By Janet Wight

A new coffee shop is hitting the west Como neighborhood.

Nate Whipple recently bought the building at 1503 Hamline Ave., the former Como Park Language & Arts Preschool & Childcare Center across from Chelsea Heights Elementary School, to become the home for Karol Coffee.

The coffee shop’s opening date has been pushed back to sometime in December. Meanwhile, coffee is being served out of a makeshift camper until the interior space is finished.

“We’re looking forward to being able to host people inside and offer tasty organic, clean, natural, delicious local goods,” said Megan Whipple, Nate’s wife.

Karol Coffee’s menu will eventually include espresso drinks, drip coffee, tea, baked goods and possibly pre-made sandwiches. Gluten- and dairy-free options will be available

Both washed and natural coffees will be served. Washed coffee is the standard roasting process, which is typically found in grocery stores and coffee shop chains. Alternatively, the natural process allows the taste to be strongly influenced by the flavor profile of the fruit, he said.

Whipple’s coffee journey began in 2022 when he started roasting coffee with a cottage food license out of his northeast Minneapolis garage.

In order to master roasting techniques, Nate did a great deal of reading and watching numerous YouTube videos. He also took a class at Mill City Roasters in Minneapolis, which was the perfect place to learn coffee roasting.

Whipple’s wife Megan is also deeply involved with the business along with friends and partners Ken Satre and Joan Stevermer.

Although Whipple started in the business by roasting coffee in his garage, “having a shop was always the goal and dream,” he said. “I love learning and starting things and figuring things out,” he added.

“Hospitality is our number one value … that is why we always wanted to have a shop, to create a space for people to come and connect,” Whipple explained.

Although the Whipples initially looked for a place to rent in northeast Minneapolis, they stumbled upon the west Como location and decided to purchase the property.

The biggest challenge has been the shifting timetable since everything is proceeding more slowly than anticipated, Whipple said.   

Another challenge is juggling his existing roasting and coffee sales business while remodeling the interior of the shop. Megan, an oil painter, works on her craft in their northeast Minneapolis home in addition to serving customers.

Whipple relishes being a business owner.

“I like it because it keeps me on my toes and I get to do many things,” he explained.

The Whipples said they are grateful to have been so warmly welcomed and enthusiastically received.

Upcoming events include featuring a variety of local baked goods (Saturdays in November) and hosting a booth at the Cathedral of Saint Paul’s Christmas Festival (Dec. 12 through 14). Updated information may be found on the company’s website at karolcoffeeco.com.

Fun fact: according to the website, the name Karol Coffee is a tribute to the life and work of Karol Wojtyla, aka Pope John Paul II. As such, “(O)ur coffee is a testament to truth, beauty, goodness and the dignity of human work,” the website says. 

Janet Wight is a regular freelance writer for the Bugle.