Purple Door Coffee

Purple Door is committed to creating a loving, Jesus-centered environment where every single individual is valued no matter what his or her life has looked like up to this point.

Our name comes from the fact that, historically, the color purple is the color of royalty, and we truly believe that every person, no matter their station in life, has unsurpassable worth and value and deserves to be treated like royalty.

Purple Door Coffee not only hopes to be a place of employment, but also a place of restoration for those who want to reclaim life.

When Madison Chandler started a year-long internship with Dry Bones (drybonesdenver.org) in 2010, she decided to take on the dream of starting a coffee shop that would employ and train homeless youth seeking to rebuild their lives. As she began putting her dream into action, she remembered a conversation she had with Mark Smesrud when they were interns with Dry Bones in the Summer of 2009. They had discussed their love of coffee shops and how it would be incredible to combine work at a coffee shop with ministry among the marginalized—particularly street kids. While this conversation was very surface level and short-lived, it happened, and Mark and Madison believe it happened for a reason.

Madison contacted Mark about coming to work with Purple Door Coffee a couple of times. He initially said “not now,” simply because the timing was not yet right for his life situation. In August of 2011, Madison talked to Mark again about joining the Purple Door Coffee effort, and this time Mark had a peace about it. He spent two months praying about whether this was what he was supposed to be doing. In October of 2011, Mark committed to moving to Denver in January of 2012.

MARK AND MADISON SAY …

“Purple Door has now been up and running since April 15th, 2013, but it has been in the works for a long time. As we continue forward, we look at how God has been so incredibly present and faithful in the entire process, and we know that this will continue. We are excited to be a part of what God is up to in the world, and we know that this is only the beginning of the journey. Join us as we continue expanding the story of Purple Door Coffee.”

ABOUT PURPLE DOOR COFFEE

Purple Door Coffee is a specialty espresso bar and coffee shop in Denver, Colorado that employs teens and young adults who have been homeless and want to leave homelessness behind.