atmosphere, loaded with art, books, and people.
“It’s a really relaxed atmosphere…the kind of place to hang out,” says Cawthray.
That is precisely what everyone does: ‘hang out.’ At any given point of the day, the chairs, tables, sofas, and porch furniture pieces are filled with costumers.
“In the morning, we tend to get an older crowd, and by late afternoon there are a lot of college kids, at night there are even high school kids,” Cawthray observes, and even goes so far as to say “most all of the DU students come here.”
The store is even a hangout for animals. Stella’s is dog-friendly, providing water bowls and treats on a big front porch (no cats, please). After all, asks Cawthray, “Isn’t there a thing with dogs and coffee shops nowadays?”
Stella’s offers a variety of different coffees, anything from lattes to espressos, on average, and all priced on a standard similar to Starbucks. It is known, however for much more than its coffee.
They offer a plethora of edibles: pastries, desserts, Italian sodas, coffee in every form, tea, blooming teas and breakfast burritos.
“The burritos are the best, because they are the closest thing to real food,” says Cawthray.
At any given time, Stella’s boasts an expansive art display. On every wall, ranging in price from $40 to $1,000 art is on display and sale. Most of the art comes from the Susan Bell gallery, just a few blocks away, although they do show a variety of local artists.
“We probably sell about three to four pieces a month,” Cawthray says.
Stella’s helps to put on the first Friday art walk on Pearl Street.
The coffee shop also boasts live music every Friday and Saturday night. “I’d says about 95 percent of the bands that play [at Stella’s] are local,” said Cawthray.
There is always something going on. Stella’s opens as early as 6:30 a.m. and stays busy until midnight most nights.
“Everyone finds their own thing in it,” Cawthray says.
“It’s cute,” Flansburg agrees.
Stella’s November shows:
Nov 2 Josh Galvin
Nov 3 Adam Golstein
Nov 9 Tori Sparks
Nov 10 Markthe Singing Plumber
Nov 16 Hippogriffsgruckee. com
Nov 17 Marybeth Cross
Nov 23 Dan Craig
Nov 24 Adam the Irish Folk Singer
Nov 25 Kindred Spirits
Nov 30 Craig Meadows
