Every few minutes outside the large street-side windows at Purple Door Coffee the light rail rumbles past with a distinct rhythm, ferrying passengers up to the north-most stop of the RTD system. Located in the heart of Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood, Purple Door represents more than just delicious coffee, but the revitalization and strengthening of a community that has endured crime and poverty for decades.

Inside the namesake door of the beautiful corner Purple Door occupies is an exercise in perfect coffee-shop aesthetics. The interior is wonderfully bright, with large floor to ceiling windows filling the space with natural light. The decor is clean and homey-feeling, with exposed brick and heavy, wrought-iron tables that were once parts of old sewing machines making up the majority of seating. The bar is simply decorated with glasses, chalkboard menus and the large La Marzocco espresso machine, in a beautiful glossy black, taking up most of the space on the bar (and customers’ attention). The menu is simple—lattes (small $3), Cappuccinos ($3.25), macchiatos ($2.75), chai tea offerings (small $3) and delectable cortados ($3), which this Grinder had. The baristas are incredibly knowledgeable and offer different milk varieties and coffee blends for the customer to choose from. The aforementioned cortado was made with whole milk and a blend of Corvus Roaster’s coffee. The drink was smooth and velvety, with a slightly nutty taste expected from Corvus. 

What makes Purple Door different from the other similarly designed coffee shops in Denver (and this is not to downplay the quality of Purple Door, which is fantastic) is the shop’s mission of serving the community. Through innovative programs which directly impact downtrodden individuals, Purple Door strives to make lives better for those that need it the most.

Purple Door operates a program which in their own words aims “to reclaim and sustain the lives of homeless youth and young adults through supportive and meaningful employment.” Each year, Purple Door gives three to five young people who have suffered from homelessness and poverty the chance to revitalize themselves and their community. Through both job and life skill trainings, Purple Door aims to provide those in less-than-fortunate conditions with the ability to live as healthy and happy a life as possible.

Employees work for six to 12 months, learning essential skills needed for employment along the way. In addition, Madison Chandler and Mark Smesrud, the co-directors of the Purple Door program, meet individually with employees twice a week to help facilitate the learning process and discuss future goals and job prospects. Employees then leave after their time at Purple Door more than ready to navigate the difficult terrain of employment and life in the city.

The importance of Purple Door’s mission cannot be understated, especially as their corner-location in Five Points is a direct testament to the power of positivity within our urban environment. Five Points has long been considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Denver, and compared to other areas of the city, still has not yet felt the full grasp of modern, wealthy gentrification. Purple Door Coffee’s role as a neighborhood harbinger of goodwill and positivity brings forth change into the community, positive change which aims to directly affect those in need. Purple Door does more than just gentrify and ignore, it wholly uplifts the surrounding community and makes it better for all.