Café Equinox propagates new year-round Liberty location; Nelson brothers taking perennial coffee concept evergreen
January 7, 2025 | Joyce Smith
Café Equinox initially was meant to operate its coffee shop concept only during the equinox, nestled inside Family Tree Nursery greenhouses, said Jonah Nelson.
Jesse and Jonah Nelson, Cafe Equinox and Family Tree Nursery; courtesy photo
“From September through March when people don’t have that warm outside space, they can come to the greenhouse,” said Nelson, who operates the family-owned garden centers with his brother, Jessie. “It is like being in the garden. It feeds part of our souls and has become a community space.”
But the Shawnee cafe, at 7036 Nieman Road, “exploded and developed into what it is today. Full-time,” he said of the popular Johns County location that debuted in 2019 — ultimately the first to shift operations to 12 months a year.
From the archives: Fresh coffee concept sprouts in the suburbs
Now the family plans to operate a Café Equinox trailer year-round inside the greenhouse of their Liberty store at 830 W. Liberty Drive. It is scheduled to open later this month or in early February.
The Overland Park cafe, in the greenhouse at 8424 Farley St., also will eventually expand to year-round.
Cafe Equinox’s new coffee trailer concept, slated for the Family Tree Nursery location in Liberty; photo by Joyce Smith
Jesse Nelson and Bo Nelson, Cafe Equinox
Bo Nelson, brother of Jonah and Jessie, is founder and owner of Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters, which plays a integral role within the Café Equinox brand.
In addition to coffee from Thou Mayest, Café Equinox’s menu includes teas and tea lattes. It also serves pastries from Heirloom Bakery & Hearth in East Brookside, as well as some from Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffee in Mission. On Saturdays, the cafes feature cinnamon rolls.
Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follow her on Blue Sky, here for X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
$500K Etsy grant expected to help AltCap offer microloans to artists, creative entrepreneurs
AltCap this week announced a new partnership with the global marketplace Etsy to provide microloans to artists and creative entrepreneurs in America’s Heartland. Etsy has awarded AltCap, an impact-focused small business lender, a $500,000 grant to provide $1,000 to $10,000 loans through the ARTcap Microloan Fund to artists and creative entrepreneurs in Kansas, Missouri and…
Blue Springs farm, retail space invites city diners to the orchard for ‘Alpaca Brunch’
Brunching with a multicolor trio of alpacas is just one of the experiential offerings coming to Colonial Gardens this spring and summer as the rural Blue Springs retail space leans into agritourism and hands-on education, said Grace Ames. Not only can community members buy plants, trees, and flowers for their yards at Colonial Gardens, the…
Equal Minded Cafe serves a wealth of wins as taste buds power Troost bistro’s word-of-mouth appeal
Dontavious Young will happily brew customers at Equal Minded Cafe a chai or latte, but his main goal is to blend ideas, not ingredients. “Our mission is to provide resources, opportunities, and connections to people from all districts of Kansas City,” said Young, the property owner, event coordinator, and cafe manager at Equal Minded Cafe.…
City leader: Newly OK’d limits on Airbnbs will help keep Kansas Citians from being priced out of homes by unchecked rentals
Voter approval of a pair of ballot measures that regulate and tax short-term rentals will boost the city budget and make neighborhoods more affordable as brands like Airbnb and Vrbo continue to operate in Kansas City, said Eric Bunch. “The successful ballot questions are really about making this city whole on our financial expectations and…