21-04-2025
Red Beard Coffee Co. rolls out New York bagels, specialty coffee in Pueblo West
Highly regarded, locally roasted coffee and traditional New York bagels are helping the brand-new Red Beard Coffee Co. energize Pueblo West residents.
Located at 76 N. McCulloch Blvd., Suite 180, the coffee shop is filling a niche left behind by the closing of Mae's Cafe in the shopping center north of Walmart. Owners Miranda and Levi Kleeb have taken the location to the next level by adding a drive-through lane for customers on the go.
"We are super excited to be in this spot. It has been a great welcome by the community," Miranda Kleeb said.
Red Beard procures its specialty-rating coffee from a Westcliffe roaster, Peregrine Coffee Roasters.
"Peregrine is super cool and two guys run it. They actually started a little coffee shop in Nepal many years ago and they came to Colorado and opened a coffee shop in Westcliffe," Miranda Kleeb said.
Peregrine sources specialty-rated beans from Colombia, Nepal, Costa Rica, and Argentina, depending on the roast.
"Big box chains offer a medium-grade bean. Homebrew coffee, like Folgers or something like that, is a low grade. (Peregrine's) coffee is rated high, so they can call it a specialty coffee," she explained.
Red Beard offers a regular espresso called "Timberline" and a decaf, both of which hail from Costa Rica. The shop also sells four varieties of whole beans that customers can purchase and grind at home.
"We do love coffee and we have frequented a lot of places in the area. We just couldn't find something we absolutely could say we loved, so we decided we'd start a coffee shop and serve what we love," Miranda Kleeb said.
"Hopefully, other people will love it too. We believe you can taste a difference."
Red Beard serves hand-rolled, boiled and baked bagels which are overnighted from a bakery in New York.
"We are trying to keep them in stock, we keep running out and we feel terrible about it. There has been a tremendous response," Miranda Kleeb said.
The shop just opened April 7 and celebrated a grand opening April 12, so Miranda Kleeb said she is still learning the ropes of ordering.
"We would love to make them in-house, but we don't have the room to do that," she explained.
The coffee shop also offers fresh-baked pastries sourced from a Denver bakery. The pastries include loaf cakes, muffins, cheesecake, doughnuts and chocolate-mousse cake.
The staff are making breakfast sandwiches with the bagels, including one with bacon, egg, and cheese and another with sausage, egg, and cheese. For lunch, a month-long specialty bagel will be served, with this month's offering featuring tuna with cucumber, creamy honey ricotta, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
"My husband has a big red beard, so people call him Red Beard. Red Beard was a pirate so we kind of got that theme going on with our logo," Miranda Kleeb said with a laugh.
Levi Kleeb's full-time job is in law enforcement but the couple got their start as food purveyors running The Salty Cow food truck. The Salty Cow serves up barbecue and ice cream at summer events at places like Pikes Peak International Raceway and Fort Carson.
The couple has two children: a son, 19, who is in the U.S. Army and a daughter, Natalie, 15, who is "a great help at the coffee shop," her mom said.
The coffee shop employs seven workers and expects to hire a few more this summer.
Drive-through hours are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the dining area is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week. Find out more on the Red Beard Coffee Facebook page.
More food news: Which food truck is the best in Pueblo in 2025? Here's your chance to weigh in
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@ or via X at Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: New Pueblo West coffee shop rolls out bagels, specialty coffee
