DU Alumni Hani Yaafouri and Zahi Yaafouri to Open Coffee Shop Near Campus

Associate Administrative Director Lucy Daberkow recently visited with Hani Yaafouri, a 2010 ENRGP MRLS graduate. Hani and his brother Zahi, MBA '03 and MRECM '01, will be opening a new coffee shop, Steam, Espresso Bar next month. You can find construction pictures and more information about Steam on their Facebook page!

Hani and Zahi had been planning to open a coffee shop for a long time. They waited several years until they found the right location. Hani had the following to say:  "We are excited about the location for many reasons. It's in a gorgeous neighborhood ( Old South Pearl Street), and it's a corner location, which is great for a coffee business. The patio is on the south side of the building ( lots of sunshine) and most importantly, it's within a mile from the University of Denver campus.  We love the fact that we are still close to DU!"

Hani went on to say, "We have done a lot of work to upgrade the building from plumbing to electricity to HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). Zahi is in charge of all the design work. We are  incorporating sustainability in our design as much as possible. We are using reclaimed wood (maple) in the bar area , shelving and counter tops. This reclaimed wood was originally used as flooring for rail way boxcars (very popular in the early 1930's). The old floor joists of the building were reused when we upgraded the building structure. We are also using some of the old floor joists as foot rests in the bar area."

Hani and Zahi are extremely committed to sustainability practices in all aspects of the business, even purchasing a stainless steel filter for drip coffee developed by a company in Portland, OR. "Most coffee shops use anywhere between 80 to 100 paper filters on a daily basis depending on the size of the operation, but we won't be using any paper filters! We also plan on using eco-friendly paper cups."

The ENRGP Program wishes Hani and Zahi all the best in their new business venture! 

Please stop by for a cup of coffee.