There91Ƶs an uprising of caffeine in Kelowna.
After three seasons at Kelowna91Ƶs Farmers Market, co-owners Bailey Mitchell and Jesse Nelson have found Anarchy Coffee a permanent home.
91ƵThis has been a four-year project in the making,91Ƶ said Mitchell. 91ƵWe started roasting coffee in my old shed in Whistler and the plan was to move to Kelowna, be closer to family and get this thing going just to be a bit more of a bigger brand and project and become a job for ourselves.91Ƶ
Both originating from Ottawa, Mitchell and Nelson went to Selkirk College together in Nelson and then worked different jobs together in Whistler. While there the love of coffee started.
91ƵIt just started in our own kitchen,91Ƶ said Mitchell. 91ƵJust trying to have that perfect coffee every morning and it turned into a deep rabbit hole.91Ƶ
Over time, they would try different local coffees and roasters, trying to find what a good cup of coffee was in their eyes. Mitchell says he also got inspiration and the idea to eventually turn his coffee into a business when he was in Thailand. When he was there, he visited a coffee plantation, bought beans and brought them home. He continued to play around with different ways of making coffee in his workshop, including using a stove top and a barbecue.
With Nelson91Ƶs wife from the Kamloops area and Mitchell91Ƶs family moving to Kelowna to retire, the two of them also decided to move to the area and start their coffee business out of a mobile trailer. In 2021, they opened their stand at the Kelowna Farmers Market and became a staple there for three years.
91ƵWe had three solid seasons at the farmer91Ƶs market with the mobile cafe, that was awesome,91Ƶ adds Mitchell. 91ƵWe91Ƶve slowly been working towards this shop here which is now our home base - a roastery and a coffee bar.91Ƶ
Their dream was always to eventually move to a permanent home and now they do at Unit C - 1880 Baron Road.
91ƵThe location is pretty good and the room is fantastic,91Ƶ said Mitchell.
The couple not only share a love of coffee but also of punk rock music.
91ƵAnarchism is a big punk rock methos and we are always trying to look for ways to have positive community involvement and that91Ƶs what anarchism is to us,91Ƶ said Mitchell. 91ƵWe are just trying to make a good difference in this world and if we can do that through coffee, hosting shows, getting people together, then we91Ƶre on a good track.91Ƶ
91ƵWe love punk rock, we love music,91Ƶ added Nelson, who91Ƶs also a concert promoter. 91ƵWe have done band-collabs with coffees and it91Ƶs a good merch option for them.91Ƶ
During their three years at the market, they made a lot of friends because of their passion for community involvement, they want to collaborate or get other local vendors involved with their coffee shop.
91ƵWe try to source from as many local vendors as possible, we met a lot of great makers and bakers and crafters at the Kelowna Farmers Market,91Ƶ said Nelson.
So far, Anarchy Coffee has worked with Brutal Condiments, Alchemy Bread Company, Buffalo Rouge Brewing, and Italian Meat Master, and is planning to work with many more.
91ƵIt91Ƶs a good opportunity to combine all our favourite things,91Ƶ said Mitchell.
Anarchy Coffee has a variety of different coffee flavours they91Ƶve developed over the years that are available for customers to buy and take home.
91ƵOur longest-running coffee is Zombie Eyes, it91Ƶs something that fits most palates and still has a unique flavour to it,91Ƶ said Nelson. 91ƵIt91Ƶs definitely a crowd-pleaser.91Ƶ
The two of them are continuing to create more options available for everyone.
91ƵIt91Ƶs hard to pick a favourite, we try to have a good offering that suits something for everyone,91Ƶ said Mitchell. 91ƵWe91Ƶre always playing around and trying new beans out so there91Ƶs always something to pick your interest and something new and exciting to try out pretty regularly.91Ƶ
At Anarchy Coffee, for every bagged purchase, a dollar goes to local organizations that help those experiencing homelessness by giving food, money, and clothing to people who need it.
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