Scene in SLC: Jeremiah Kephart
Jeremiah Kephart owns Coffee Connection, a cozy hangout that he opened
in Aug. 2007 at 1588 S. State Street across from Salt Lake Community
College.
Why did you decide to open a coffee shop? Coffee shops have
become part of the lives of college students, entrepreneurs, young
executives and similarly minded individuals who know that they do not
need to be strapped to the “lunchroom” or to their “offices.” I
identify closely with these individuals as I am both a fulltime art
student at U of U and an entrepreneur. Throughout a long history of
frequenting “coffee shops,” I have never been completely satisfied with
my experience, nor with the services that are rendered to our
demographic. Coffee Connection is here to correct that problem and
offer us the “whole picture.” In the past I have made a career of fine
art, design and environment modeling that has afforded me a unique and
very connected insight into what it is that we had all been missing in
such establishments.
What was your vision for the Coffee Connection? A coffee shop
where it is apparent that absolutely every thinkable aspect has been
accounted for, and nothing has been shortchanged or left out.
What challenges did you face as you were preparing to open for business?
The city continually represents the stance that it supports Salt Lake’s
“revitalization.” While it may be that they support this as
individuals, the truth is that as a body, they have placed battalions
of unnavigable regulations in our path. This being the case, I was not
able to make the storefront of Coffee Connection reflect “the store”
that you find inside. So the traffic that passes by SLCC’s South City
campus does not even know that we are right across the street from its
front doors.
How did you select the décor and the music? Creating the
environment was a painstaking process of micromanaged and
detail-oriented “artist’s love juice.” The downtempo music array is the
direct result of a decade and a half of music collecting across an
eclectic array of genres. Every band has something mellow and hot that
can get us through our long hours of homework, or help focus our acumen
in a business meeting.
What are some of the things that make Coffee Connection’s beverage and food selections unique?
Nothing sucks. Not kidding. That was the whole point of this place. I
would rather stab myself in the face than provide “average” services.
Coffee Connection features a rotating selection of art. Why is art
important to you, and how do you choose the artists you display?
That is a bigger question than it might seem offhand. To me, art is the
right hand of beauty herself. The artists here are selected because
they are bloody good at what they do. I am absolutely honored to have
such excellent talent hanging in Coffee Connection.
You’re also a DJ at Area 51; when can we hear you there, and what do you play?
I have had a residency many places in SLC. Area 51 has always been my
favorite because they don’t host any rigid musical “rules.” I am way
too ADD to handle one type of music hour after hour. I spin on the main
floor on Fridays (pop, techno, electro and alternative) and again on
Saturdays (alternative, new metal, epic tech and requests).
From DJing to running a coffee shop, you specialize in creating atmospheres. What makes a good atmosphere?
According to me, an atmosphere passes the test when you genuinely
forget that there is anywhere else that you could possibly be.
What do you think are some of the best ways to bring people together? Develop your knack for helping those around you heighten their ability to experience what is already there.
What do you hope for your future? That I may end as half the man my grandfather was.
Coffee Connection’s tea-colored faux -finished decor and coffee-colored
couches show off three distinct environments: a cafe, a lounge, and a
spacious study hall. A haven for laptop users, nearly every other seat
is next to an outlet… …Owner Jeremiah Kephart, a fine artist,
opened this place Aug. 4, 2007. “It’s become a place for creatives and
productives,” he says. “There was just so much planning put into this
to suit everyone’s needs.”
One of the details Kephart planned is the music. A DJ by night, the
trip hop inspired music mix he’s selected plays … …which could
partially explain why I always see at least one DJ there.
Scene in SLC: Jeremiah Kephart
by Kelly Ashkettle
kashkettle@inthisweek.com
Named “BEST STUDY SPOT” in the City Weekly
As a student himself, the owner of the Coffee Connection realized that
the kind of environment that fosters creativity has got to be special.
Whether it’s up-and-coming artists honing their skills or students
wracking their brains on a term paper, customers agree the soothing
earth-tone colored walls adorned with local art work make the Coffee
Connection feel more like an art gallery than a coffee shop. With more
than a dozen comfy booths with laptop plug-ins in the study lounge,
free Wi-Fi Internet and a full coffee bar (offering bubble tea),
cramming for a midterm exam is practically a treat.
1588 S. State, Salt Lake City, 801-467-4937
To all of the customers who voted for Coffee Connection:
Thanks for making us BEST OF UTAH!
1588 S. State, Salt Lake City, 801-467-4937
