New Coffee Shop to Open

New Coffee Shop to Open Main Photo

18 Mar 2022


Changes are happening in the community, as Buffy Helwig and Jaki Gustaf will be opening a brand-new coffee shop this next month. Helwig and Gustaf, who have co-owned Joe’s Food Center since 2020, have been in the process of renovating the store for the past month to bring coffee back into Upton. 

Joe’s Food Center has been a family-run operation for 43 years, with Joe Haynes opening the building in August 1979. While the store has been providing groceries for the community for over 40 years, a coffee shop will be the first for the business. 

“We had heard the public's comments that there were so many people in town that wanted to have a coffee shop somewhere in Upton. It made sense for us since we already had an established business to do this, and we’re excited to make it a reality, ” Helwig explained. 

The renovations have consisted of removing a bunker from the front of the store, moving the donut case to that spot, constructing additional shelving and moving other amenities, such as the water refilling station and the deli warmer, to make room for the brand-new coffee shop. The renovations will also feature more open seating to complement the overall look of the store. 

The coffee shop will include a wide variety of espresso based and blended specialty drinks, which will feature coffee products from Dark Canyon Coffee Company, a coffee wholesaler based in Rapid City, South Dakota. With Dark Canyon providing the coffee and all other supplies for Joe’s, the coffee shop will be fully supported by small businesses.

“We have used Dark Canyons products for years and they have always had great customer service with us. We feel like their products are some of the best in the area, ” Helwig added.

The brand-new coffee shop is anticipated to open April 1 to customers. Currently, hours of operation are still being determined, but Helwig expects to have everything finalized in the coming weeks. For more information about the new coffee shop, contact Joe’s Food Center at 307-468-2372.