Sitting in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins, The Neighbor strives for neighborly hospitality, allowing each customer to find diverse, welcoming experiences in an elevated, versatile space.

Replacing the volunteer-run Everyday Joe’s Coffee House, The Neighbor came from a place of wanting to keep this beloved spot in the community while also developing a space that brings something unique and timeless to Fort Collins.

Several members of The Neighbor team had a close connection with the coffee house, which fueled the desire to help build a third space in town. They had their official grand opening Nov. 15, 2024 and have since become a prominent space for local residents.

“I think the seed of (The Neighbor) was the time spent here when it was Everyday Joe’s. It began with our time traveling, going to other cities and other places that had spaces that looked and felt a certain way and then wanting to bring that back to Old Town.”-Connor Garland, The Neighbor co-owner

Connor Garland was the director of Everyday Joe’s for six years and initially volunteered at the coffee house when he was a student at Colorado State University. When Timberline Church decided not to utilize the space anymore, Garland saw an opportunity to maintain and elevate the shop. He is now one of the owners alongside Alexandra Ruiz and Samuel Hummel.

“I think the seed of (The Neighbor) was the time spent here when it was Everyday Joe’s,” Garland said. “It began with our time traveling, going to other cities and other places that had spaces that looked and felt a certain way and then wanting to bring that back to Old Town.”

Alexandra Ruiz is Garland’s wife and partner and has a larger background in the wedding industry, which holds a significant presence in the space as well. She found that at the core of The Neighbor, hospitality is truly present.

Walking into the shop, customers are greeted by soft lights and a warm ambiance. From weddings and baby showers to memorials and music shows, the team has worked toward maintaining The Neighbor’s community charm through the space’s interior and utilization.

“I think what we’re trying to be is not everything to you, but something to everyone you know,” Ruiz said. “We can celebrate, and we can also mourn; we can party really hard, and we can also know when to sit down and listen to people.”

Garland is grateful to have a team that continually aims to provide excellent services, sharing a variety of products with their neighbors, including baked goods from Little Bird Bakeshop. The community’s support both financially and internally came strongly, showcasing how much of a neighborhood they had with them.

“(We took on) any little project that we could do ourselves that would help us save some money but also involve our neighborhood and friends,” Garland said. “The build wouldn’t have gone as quickly without help from a lot of people.”

Inspired by the design of Union Station, Ruiz wished to transform a more industrial building, adding diverse textures, furniture and unique materials to develop it.

“We wanted something that was timeless, elevated, but still really cozy and welcoming,” Ruiz said. “We wanted to brighten the space, especially when we painted it white.”

Christian Sanders is one of Garland’s friends and works as a bartender at The Neighbor. As he became more passionate about mixology, Sanders found interest in being more involved with the shop’s bar and has made fond memories upon joining the team. Being able to add more alcoholic drink options to the menu and sharing them with the Fort Collins community has been special to him.

“Everyone can feel welcome here, and to be able to host the things that people are passionate about is really reassuring to that core vision — I feel fortunate and blessed to get to do that,” Sanders said. “It’s always been about the human connection between people behind the bar and people ordering there, ensuring that we can provide joy and happiness.”

Garland said he hopes they will continue to organically grow and deliver customers genuine excellence at The Neighbor. Sanders is optimistic for what the future holds, and he hopes to continue to foster an atmosphere of welcoming hospitality, embracing all of those who come in.

“I think welcoming another set of people that find their passions is a really huge deal to me,” Sanders said. “To be able to share that with people who walk through the door has been something that keeps me here and keeps me going day to day.”

Reach Sananda Chandy at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.