About pinwheel
As you walk in our door, be prepared to be slapped in the face with the sweet n’ spicy aroma of our house-made chai and top-notch craft coffee made from locally roasted beans. Once those flavorful notes hit you’ll surely be thinking to yourself, “Um… I think I found my favorite coffee shop in all of Denver… and is there a candle in this scent!?”
Then, as you’re waiting in line pondering the meaning of life via what drink to order, a tiny human walks up to you and asks, “do you have a spare moment to be interviewed? I’m collecting some marketing data today for the shop.” No need to be alarmed though, that’s just one of the 6th-8th grade students of Embark Education, a learner-centered micro middle school where students’ learning is grounded and embedded in our shop and Framework Cycles next door.
Pinwheel Coffee is much more than just your favorite cafe, you can feel good knowing your cup is supporting the learning & development of our local youth. Need some more convincing? Check out our awesome reviews on Yelp or Google or just stop by! We know you’ll find this space to be the best place to work, meet with a friend or just grab your favorite drink to go.
Pinwheel Coffee doubles as a real world classroom for Embark Education, a middle micro school in North Denver.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Our coffee shop began operating with the goal to partner with Denver Montessori Jr/Sr High School and Compass Montessori School as a platform for a student-led entrepreneurial experience. Students were involved in analyzing locations, making design and branding, and building out the business plan. Just about everything you see in the shop has had students involved choosing.
After two years of this partnership, we saw so much authentic and real-world learning, we wanted more student involvement and ended up partnering with Framework Cycles and Embark Education to share our love of coffee, the science and chemistry of great espresso, and our study and exploration of regions, climate and the geopolitics of how we source our beans.
Our COMMITMENT to diversity and inclusion
Pinwheel Coffee’s mission is to radically change the way business, education, and community intersects. We believe this can only happen in an environment that is welcoming to everyone and values diversity. Our community recognizes the harm caused by systemic oppression and looks to create a safe space for all. Pinwheel partners with businesses who share these values and our baristas are intentionally hired from diverse backgrounds. We are also committed to making our shop environmentally sustainable so that future generations can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee too.