Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

New Grounds: Denim Coffee expands to Harrisburg shop, will open after months of delay

Denim Coffee Owner Matt Ramsay prepares a drink for a customer at their new shop in Harrisburg.

A midstate coffee shop is bringing a new blend to Harrisburg, with hopes to add to the city’s already thriving brew scene.

Denim Coffee Company, with locations in Carlisle and Chambersburg, plans to open on Monday in a freshly renovated shop on Walnut Street.

“We’ve been waiting for this for two years,” said owner Matt Ramsay. “We are so stoked to be opening.”

According to Ramsay, Denim staff took notice of the old storefront and its location a few years ago and decided to expand into the city. They signed the lease about 1½ years ago, but Ramsay said the pandemic continuously delayed their opening.

The cozy, but sleek, modern storefront sits just across the street from Strawberry Square on one side and the state Capitol complex on the other.

Inside, the shop is painted in shades of blue, in line with their brand. Ramsay coordinated in a navy suit jacket and blue jeans for a press event on Thursday. Along with barista Molly Martinez, he steamed, frothed and dripped hot drinks straight from high-tech appliances built into the clean white counter.

Denim offers their own roast, sourced from places like Honduras, Nicaragua and Ethiopia. Customers can order traditional coffee drinks—lattes, espressos, cold and drip brews—or opt for non-coffee items like tea, kombucha, smoothies and hot chocolate. To accompany their drinks, Denim sells baked goods, as well.

Although the shop will only provide takeout to start, due to the pandemic, they plan to eventually open up seating for customers at their long wooden bar counters with window views.

Ramsay is aware that he’s opening a coffee business in a city that’s already home to many local shops. However, his goal is not to take away from other businesses, but rather to add to the growing coffee scene in Harrisburg, he said. He already invited owners from local shops to visit the new space, he said.

“There’s some great coffee in Harrisburg already,” he said. “We just offer a slightly different roast style and flavor.”

As post-pandemic life continues to come into focus, Ramsay hopes Denim can be a place for people to gather, talk, enjoy community and a good cup of coffee.

“We want to be here for decades,” he said. “We believe in this spot.”

Denim Coffee Company is located at 401 Walnut St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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