New coffee shop in Fountain to open for Christmas as present to customers, military community
FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) -- A coffee shop is bucking the pandemic trend of restaurants closing on the year's biggest holiday to give employees the day off and not making them feel obligated to work.
The Olde Town Coffee Shop, at 105 Santa Fe Avenue in the downtown area, opened in May after moving into the building previously owned by another coffee shop.
Olde Town's owner, Jennifer Clark -- who also owns a nearby yoga studio -- bought the previous shop and said that one of her baristas suggested the idea of opening on Christmas.
"My barista doesn't have any family here, and was willing to work if I wanted to open Monday," Clark said. "I thought it was a great idea. It's a good way to thank the community for supporting us. It also is an option for members of the military community who may be away from loved ones, or have loved ones in town visiting. This would be a nice place for them to gather."
Olde Town will be open from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Christmas Day; the shop also sells pastries and energy drinks.
"Even if I wasn't getting holiday pay, I would still want to work," said Bailey Egan, the barista who suggested opening on Christmas. "I love serving people."
The Christmas Day opening was considered a good idea by customers who spoke with KRDO Thursday.
“The single ones who might not be able to get back to their family," said Jerome Hanson, an Army veteran. "Yeah, I think that’s a really good idea. I hadn’t thought of that, but yeah! That’s pretty cool."
Beatriz Soto is a military spouse.
"Now that I know they’re open, we can stop by here because we’re going to go to my sister-in-law’s (Christmas) morning," she explained. "So, we’ll come pick up some coffee, bring it over and surprise them with it."
Shari Solem came from Colorado Springs to try Olde Town's coffee.
"I follow these guys on Instagram — I told you I was a coffee person — and so I just came down to check them out.," she said. "So will I be here on Christmas? I may stop by. We’ll see.”
Mercedes Rojo said that she doesn't love coffee enough to be at the shop on Christmas Day.
"I think that older people, like my mom, would like it," she said. "I like that this type of business is closed on Christmas. But I also understand that some people want to work, because it's holiday pay and they need the money. So I'd be OK with it, even though I'd feel guilty because as a customer, I'm the reason they have to work. But as long as employees want to do it, and aren't required to, that's fine with me."
