Meet Kanzetta Johnson | Barista & Coffee Shop Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kanzetta Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kanzetta, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I would say one of the most important lessons that I have learned is that when you are trying to do big things not everyone is going to support you but that does not mean you should give up. There were people who I thought were in my corner who had very pessimistic opinions on the business I was about to take on. I have learned it is sometimes more beneficial to make your moves quietly. Not everyone will be there for you while you’re working towards something but everyone will be happy to stand behind you once you get there and that is okay. It is actually so empowering to accomplish something people said you might not be able to do.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up in a small town in Alaska with lots of family. My aunt and uncle helped me get my first job in a little drive through coffee shop and I instantly fell in love with the whole environment. I looked forward to work everyday because it never felt like work, 10 years later it still doesn’t. I worked there for a few months before moving onto the coffee shop I worked at for about 7 years on and off. I moved to other states, North Dakota and Colorado and each time found a drive through coffee shop to love. Something about a local small town shop is so comforting to me. I have made lifelong friends from the customers I have had since I was 16. I have worked other service industry jobs, my family’s sports bar, other bars and family owned restaurants, but a coffee shop has always had a very special place in my heart. I love being the first positive interaction of someones day. Owning my own shop is something I have dreamt about for years but not something I ever thought I would be able to do. This opportunity kind of presented itself to me and I figured I would try to go for it, I did not really think I would get too far but things continued to work out, from my perfect location to finances coming together. It really helped that the previous owner of the shop is such a great guy who was able to work with us and help out how we needed. He wanted the business to be just as successful as I did.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Very first we would go to Rock City Cafe on Dominion Way for breakfast, it is the first restaurant I ever worked at in Colorado Springs and they have the most amazing pork green chili! We would obviously have to go walk through Garden of the Gods. I would pack up my friend and three dogs and go to Pub Dog for lunch and spend the afternoon there drinking lavender lemonades! We would spend a day in Manitou with breakfast at Mo’s Diner then hang out for a bit before we did the Incline, after the Incline we would go to The Loop and reward ourselves with a Grande Margarita! We’d be a little tipsy and head over to D’Vine Wine for a wine tasting and their delicious lavender cookies’n’cream alcohol infused ice cream. We might finish the day taking some old timey pictures at Olde Tyme Photography Parlour.
We would probably pick a show to go see at Red Rocks and spend the day getting there, stopping at one of the cute restaurants in Golden for a pre show dinner.
We would go out one night and start at COATI. We would hit the usual bars like the Mansion, Cowboys, Gasoline Alley and Blondies before we finished the night at Fat Sully’s with a huge slice of pizza!
We would spend a day in Old Colorado City, probably going to Mother Muffs and other bars in the area. I would also like to drive up pikes peak and go to the top and get the doughnuts to drive to the bottom!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I never could have pulled together my dream without my insanely loving, supportive and intelligent boyfriend, Charles. He got on board and was so instrumental in making my dream come true. I am also blessed with so much support from my family all the way in Alaska as well as my boyfriends family, who only ever encouraged me when I felt like I was just hitting walls when I wanted to be moving forward faster. I especially need to thank my Uncle and Aunt, Nick and Fran Jones, for all of their support and being the best example as I was growing up of how to run a successful business. Also the owners of Cherry Creek Systems have been amazing. From the day we asked to park in their lot they have gone above and beyond. They’ve been so amazing and helpful in ways I never imagined. We could not have asked for a better company or people to come across in this experience.

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