Café Equinox propagates new year-round Liberty location; Nelson brothers taking perennial coffee concept evergreen

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

Cafe Equinox's coffee shop location within the Overland Park Family Tree Nursery; courtesy photo

Diners drink coffee from Cafe Equinox inside the Family Tree Nursery location in Overland Park; courtesy photo

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. 

[divide]

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.