It’s a little bit of a coffee shop and a little bit of a jazz club all rolled into one. When Dan Murray launched the I Love You Coffee Shop in 2019, he knew he wanted to inject some character into the local coffee scene. That’s not to say there’s not great coffee in Calgary — because Murray says there’s no shortage of that — but he wanted his cafe to stand out in terms of the atmosphere.
“I thought the cafe experience was a little homogenous,” says Murray. “I just wanted something a little bit different for the vibe, I think there was a lot of opportunity because nothing like this really existed here,” Murray says.
He teamed up with roaster Calgary Heritage Roasting Company, which also launched in 2019. “It’s a very accessible roast that they specialize in, and I find that most people — no matter what their coffee preferences are — like their beans, so it’s served me very well,” Murray says.
Tucked away in a Beltline basement, I Love You Coffee Shop can be easy to miss until you know it’s there.
As for the location being obscure, Murray says it’s a welcome bonus. “It’s a little hidden by design. I like people discovering it. I think a lot of people would argue it’s not the best business model,” Murray says, adding he had to work with the space he had. The location lends itself to a bit of mystery and intrigue. There’s a wine bar upstairs (Missy’s Wine Bar) and a bookstore down the street (Shelf Life Books).
“It’s a vibrant neighbourhood with lots of different people who live around here and I think it’s nice for them to have different options, not just chains.”
Despite being a windowless basement with no view, clever design, influenced by a Vancouver-based interior designer, makes the plant-filled space feel bright and welcoming. And judging by the Google reviews of past patrons, not having windows has not been a problem for the coffee shop. Many of the comments and reviews echo the surprise of discovering a coffee shop below the confines of a corner convenience store; others adore the cool jazz music vibe or the plants and the art. Some simply like the couch and the relaxed aesthetic.
“It’s an old school, service-first mentality, and not just, you know, get them out,” Murray says. “We like people to hang around and if they want to do work, they can do work. And if they want to chat, they can chat. And obviously, I think the music is a draw for a lot of people. They can experience something and hear stuff that they’re not going to hear in a lot of other places.” That’s all to say that Murray created a coffee shop that, as a former bartender, he wanted to hang out in.
“This is kind of the best of all worlds for me,” he adds. “I can listen to my record collection, and I can get to bed at a reasonable time. It’s just all the things that I enjoyed about the different things that I was doing all wrapped into one.”
An integral part of the city’s arts and music scene, I Love You Coffee Shop features Sled Island posters and art prominently on the walls. “It’s fun when we get to do a group show and a big party,” Murray says, adding the shop has become a community hub and one that he loves spending time in. “It was an excuse for me to be able to listen to my records all day and have some coffee.”
348B 14 Ave. S.W., iloveyoucoffeeshop.com
More Cafes with Great Ambiance
Congress Coffee aimed to capture the heart and soul of the ‘90s cafe scene with its vibe, and we say: mission accomplished. Alongside its dark, rich coffee, this Tuxedo coffee shop serves up a variety of events and community initiatives, from a monthly Saturday morning cereal and cartoons party to performance art nights, to community choir and all-ages drag shows. And with a cool vintage refrigerator and art on the walls, there’s so much to see when you visit this community hub. 1A, 215 36 Ave N.E., congresscoffeeyyc.com
Weeds Cafe is a great choice for those who want to enjoy a spacious and cozy atmosphere to read, get creative, or work. The ambiance also lends itself to those who want to catch up with friends or play games over coffee. The food is a great bonus! 1903 20 Ave N.W., weedscafe.ca
