See you all in the Spring of 2014!!

Cool Beans Menu

Here is an online copy of our menu. if you click the link below it will be a nice reading size and no squinting required. You can download the menu or print and share with all your hungry friends.

Cheers

Kevin

Cool Beans Menu

Even though we closed today because of the -38 wind chill! Yikes! but are very excited for the spring. This will be our very first summer in our new spot at 4740-50th St and its going to be great! We are very excited to have Peppermint Andy's parked beside us this year serving up the best gourmet ice cream around. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook

We are also excited to start our Food Truck Wednesdays. We will hopefully have several local unique food trucks parked on our lot every Wednesday from 11-2. In the last year or so with the food truck craze there are several that have popped up around Red Deer. 

     We expect to have Chester Chip's, who makes an amazing Poutine Dog! Also Model T Dogs and this amazing truck.....  The Stache.

The most awesome Pulled Pork Tacos Ever!!

                                                 

So we look forward to an exciting season and hope to see you on the patio!

If you are looking for more info on anything we offer, hours, or just anything in general, you can check our Facebook Page, our Tumblr Page (for cool fan photos) or follow us on Twitter

With Christmas and New Years behind us we  move into familiar territory. Last winter, being our first in a new small business, we were naive to the fact of life that and business slows down. It's winter, it's cold and it's just plain difficult to move around. that being said it can be a difficult financial time for any business, especially downtown as we are always trying to motivate people to shop local (and there are lots of local business's that are outside of downtown). I am just as guilty as the next guy (or girl) and spent my shopping life in the big box store and through my drive thru window. it's just easier, especially in the winter. But the common factor every time is quality and service. the 2 things that we want almost every time we go somewhere. Blah, Blah, Blah, we've heard it all before, so I'll just move on and give you a tiny list of small locally owned business's that would love some support, especially in January and February.

Keeping in mind that this list could be a mile long but i will keep it short so you get a sample of the enthusiastic owners who bring their passion and creativity, not to mention that most small business owners are crazy and live on the edge everyday!


Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut - At first glance you would think this is a chain store (it is not) because we all know Bernard, but just go in sometime and meet B.J. and you will never buy chocolate anywhere else again. Honestly I don't buy chocolate very often, much to my wife's disappointment, but I really wouldn't go anywhere else. B.J. , or Cocolady, as she's known, is crazy ambitious, super friendly and just plain good at what she does. never mind the hours she puts into her shop puts me to shame. Check her out at Cocolady.ca








Alberta Art and Drafting - I love going into this store because I'm kind of a Stationary/Art supplies addict, even though I can't draw to save my life. The quality of the products they have are awesome and who doesn't love to buy an awesome new pen or Journal. My son Jesse just bought an awesome journal!  Check them out at Albertaart.com









There are many coffee shops downtown including City Roast, Cafe Noir, Quenched just to name a few. The newest member downtown, besides us, is Dose Coffee and Love. Besides great coffee they have a really funky lunch menu and soon they will have their own storefront. I haven't been in yet but the pics on Facebook look great. Besides, who doesn't love a locally owned coffee shop?  Can you imagine that in your first year you move to a new location and renovate twice!?  You can imagine that Rolland and Alison are passionate about coffee and obviously a little crazy, like the rest of us :-)

 Check them out at www.facebook.com/DOSEcoffee





Everyday I meet a new small business owner and I am reassured that it can be done and be successful.
Now I just have to figure out a way to put a bus on every corner in town...... Nah!


Kevin

So for those of you who actually check my website ( and me not being one of them) I thought I'd better post an update.

We have finally settled into our new spot at 4740-50th Street right beside Gaetz United Church. This site is fantastic for us as it lowers our rent cost and allows us to be a little more ( and stay in business). We totally wanted to go for a Canmore/Banff appeal with the sidewalk menu and planters. We also plan on a big skating rink!

Our new hours are as follows:

Mon to Fri. 7-6
Sat 9-5
Sun 10-3

We will be open all winter just like every other normal coffeeshop ( although we are far from normal)

If you have any questions about hours, private parties, birthdays, wedding pictures or anything else please give us a call at 403-392-6076.

Thanks and we hope you enjoy
Kevin and Becky Traptow

Moving

So it's looks like we will be making a temporary move to the Collicutt Centre. About a month ago the Collicutt contacted us and asked if we would be willing to drive the bus up and park it for a 3 month period. The food provider in the rec centre is leaving and the new provider doesn't come in until July, so as of March 17th we will be slinging coffee at the Collicutt until mid June, just in time to be back downtown for the summer.



As exciting as this sounds, it is also a little overwhelming. We will be going from regular hours to overdrive and extra staff all in two weeks. Yikes! We are also planning a charity fun run called "Beat the Bus to the Collicutt" for the 16th. As many of you know the bus is quite slow and actually beating the bus to the Collicutt is a real possibility! If you are interested stop by the bus for details.

Its been a busy month but I thought I would take some time a give a little bit of a back story of this crazy bus. Back in 2008 after we had spent a year living in the Philippines we came home not knowing what to do with ourselves. We knew that we wanted to do something as a family, i.e. Family business but didn't know what. We had been living down in Oregon for a while and there was a coffee shop on every corner ( not like Tim's) but just a shack that served coffee and baking. They also had a double decker bus that we would go to every morning for coffee and thought it was such a great idea.
Fast forward a year later and the seed was planted. I started looking around for a bus and spent 6 months researching the idea, put together a business plan and then got funding. One day I happen to see this " running double decker" on Ebay and jumped at it. I won it in the last 10 seconds outbidding another guy from Florida. At this point it was no turning back and I had to make this thing work. My wife has thought and still thinks We are insane!! I spent about a year and a half slowly renovating and Voila! Cool Beans was born.
Here are some before and after pics















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Thanks to all those who have come out and supported us as a family, we are very grateful