Monarch Coffee Migrates Downtown, Opens Second Location

By Kevin Collison

Nothing like some good national buzz for a local coffee shop.

Monarch coffee has opened its second location on the first floor of an office tower at 2345 Grand after the building’s new owners read its rave review in Food & Wine Magazine that said it had the best coffee in Missouri.

“The new owners were building out that space and their intent was to make it into a tenant amenity,” said Monarch co-owner Jaime Rovenstine.

“They reached out to us after seeing the coverage about us in Food & Wine…We thought it was a great opportunity to expand our brand and bring it to a new customer base.”

Jaime and Tyler Rovenstine. (Photo by Jeff Leon Jones)

The new Monarch on Grand opened Thursday on the first floor near Pershing and Grand across from Crown Center. The space recently was remodeled by Helix Architecture + Design to be a tenant lounge for the building..

The new operation is a coffee bar, open to the public, that’s intended to be part of the lounge amenities.

“It will be a good place for people who co-work and do business meetings downtown,” Rovenstine said.

The new Monarch on Grand is located in a renovated lobby amenity space in the office tower. (Photo by Jaime Rovenstine)

She and her husband, Tyler, opened the original Monarch on the first level of the Ambassador apartment building at 3550 Broadway in July 2017. The recognition by Food & Wine also listed it as being among the best coffee shops in the country.

Monarch on Grand will serve drip coffee, espresso-based drinks, signature beverages and teas. It also will feature fresh locally-baked pastries.

Rovenstine said the new Monarch also has applied for a liquor license to allow it to have a happy hour menu this spring that will include wine, beer and cocktails.

Hours are Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

The new Monarch on Grand is located inside the 2345 Grand office tower near Crown Center and Washington Square Park.

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