Common Grounds Highlands
This Common Grounds location in Highlands (see downtown location) is truly a neighborhood hotspot. From the crying baby in the stroller to the students studying intently (or at least pretending to) on the free WiFi, the atmosphere here is comfortable and truly local.
Westword called it "the quintessential neighborhood coffee nest"
Here's what Yahoo Travel had to say: "Sporting an assortment of bagels, pastries, deli style sandwiches espressos, lattes and the like, this little neighborhood coffeehouse is an integral part of a thriving area. It is one of the few places that manages to feel hip without consciously trying. Come to chat, relax with the morning paper, view artwork, sip java, and listen to musicians. Whatever your interests, this place will occupy all of your senses. Hillary Clinton thought this a worthy place to visit in 1996."
This place is a central fixture in the thriving Highlands neighborhood. There is plenty of seating, a great selection of books on the shelf lined walls, and a very comfortable feel overall.
Perks: Neighborhood/local feel, lots of seating, free WiFi, excellent coffee, great people-watching.
Location: 3484 W. 32nd Avenue Denver, CO map
Website: ??
46 comments:
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There can't be but a few places like this on the planet. Set down, coffee, paper, people, nobody rushing over other people to get rich. It really doesn't get any better.
I hadn't been there for over a year. It was still there. It waited. Like going home.
It is a great place for community and music, but they haven't upgraded the place in years -- hopefully they'll replace (or remove) the carpet one day, and put in nicer lighting.
May 18, 2006 - $2.43 for a 12oz glass of milk in a paper cup, $4.06 for a slice of Sam's Club cake, $4.06 for a Naked juice.
Yow.
Don't sip the espresso...
Thanks for the post. They really owe you. I would not have found Common Grounds without your blog. Great place. Good coffee. Good music. Much enjoyed :)
Echoing a former comment, they really need to replace the awful fluorescent lighting in here. Definitely NOT inviting.
It was my favourite place to be while I lived in Denver. Me and Dave had lovely moment chatting, studying (Japanese and English) or just sitting..... I have never ever been able to find such place here in Japan. I miss Denver so much!!
I grew up with this coffee shop. I remember begging my father for two dollars so that I could get a Pooh's Delight. In an everchanging neighborhood where few stores hang around for more than a few years Common grounds has remained constant. Maybe that's why, over the past few years it has gotten so pretentious. The owners are rude, the coffee is horrendously overpriced and the customers have gotten obnoxious. It pains me to admitt it but this wonderful neighborhood haven has finally lost it's neighborhood feel. Try peaberry's across the street. Cheaper and at least they don't pretend to be something they're not.
a new place is opening up at 32nd & meade called "Cafe Caliente." Common Grounds can either start cleaning up their store and paying their staff more than minimum wage, or get pushed out of the 'hood.
when will this cafe caliente arrive?
Hi, my name is Ed, I am one of the owners of Common Grounds. North Denver native(I went to Edison elementary school for preschool over 30 years ago!) I really appreciate the blog. I like to visit all of the other shops as well to see if they get the same treatment. And I'm happy to say that We aren't the only ones that can't make everybody happy!! But it is important to see what the bloggers are looking for at their favorite haunts.
We've been around for a long time(enjoying our 15th anniversary in January). And we're looking forward to our next 15. We try our best to provide the highest quality product and a clean/safe environment for our customers, and employees.
As far as the lighting, we still haven't found any ideas that provide adequate lighting for both day and night. But we're still looking.
As far as the carpet... We're on our third and getting ready for the fourth. Coffeehouse clientele is really rough on these. 500 to 1500 people a day trudge through there!
As far as paying minimum wage. We never, I repeat NEVER have! That really isn't an accusation that we deserve.
Ed...I am a manufacturer's rep for a high end commercial carpet manufacturer. I have a carpet that I think would be perfect for your place and will last a hell of a lot longer than what you have down. I'd love to help out as Common Grounds is my favorite place to sit, write, and drink coffee. Our website is www.constantine-carpet.com and the product I'm thinking of for you is called Strata. Very durable and natural looking. I will contact you at CG.
used to go there all the time but got tired of feeling i need to take a bath after leaving. dirty, horrendous carpeting, most uncomfortable and uninviting chairs on the planet. overpriced, weak coffee. starbux doesn't have the neighborhood feel, but at least they respect their clientele enough to keep things clean and updated.
I am good friends with a barista that worked had worked there within the past few years and I think it's insane that the owner or that Ed guy claims they NEVER paid minimum wage.
I know for a FACT my friend started at $5.50 an hour and had to fight for a raise to make over $6.00.
This was in the past three years, so you know it was not the mimimum wage that dictated that wage.
Imagine trying to live off that? I know illegal immigrants that make more.
They showed my friend no respect for anything good they ever did. Thankyou's were rare and they constantly told their workers how they were easily replaceable".
That I disagree with, it's hard to find the right type of Cafe worker with a great personality who gets along with almost anyone and can put up with bitchy yuppy customers. While still making great espresso drinks and creating an atmosphere you want to be around.
Good luck with that place, after my friend quit I stopped going completely.
I lived in West Highlands 10 yrs ago and I still like the neighborhood the CG is in. I always buy a Daniel Luna artwork or two around Christmas every year. Except CG for what it is. Laidback and try to speak to others and maybe make a friend!
This place is nearly always so packed I can't find a place to sit. It strikes me as a place to "see and be seen" and honestly, who cares about that. The coffee is just okay. I like the atmosphere sometimes, but I also like to be able to sit at my own table on occasion & do some writing. The servers are not very friendly. There are plenty of other good coffeehouses in the Highlands/West Highlands area. Why not support some of them for a change, yuppie kids? spread the wealth.
I have to say that I have enjoyed Common Grounds many a morning. I try to support independent business as much as possible, however, I no longer visit Common Grounds in Highlands...as it is "Dirty & Dingy". A small investment in wood/decorative concrete floors...fun, comfortable furniture and decent "modern" lighting would do wonders! Additionally, supporting local roasters such as Novo wouldn't be a bad idea either...Unfortunately, this place is swirling down the drain instead of thriving in this great neighborhood.
This place needed a serious remodel about two years ago. Now it is seriously hurting. They go with roaster Conscious Coffee, which I have always found to be sub-par. Great location, great vibe -- but the owners need to make a real investment before things get worse.
The enduring rivalry for worst Denver coffee joint has been resolved- Monkey Bean went out of business. Congratulations Common Grounds, you won! There are plenty of things I would rather do than drink coffee here, and one of them is perform a public vivisection on myself.
The helm is manned by children (which is fitting, since the space is better suited to a preschool), the roaster is an inattentive buffoon, and the espresso is noxious. CALL THE FDA, it’s poison! Do yourself a favor, choose ritual suicide.
Annoyed - I'm on the steering committee for a local faculty organization, and we were looking for an off-campus venue for our meetings. Common Grounds has a semi-enclosed conference room, so I thought "Sweet!" I asked the gal at the counter if the conference room could be reserved - she asked someone else (who I *thought* was a manager) and said that they would reserve it for a big enough party. I told her I'm talking 10-15 people, she said that's more than enough. A week later I call to reserve the room. The guy on the phone starts to take down all the info. He gets INTERRUPTED by a manager who tells him they DON'T reserve the room. I explain that I was told they do - this manager is fairly rude and matter-of-factly tells me I'm incorrect. "The owner reserves it once a month, but other than that it's first come first serve." I explain that we are a legit organization and would need to reserve it to have the meeting there - nope, no impact whatsoever. No explanation is given for not allowing the room to be reserved, btw.
I won't be going to Common Grounds again. I can't stand places that think their doing me a favor by allowing me in their door. Seems to me having 10-15 customers on a weekday afternoon would be worth sticking a note on a door, but what do I know about business. Absurd!!
I have been going to this spot for years. Hell, it was my living room for a year while my house was under construction and I was in grad school. I don't know that I can blame the place for its gradual decline, but I sure wish they would put a tip line on the credit card receipts so I at least didn't have to find myself faced with such disillusioned youth every time I handed them my credit card. I know it can be a lot of pressure for a person who doesn't want to tip to be faced with a tip line. But I sure would love to tip those guys without having to make a trip to the ATM every time.
And yes, please replace that carpet soon!!!
I have been going to this spot for years. Hell, it was my living room for a year while my house was under construction and I was in grad school. I don't know that I can blame the place for its gradual decline, but I sure wish they would put a tip line on the credit card receipts so I at least didn't have to find myself faced with such disillusioned youth every time I handed them my credit card. I know it can be a lot of pressure for a person who doesn't want to tip to be faced with a tip line. But I sure would love to tip those guys without having to make a trip to the ATM every time.
And yes, please replace that carpet soon!!!
they finally replaced the scary carpet with nice hardwood floors. it still has a laidback neighborhood feel, which i love, but overall i think it's a sad waste of an excellent location and huge space. the counter people are always rude/spacy/unsmiling, which is no surprise considering how unfriendly and angry the managers always seem. is it really necessary to huff and sigh and slam chairs around while not smiling at a single one of the customers who patronize your business? the decor is still shabby and uncomfortable, and the free wifi doesn't really compensate for that anymore since it's now offered everywhere. i will continue to stop in a couple times a year hoping for a better experience. . .
I used to love Common Grounds -- even moved to the neighborhood in part because of Common Grounds. But I agree that it has mysteriously gone downhill, lost its community feel and friendliness. I like to go to coffeehouses to read, and the lighting in Common Grounds is either too flourescent or too dim.
I ran into someone at Cafe Caliente who had been kicked out of Common Grounds because he had spent too much time there. Who knows the circumstances, but it sounded like the situation was handled poorly, with no warning.
With Cafe Caliente expanding its hours to 9pm starting next week, I think they will be getting more business (wish the place was large enough to really give CG a run for the money)
AMEN! I thought I was the only person who detested this place. I live about 20 blocks away and have given Common Grounds a try at least twice. I will NEVER go back. On one visit the barista was having a detailed conversation on the merits of various beans with the customer in front of me. While I appreciate his efforts to educate and enlighten, perhaps that moment was not the best for such an attempt. You see, the line was growing at an exponential rate behind me. It is, after all, a coffee shop and it takes a brave or stupid man to stand between a crowd of caffeine addicts and their fix. After 10 minutes and no progress I put some cash on the counter, walked around the customer and retrieved my own cup of coffee, which was over-roasted and bitter.
My advice to Common Grounds, while consistent with the relaxed, "hippie" feel of the cafe you might want to hire staff who do not act like they have been up all night smoking a bag of weed. Take some lessons from your downtown store! THEY, at least, have their act together.
Common Grounds has gone way downhill this year.
And now they are getting a liquor license.
I expect they won't last long after that as there are plenty exceptional bars in the area already.
Hey Ed! Do you know a woman by the name of Rose? If she is involved, the Common Grounds just got a "AAA" rating! As for the rest of these whiners, they don't have a clue. If they don't like the coffe, the carpet, or the lighting why do they even bother go there or post on the blog? WTF?! Like "The guy from Boston" says, " You were thinking it. I had the balls to say it! Hey "Candy Ass"! This ain't your living room! Get a real "F-ing" job and get your ass out on the street! What the hell are you doing in a coffe shop at 2 PM anyway? Looking at the help wanted section? You don't like it here; take it to go & get the "F" out! Oh, and for the Mensa member talking about minimum wage; you've obviously never ran a business, you have obviously have never been responsible for making sure a business lives or dies, or bared the brunt and hurt of having to let a valued employee go. Go back to your spleef & shrooms and keep your opinions to yourself. You are truly clueless.
PS. Sox 2, Rocks nuttin! Get your hand out of your pants and pull your balls from the humidor. See ya at the ball park!
Sorry, I forgot. To the moron that likes to "write". If the shop is so busy that you can't concentrate while you are jotting down "Dear Diary" this place is obviously doing something right because the joint is packed. If you don't like it, get a cup to go and hang out with "Mommy" because you obviously still live at home. Or may be like the rest of your intelectual types, go to the library and check out the kiddy porn there. Again, get your hand out of your pants! Jerk off!
Common Grounds coffee is never warm. It is usually luke warm, but I have had cups that were cool,to put it best. The coffee is bad, they should get a new roaster. The wait staff is surly and unfriendly, unless you are their close friends. The Manager, Lisa, the owners daughter will eject you for any reason she wants. I watched her eject one of her own ex employees. The employee ordered a drink, and it was made incorrectly. When Amanda complained, she was 86'ed. She isn't the first, and she isn't going to be the last. The manger Lisa, never smiles, and spies on the customers. She has in the past ejected several people, but refuses to eject a friend of hers who hits on young ladies. Go Figure.
I used to frequent this place until I became bored to death. Common Grounds has been cleaned up nicely but it's overpriced and they need a better breakfast menu.
In addition, it's tacky to charge customers extra for cream cheese with a bagel. If you want a plate with your bagel, you have to ask for it and then they give you a saucer (not a plate). Common Grounds in Highlands is not popular, they are short staffed, so there is often a long line which makes it seem popular. The same people go there all the time and they are the neighborhood losers who have nothing better to do but gossip about other people or bury themselves in the bad news of the world.
Commpon Grounds has ngone downhill for some time now, and today it really showed. Bad coffee that wasn't hot, a cooky that cost twice as much as the same cooky does at Tattered cover's coffee place. Same brand, same cooky, double the cost. And di I mention the manger who stands there and glares an anyone who she doens't feels worthy of her shop. I said hello, and she sniffed and turned away. The wait staff only works hard when the manager is watching, if they aren't at the counter check out back to see if they are smoking a cig. Or something else. Truly, this place needs a new owner.
I've Never been to Common Grounds/Highlands but I assure you that I will because of the Negative Comments. I can't believe these people that are so envious of free enterprise; obviously very Into THEMSELVES. Don't be so puckered and GET ON WITH YOUR LIVES!
heck, onward, go ahead and go,if you don't want to take the word of people who go there. No envy for "free enterprise" when they are rated by others to provide an inferior product. They have, for quite some time, provided a bad product. That, coupled with lack of appreciation for their customers, will long term result in lessened business for them. They treat their employees poorly. Recently they lost one of their employees, he quit. He was accused of lying about his pregnant wife, who was ordered on bedrest. He needed to leave shifts early, and was accused of lying about even having a wife. He brought his (pregnant) wife in, and quit. Don't believe me? Go ask an employee of CG, just don't do it while Lisa is working, you'll get the poor employee in trouble. CG has for years treated employees poorly, preferring to lose employees and retrain newbies rather than pay more for experience. Really, having an employee that people like to chat with isn't a bad thing. Firing employees for being friends with customers IS a bad thing. The new liqour license they have will only lead to even more downfall for their business. So, good luck, Lisa
I just had a large Chai from CG Highlands, and it's the best in this area. None of that ready mix crap the other places push. I also used to buy pounds of their espresso blend before my ex took the Krups. The service was friendly and the quality of my drink was excellent. I used to live in the Sloan Lake area and West Highlands was my feeding grounds. I've never been to the downtown location.
I just left Common Grounds earlier. I tried them after having left them a year ago for poor service and bad coffee. Sadly to say, they haven't changed their spots. Service is still slow and not very attentive to my wishes, and the coffee wasn't very hot, and had a funny flavor. The owner's son used to roast his own, and from the taste, he still does. They should just buckle down and get their beans from one of the reputable supply houses, and start holding some coffee classes for their employees. It would surely help them out.
I went to common grounds yesterday and put a tip on my credit card receipt. Apparently it wasn't enough because I caught the girl adding an extra 50 cents to it. Not a big deal in the money sense but not an honest thing to do. If things get slow at the counter an idea to sell more coffee would be to have the baristas approach people at their tables to see if they would like something else. I wanted something else but was very caught up in my conversation that I didn't want to get up. The right approach could work. It never hurts to ask. The store could make more money and the baristas can get more tips.
This problem of padding your card bill happens alot here. Watch your bill, and reconcile the bill with your statements to ne sure it doesn't happen here.
I just left Common Grounds, and had to go over to another coffee shop in the area. The barista was too busy tallking to her friend to fill my order. 5 minutes waiting for her to finish her conversation and come to help me. After 5 minutes, I left. If they're going to do this, they should at least move the clock from the wall behind the register so you don't know how much time you've spent waiting.
Padding the bill happens a lot there???? We only got a credit card tip line 2 months ago and I have yet to here of any complications, except for one time when a co-worker accidently typed it into the computer wrong and immediatly notified the customer. So many of these negative comments are BS. I wonder who you all are because all day I experinece customers who are friendly and pleased with their coffee and service. So much so, that we get plenty of tips and have no need to steal your money.
I'd also like to comment on the guy who said it's tacky to charge extra for cream cheese with your bagel...you are an idiot. Tell me a place where you can go where a bagel with cream cheese cost the same as a bagel with nothing. And a saucer is a plate, dumb ass. Are you seriously that stuck up that you can't eat a bagel on a plate with a small indentation in it? Seriously.
I have made a few stops by for working on homework. The baristas have always been more than nice, but the female manager is a #$%@! and a half. I received a phone call, and stepped out of the main room and into the room with the restroom entrances to avoid rudeness. She was back there unpacking boxes; to avoid speaking in front of her, I made my way towards the backdoor where she rudely announced it was for staff only.
While I understand having entrances and exits designated for shipping or other business tasks, mark such exits. Glaring customers down and denouncing them for using a backdoor doesn't bring in additional business...
to the poster from 2/23, an obvious employee. i've been a customer of your establishment for years. And as long as I've had a credit card, you've had tip lines. And as the last person to comment stated, the manager is such a rude and unpleasant perosn, I'm not at all surprrised that you aven't had a complaint. I have had to deal with Lisa more than once, And she is so unpleasant that I will not deal with her again. And I'll tell you that I'm not the only pwerson to feel this way. Stop eating lemons, and become a more pleasant person. Or get Ed back as manager. At least he was a pleasant person to talk to.
Common grounds has 86'ed yet another regular. Rick, the cook at 8 rivers in the neighborhood got the axe because he was given a free drink by an employee. That's right, they didn't do anything to the employee, but they 86'ed the customer for accepting a free drink. This makes 6 customers who have been 86'ed in the last 6 months. At this rate, there won't be any customers left pretty soon. But Lisa the manager/owner feels like this is the way to address problems. Too bad for the customers.
God, I can't believe this place is a money making business. The coffee is awful, it wasn't even warm. And when I asked the girl behind the counter if they were going to make some fresh and hot, she told me that it was fresh. Bad coffee, bad service, bad attitude. Glad this isn't my neighborhood coffee shop!!
Seems that Common Grounds sucks because it can. It occupies the perfect location - we probably all want to experience walking to a great neighborhood coffee shop in that old town block. Seems they don't have to be motivated to provide good service / product / aesthetic because there's enough business already because of the spot.
The food sucks at Casa Bonita and they've been in business for 30+ years aye.
Interesting comment about 86-ing customers for getting free drinks. Are they customers if they aren't paying? And also, how does this hurt your business? They will actually improve their business by keeping the costs down. And actually let the employees wait on people who are willing to pay for their services. I do agree that the problem should be dealt with by getting rid of the employees who are doing this. Which shouldn't be a problem -according to the other posts saying how horrible they are to their employees. Maybe they aren't that hard on their employees?
I've been going there for years, moved into the neighborhood about 8 years ago. Spend my 2 dollars there regularly. And that place changes like the clock: staff, management, decor, etc...
I was actually there at a table when the old employee Amanda was 86ed. Lisa wasn't there. A manager came from the back when she arrived and told Amanda that she wasn't welcome anymore because she never paid and her old co-workers wouldn't charge her. He said that she had to leave. He then turned to the employee and told him that he actually kicked out the wrong person, and that the employee was the person at fault.
I'm writing this because today, when I went in. I found out that the very same employee was let go for giving things away. Too bad, I liked him! Funny guy.
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