A little Carlyle coffee shop that became famous across the province for their cinnamon buns, delicious coffee and unique treats is bringing their second location in Estevan.

The Mercury talked to owner Michael Ellis, who said that the Energy City was their natural choice for the expansion.

article continues below

“It’s the largest community within our radius,” said Ellis. “Actually from Carlyle in the same driving distance there are four other communities that we considered for that, but right now there is an excellent opportunity in Estevan. This is a really prime location.”

Elis was grateful to the people at Hirsch Construction that helped them to make a lease for the coffee shop. He also thanked the City of Estevan for the different programs they have for motivating businesses to move into the city.

Patricia Himmelspach and Michael Ellis making crepes at the Carlyle Coffee Shop and Bakery. Photo submitted

The menu at the new location will be almost exactly the same as in Carlyle, so now the Estevan community will have immediate access to the freshly brewed specialty coffees, just-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns, wonderful cookies and muffins.

“We also bake bread every day. We do soup and sandwich from fresh homemade bread. We also make pizzas. We make smoothies. And now we also do crepes, sweet or savoury,” said Ellis. “That’s the kind of crepes that will make you look forward to the next time you come in to have another one.”

The full menu can be found on the business’ Facebook page. And as soon as the coffee shop opens, customers will have an option to order their delights off the same page as well. All baking will be done in the store.

The coffee shop will be located at No. 9461 King Street. Even though the place was previously used for Quiznos, Ellis said that there is a fair bit of work needed inside.

“It’s just an empty shell right now … There will be new flooring. We are going to have walls painted fresh and all of the equipment has to come in. There is a lot of work that has to be done over the next few weeks,” said Ellis. “But we feel like we are really up to the task.”

He noted that the washrooms will be in the same spot as in the previous restaurant, but otherwise it will be a brand new place. They plan on seating between 30 and 40 people. Ellis didn’t give out any more details about how the place will look like, preferring to keep it a surprise for the opening day.

“I’m excited for how it’s going to look like on the opening day and then really excited for what it’s going to mature into over the next 24 to 36 months. We keep adding things all the time, we never stop, we never stop changing, we never stop growing and considering what could be a great element for people to come and enjoy today at Michael’s coffee shop and bakery,” said Ellis.

But so far there are still a few weeks before the day. Contractors are currently working inside the building, and depending on how well things come together Elis has two dates in mind for the opening.

“I’m aiming at mid-April. And we are planning a grand opening celebration for May 1,” said Ellis, suggesting that people still keep eyes open for updates on social media for the opening date, as things sometimes may change along the way.

The Carlyle location has 15 employees including the owner. It’s not clear yet how many people will be needed to run the coffee shop and bakery in Estevan, but Ellis said that they already have a couple of key people in place including lead barista and lead baker.

“Those are the two most important people to me right now, and I’m just really proud to have them on staff already. And we are looking forward to meeting new people in the weeks to come who fill in the blanks.”

Ellis, who served as a pastor at Christian and Missionary Alliance Church for a few years after he moved to Arcola in 2003, opened Michael’s coffee shop and bakery on April 30, 2007. Many things have been changed throughout the past 13 years. The coffee shop was originally set up in Arcola, but several years later they relocated to Carlyle and never stopped improving.

“We’ve been through some different growth experiences, a lot of challenges and a lot of really great learning experiences that have taken place,” recalled Ellis. “We are really confident and excited for this opportunity to start the shop in Estevan.”

The business will head into their 14th year in the southeast on the day before they officially open their second location.