From seed to cup to community.
We are the first women and immigrant-owned,
Guatemalan-inspired, bilingual café in Denver.
what we're about
In Guatemala, a convivio is a get together where we’re all welcome. We gather around crowded tables with our friends and neighbors to share, connect, and enjoy delicious culturally-rooted food and drink. At Convivio Café we want to celebrate the roots of our neighborhood—some deep and some newly planted—as they grow side by side. Some prefer americanos over atoles, or avocado toast over pan dulce. No matter your preference, you are invited to our convivio.
our values
We value COMMUNITY by being good neighbors. We believe in the power of shared places where we build culture together. We're active in our community and support others doing the same.
We value COLLABORATION by working with like-minded partners - farmers, chefs, artisans and community organizations - so we can create bigger and better for us all. We believe the greatest things happen when we do them together.
We value DIVERSITY by celebrating difference as resilience. We believe everyone brings something to the convivio, and bumping into people who celebrate differently than us makes us stronger.
We value LAND AND PEOPLE by making conscious decisions about who we source from, how we pay them, and how we respect the environment through our work. We believe in the beauty of honoring all the cultivation and craft needed to bring us the food and drink we love.
history
Kristin and Vivi met in 2015 at Re:Vision, a local non-profit in Southwest Denver. We instantly connected around our collective love for hospitality, culturally-rooted food and drink, community, and of course - Guatemala. We planned a few cooking classes and dinners where we invited the wide diversity of folks in our community and neighborhood to gather around crowded tables with traditional Central American recipes, shared stories, and lots of spanglish. We decided - we need a place like this in Denver!
Kristin brought her background in coffee retail and agricultural development work with farmers in Guatemala, and Vivi brought her skills as a self-taught chef and immigrant rights advocate, we mixed that in with our collective years in community and food justice work ... and ¡listo! Convivio Café started brewing.
In the middle of the 2020, we decided there's no better time to move forward with our dream and create space for more togetherness in our community. We started with building relationships with our farmers in Guatemala, selling farmer-roasted coffee at markets and pop-ups, and began to grow our brand.
On November 1st, 2022, after a long journey, we were able to open the doors to our first brick and mortar café in Northwest Denver! It could only happen with strong support from neighbors, friends and socios (community investors). And now, our dream of a welcoming, inclusive and Guatemalan-inspired café is a reality, and we love it every day. Come on over and share some cafecito with us!
the socias (owners)
Kristin Lacy
Co-Owner & Head of enjoying coffee aromas + early mornings
I started my first barista job at my hometown's only coffee shop and became fascinated by the power of cafés to make community connections flourish. Over the years, I've worked locally and abroad in community development including three years in Guatemalan where farmers' graciously let me sleep on their floor and learn to harvest corn with their kiddos. I also learned a lot about the limitations of the coffee supply chain and how little of the profits stayed with farmers. I fell in love with the warm and welcoming hospitality of Guatemala, being invited to so many convivios and early morning cafecitos with families that welcomed me with open arms as a gringa and always fed me til I was past full. After coming back to Denver, I've loved being a part of the incredible and diverse community in Southwest Denver whether through supporting Vietnamese business owners on Federal, building food access programs with Re:Vision Promotoras, and sharing garden goodies on my very Latinx block. I love gathering people who want to talk ideas for building a better world. At Convivio, I want to share my passion for the power of cafes to build community, and set tables where we all feel welcome.
Vivi Lemus
Co-Owner & Head of whipping up delicious treats with a smile
I was born in Guatemala, immersed in a culture that revolves around hospitality, café, and delicious food. I always loved to cook (and eat), with one of my earliest memories playing ‘restaurant’ with my twin sister in Guatemala - I made the food, the menus, set the table and served, while my sister was always the welcome guest. I am a self-taught cook, and since immigrating to Colorado I've aimed to recreate the same sense of a welcoming community around my own table, always finding any good excuse to cook, host, and feed people. I've been a cooking class instructor with Re:Vision, as well as with the kiddos at the Sun Valley Kitchen. I have always wanted to have a place where all can be welcome and to share that same spirit where I grew up, which so many other cultures also share. At Convivio, I want to share the recipes I was raised on and create the welcoming open space where guests can breathe and just be.