A long-vacant corner near the University of Denver is set to welcome a new coffee bar with a mission. Convict Coffee, a local family-run venture with a heartwarming origin story, is opening at 1135 East Evans Avenue, Unit 101, according to Westword.
Minor remodeling efforts are underway at the property, which has housed a number of eateries, including Boone’s Tavern, Atticus, Rosedale, and Devour the 303. It has since been split into three shells, and Convict Coffee is shaking up in an 810-square-foot space within the building.
The business was founded by Dan Klehm. But Klehm’s journey didn’t start out with coffee; it started with on-and-off incarceration for a decade. After a stint in prison, he sought redemption in the restaurant industry, holding high-esteem positions for companies like Applebee’s, Rock Bottom Brewery, Illegal Pete’s, and Cheba Hut, his LinkedIn shows.
He started Convict Coffee in Parker in 2024, with less than $500 in the bank and more than 140 times that amount in debt. His sons help him run the business. Their goal is to support initiatives that prevent reoffending and to promote a pay-equity model, its website explains.
The Denver location will feature fresh-roasted coffee, dirty sodas, chai, matcha, breakfast burritos, grilled cheese, and baked goods, including gluten-free options. There will be fun drinks and loud music, a departure from the typical “vanilla” java shop vibe.
“We like to say ‘coffee for the rest of us’,” Klehm shared with What Now Denver. “We are a place that welcomes all. The only thing we take seriously is our mission and our coffee. We believe we can make a difference with our little coffee company and have a great time doing it.”
