COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A new coffee shop in downtown Colorado Springs is making sustainability a core part of its mission, offering reusable containers to cut down on single-use plastic. This story is the result of News5's "Conversations and Coffee" segment, as we've been visiting local coffee shops and speaking with community members to see
“We’ve lived here long enough for it to be home," co-owner of Misty Mountain Collective Dakota Wilkerson explained. " We’re from elsewhere originally, but this is home now."
Dakota opened the shop with his wife, Stormy, less than three months ago at 705 N. Nevada Ave. The location, they explained, is deeply personal.
“We used to walk our dog past this building every day, and this was a dream for years, and one day it just clicked," Dakota said. "That’s where it should be, right in our neighborhood. That’s all, that’s the American dream right there, and you could say so.”
The shop emphasizes environmentally conscious practices, both behind the scenes and in customer-facing services.
“There are so many changes you can make in your daily life to make a difference, and this is one of them,” Dakota said. “So instead of contributing to the single-use plastic microplastic trash dilemma that’s occurring, we decided we could make a change for ourselves and everyone who comes in and just show people how easy it is to do something a little bit different, and that all adds up.”
Customers are offered drinks in reusable glass jars with a $1 deposit. If you want your dollar back, you can return the jar, or you can continue to use it. The eco-friendly program has been well-received, according to Dakota, adding that only one in 300 people seems to have an issue with it.
The shop drew inspiration from other environmentally conscious cafés, including the Fox Den in Fort Collins.
Beyond sustainability, the owners hope local news covers more of the community’s arts scene.
“We have a blossoming art scene, whether it’s music or physical media, poetry, comedy, there’s a really terrific community in our local art scene, and I feel like a lot of people are unaware of that or think it’s less inclusive than it is," Dakota said.
An upcoming local event highlights that community spirit, "Rence Fest."
"There is a beloved figure in the music scene named Rence, and he is the only person who deserves a fest in his name," Dakota said with a smile. "There’s gonna be a lot of really good local bands, local artists playing, and it’s a two-day little fest over at Lulu’s Downtown,”
Click here for more on Rence Fest.
If you run a local coffee shop and would like to host one of our visits, or if you have something you would like covered, you can email TonyKeith@koaa.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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