Twin brothers Hani and Zahi Yaafouri plans to open
Steam Espresso Bar in the Old South Pearl neighborhood by the end of March.
The brothers purchased the 1,420-square-foot building at 1801 S. Pearl St. in August and have been building out the space since November. The 60,000-square-foot lot also will include an outdoor seating area where customers can enjoy coffee from Boulder-based
Boxcar Coffee Roasters, fresh juice and pastries from the
Trompeau Bakery nearby.
Hani Yaafouri says he likes the neighborhood because it supports local businesses.
"We've had a lot of people coming by excited about the opening day," says Yaafouri, who worked for Starbucks in Beirut for six years. "We've been looking for locations for a couple of years. There are plenty of locations available, but to find the right location takes a lot of time."
Hani moved to Denver in 2006 to attend the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, where he earned a master's degree in management and an environmental law degree from the College of Law.
Zahi has been in the area since 2000, earning a degree in architecture from the University of Denver.
"My brother is an architect and has a full-time job, but he's helping with permits and design," Hani Yaafouri says. "We moved here for grad school and fell in love with the city. The weather is amazing and the business environment is great."
Contact Confluence Denver Development News Editor Margaret Jackson with tips and leads for future stories at margaret@confluence-denver.com.
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