Blue Sparrow Coffee is in the process of opening a new location, nestled in the Tabor Center in Downtown Denver, according to a construction permit application.
Still in the design phase, co-owner Jeffrey Knott says they’re aiming for a late 2026 opening. “It might be a touch overly optimistic, but we’re hoping for 2026,” Knott told What Now Denver.
Located on 1200 17th St., this will be Blue Sparrow’s fourth and largest location, approximately 21,000 square feet, feeling a little like a flagship store, Knott says. Initial renderings of the new coffee shop, attached to the Tabor Center’s lobby, show a large cube-shaped building clad in a coat of shiny dark green tile. “We really wanted it to feel like a jewelry box,” Knott says. “It’s going to be beautiful.”
Blue Sparrow Coffee was first founded in RiNo in 2017, making a name for itself by curating and spotlighting coffee roasters from around the world, featuring over 100 roasts in their early days. Blue Sparrow started roasting its own coffee a year and a half ago, but continues to curate its menu offerings. “We just want to stay hyper-focused and deliver excellence in what we choose to focus on,” Knott says.
The same philosophy applies to the development of their locations, preferring slower, steadier growth. Blue Sparrow opened a second location on Platte Street in 2019 and in Capitol Hill in 2024. “We don’t have huge aspirations to grow and to have 100 locations here,” Knott says. “We’re not in a hurry.”
However, Knott says that Blue Sparrow is taking a risk with a downtown location as business in the area has been slow to recover after the pandemic. “I don’t know any business that would want to choose Downtown Denver to start a new business,” Knott says. However, he’s counting on revival in the area — recent metrics show that foot traffic in the area is nearing pre-COVID levels — and is, in fact, participating in the process.
“I think this is a little bit of a risk, but we do believe in where downtown is headed,” Knott says.
