Got Faith? Christian Coffee Shop, 6550, Faces Uncertain Future

Located in the heart of Arvada, 6550 Coffee House (formerly Compass Coffee House) is more than a place to grab a cup of joe; it’s a hub where students, residents and community members go to relax and connect. 

Chaundra Tangi, the director of the coffee house and pastor of This Generation Ministries, has been working to develop a safe space for everyone in her community, especially focusing on students at Arvada High School. But, in the face of financial difficulties stemming from a lack of customers and dwindling church funding, the future of 6550 Coffee House is unclear.

“The main mission of the coffeehouse is to serve the community,” Tangi said. “To be a safe place, whether it’s a stay-at-home mom who wants to get out of the house and have a place to go with her kid, to a business person who needs a whiteboard and a space to work, and most importantly, the students and reaching them.”

Up until last month, 6550 Coffee House was able to pay its employees. Now, in the face of financial difficulties, the coffee house is completely volunteer-run. Tangi noted that these volunteers are not only from the church but from the surrounding community as well. Judy Emery, the facilities manager, explained that Altitude Church, the group behind 6550, just does not have the funding or resources to continue supporting the coffee shop.

“Because our church is so stretched thin right now financially, they are unable to help the coffee house get their supplies,” Emery said. “So we went from four people working there to two volunteers working to keep the coffee house open. Now we’re at that impasse where I said I’ll volunteer there once a week so that we can at least stay open a couple of days a week.”

In addition to serving coffee, these volunteers are critical in helping 6550 Coffee House provide food to local students. Every Wednesday, students from Arvada High School walk across the street to 6550 as part of the Hamburgers for High Schoolers program, which provides a free, hot meal to any student who needs it.

“We feed the students every week, and the original mission when we opened the coffee house was that the income would benefit us enough that we wouldn’t have to tap into church money to serve the students,” Tangi said. “And that’s what hasn’t happened yet.”

In addition to supporting students, 6550 Coffee House also strives to assist the teachers at Arvada High School. 6550 Coffee House holds a monthly teacher appreciation day, during which fresh baked goods and coffee are served to educators during their staff meetings.

“We’ve learned that loving on the teachers is a direct correlation to helping the students,” Tangi said. “We’ve seen the attrition rate of the teachers improve. We’ve seen teachers stay now that have been there for three or four years, rather than one year, and they’re just out. It’s the little things that can just make the biggest difference and make the teachers feel loved.”

According to Tangi, 6550 Coffee House is also a space for other community organizations, such as the Kiwanis Club, the Arvada Chamber of Commerce, Bible study groups, Girl Scouts and more. But the largest impact is on “the students,” said Judy Emery, the facilities manager at 6550.

“You know, feeding sometimes up to 150 kids a week is huge,” Emery said. “But it’s not just about the food. I mean, we pray over them; if they don’t want to pray, that doesn’t matter. We’re here to feed them and talk to them about their future.” Emery shares that these conversations aim to assist the children in every possible way and insists that there’s no pressure to join the church or adopt religious beliefs.

“I have a kid in the back right now who dropped out of school last year; this is just one case of many,” Emery said. “I was talking to him and said, ‘What are you going to do with your life?’ Now, he’s back in school, he’s getting his GED, he’s looking into going into the trades, and he’s just a light now, where he just sat there in the darkness,” Emery said.

Aiden Daniels, a sophomore at Arvada High School, mentioned that despite 6550 Coffee House being a religious establishment, it welcomes everyone, regardless of their beliefs.

“Don’t be afraid about being here,” Daniels said. “Just leave whatever difficulty you’re going through at the door because this is going to be one of those places where you can just have that small period of time to feel peace.”

Mal Hiller, another sophomore at Arvada High School, visits 6550 Coffee House for lunch every Wednesday. He said that he appreciates that 6550 provides a space away from the crowded school cafeteria and creates a community where everyone can be themselves.

“The people here are super kind, super wonderful, and even if you don’t have the same beliefs as them, it just feels like they would accept you no matter who you are, or what you believe in,” Hiller said. “It’s just very welcoming.”

As the new year continues, Tangi worries about the fate of the coffee house. Even after being voted third in Best Breakfast and Best Overall Taste and second in Best Non-Alcoholic Drink by Taste of Arvada, 6550 Coffee House continues to struggle. Even though the food and beverage industry is rapidly changing and becoming more competitive, Tangi and Emery believe in the coffeehouse and recognize its importance to the Arvada community.

“When you choose to spend your money here versus a chain, you are giving back to the community,” Tangi said. “So it’s that trickle-down effect. It’s allowing us to continue doing what we do in serving the students of Arvada and the greater Arvada community. And some people, they just want a good cup of coffee. And you know what? We have that. So come just for that too.”

Tangi mentioned that for the coffee house to thrive, it needs donations, or as she called them, “love offerings,” along with more customers. 

“My dream would be to have an angel investor that would just give us like $20,000 to market, advertise and relaunch,” Tangi said. “I need like 15 more people through the door every day. It’s not even that much, just to break even, and then we can prosper and be able to really serve the community the way we want to.”

Without customers and donations, it will be impossible to stay open for much longer; however, leadership could not provide a specific timeline or amount of funds required to continue operations. Emery ended by saying that there is hope for the coffee house, noting that those looking to help can make a significant positive impact. 

“You know, instead of going across the street for a coffee, come in here, come into our building,” Emery said. “We’re not charging for that beautiful, comfortable space to work in. I would say that the number one thing is to support us, donate and spread the word.”