Feeling Groovy in Your Local Living Room
Building Friendships at Kaleidoscope Coffee…
Travel around the world and you will find something universal: The local coffee shop is the living room of any city. It is the heart of a community where stories are shared, friendships are forged and dreams are ignited.
In 2010, Dan Burton left the construction business and built Redding’s living room: Kaleidoscope Coffee. Born and raised in Redding, Dan wanted to create a “low-key family atmosphere with great coffee” for his hometown.
“We wanted the mountain chalet, Tibetan hut feel,” Dan says. “Our customers and crew really have become like an extended family. We have shared births, deaths, weddings, and everything in between. The customers come in and they become part of the Kaleidoscope tribe. What we want you to feel when you walk in is like you’re walking into a second home.”
After the recession, Dan was looking for something that would be sustainable even through hard times, and he decided on coffee. “I felt like coffee is a luxury that even in tough times people can still manage to afford to bring themselves a little joy,” he says.
His childhood inspired the name of his shop. “When I was a kid, my parents bought me a cardboard kaleidoscope. I used to lay in the grass in the backyard and look at the sky through it and always loved the colors and the shapes,” Dan says. “When I was looking for a name for the coffee shop, all of a sudden, Kaleidoscope just hit me and fit perfectly.”
Since family memories helped inspire his coffee shop dream, it is only fitting that it is a complete family business. “My wife, Mimi, and I, as well as our son Eddie, daughter Sam, and one of my best friends of 40 years, Al Mires, have all been a huge part of the evolution of Kaleidoscope,” Dan says. “Mimi and Eddie have been by my side since we opened in 2010, when Eddie was 14, and Sam started at the age of 12.”
Mires joined the business in 2013 when plans began to open the second location and has been an integral part of the operation ever since. “Even my mom – known by our employees as Grami – at 77 years – old occasionally comes in to visit and help out,” Dan says, “She has declined to learn how to work the espresso machines, but she insists on washing the dishes any time she’s in a shop.”
The Burtons consider their employees and customers as family, too. “We enjoy connecting with our staff and customers,” Mimi says. “They have made all of the long hours and effort worth it.
“Our employees – our ‘kids – are the best. They are hard-working, kind and creative. We love all of the creative ways they decorate each shop and always come up with fun things to do. They are very in tune with what the customers want, and the customers love them for it,” she added.
“There’s not enough room in your magazine for me to say everything I’d like to about our team,” Dan echoes. “We’ve had so many wonderful employees that have contributed to Kaleidoscope and brought so much joy to all of our lives.
Every single employee at one time or another has given us some small thing, a little gold nugget that has helped make Kaleidoscope what it is today.”
The customers notice the family-friendly energy, and according to Dan, that is what makes the business special. “We have some customers that have literally been with us for 14-plus years,” Dan says. “We see them almost every day, to the point that when they don’t show up, we get concerned that something’s wrong.”
Mimi grew up working in her father’s family restaurant and knew the joy and struggles of running a family-owned business. “Mimi’s experience gives all of us the reassurance to face the challenges of running a business together. She has been indispensable to our growth,” Dan says.
Kaleidoscope’s coffee offerings and comfy vibe are the main lure for customers, but the food has a huge following, as well. “All the credit on our culinary side goes to my friend Al Mires. Everything you eat at Kaleidoscope, he created,” Dan says. Al’s signature menu item at the Kaleidoscope location in Athens is Big Al’s Breakfast Griller with his secret raspberry chipotle jelly.
“Al is an artist in every sense of the word; he is an amazing chef and pound-for-pound the greatest guitar player I have ever seen in my life, and I have seen them all. These days he is that jazz guy around town, but don’t be fooled, at 62, he can still shred with the best of them.”
As Redding grows as a destination city for its outdoor lifestyle and inclusive vibe, Kaleidoscope continues to grow with it. The Burton family vibe is welcoming, as well. The company motto is “Life is Groovy.” And once you step into one of their four locations, you will see why. Groovy, indeed!
Kaleidoscope Coffee Company
www.kaleidoscopecoffeecompany.com
2258 North St., Anderson
6 am-6 pm Monday-Friday
7 am-6 pm Saturday; 7 am-5 pm Sunday
960 Lake Blvd., Redding
6 am-5 pm Monday-Friday
7 am-5 pm Saturday-Sunday
2380 Athens Ave., Redding, 96002
6:30 am-5 pm Monday-Friday
7 am-6 pm Saturday; 7 am-3 pm Sunday
Don and his little dog, Franny, were two of our favorite customers. They were always our first customers each day, stopping in for a cup of coffee and a dog treat on their morning walk. Don always greeted us with an amazing smile and Franny with a few barks until she got her treat.
Don battled cancer throughout our entire friendship, and we shared his good days and bad for years. Although Don never let the cancer break his spirit, one day he came to me and said he wasn’t sure if he was going to beat it, and that all he wanted to do was enjoy one last date with his beautiful wife, who he adored.
Because of COVID and Don’s weakened immune system, they were unable to go out in public for dinner, so we told him we would take care of them. The date was set for August 29, 2020. Mimi helped me clear out the shop for their date night after hours, and she did a wonderful job decorating the shop with flowers and twinkling lights.
We made arrangements to pick up their favorite meal from their favorite local restaurant and set a dozen roses at their table. Another one of our regulars, Ron Giesecke, an amazing local magician, put on a private magic show for them. Afterward, our own Al Mires played guitar for them while they ate and for about an hour afterward.
Don lost his battle with cancer shortly thereafter, but we will always be thankful we were able to give him and his wife one last date. We miss you, Don. And our dog treat bowl will forever have Franny’s name on it.
-The Barton Family
