Page 3 of Theo of Golden

And so, while he wanted very much to study each of the ninety-two drawings closely and slowly, he decided to wait for a more opportune time, when the shop was less crowded.

For now, he drank his espresso in small, deliberate sips. To do otherwise, in his mind, would have been disrespectful, even irreverent, to the barista’s art. When he finished his drink, he took up his hat, sauntered out of the shop with glances to the left and right, and returned to the hotel.

Later that afternoon, following lunch and a nap, Theo walked to the river, strolled a section of paved pathway south to north, sat for a quarter hour with his face sunward, and then made his way back to the coffee shop. Aside from a few tables occupied by students, the place was empty.

There was no line at the counter when Theo stepped up to place his order.

“Welcome back,” the barista said. “Twice in one day.”

Theo was impressed that the man remembered him, especially given the number of customers who had been in the shop at rush hour earlier in the day.

“My dear fellow, you made a superb espresso this morning. Well done and thank you. Perfectly je ne sais quoi. I have returned for the encore.”

The younger man chuckled. He didn’t often hear French in the Chalice. “Well, thank you, sir. I will aim to make this one even better. If it’s not just right, please let me know. My name is Shep. And you are…?”

Shep reached a hand across the counter. The old man grasped it in both of his. “My friends call me Theo. It is very nice to meet you.”

Shep noted the precise enunciation and foreign accent in the old man’s speech.

“And you as well. What brings you to Golden?”

“I am here on business. But right now I’m very interested in the portraits.” Theo gestured toward the walls. “I noticed them this morning and am back to look at them more closely. Can you tell me about them?”

By then a group of four women had entered the shop and formed a line behind Theo.

“I’ll be glad to, Mr. Theo, soon as I get a break. But here’s something that will get you started. It might answer some of your questions. And I want you to tell me about you when we get a minute.”

Shep handed Theo a local magazine, The Gold Standard. On the cover was a picture of the coffee shop, taken at the entrance through a fisheye lens that caught all three walls — left, right, rear — and most of the portraits. In the center of the picture stood Shep and another lean, slightly gray-headed man, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a tweed jacket. The caption read, “The Art of the Chalice.”

Theo opened the magazine, turned to the article, and began reading.

It began as a lark. A “what if?”

A “would you?”

A “maybe.”

Coffee shop as art gallery.

But that is what the Chalice, one of the city’s most popular downtown businesses, has become in recent months. Located at the corner of Light Street and Broadway, the Chalice is owned and operated by Shep and Addie Carlile, both natives of Golden.

They bought the unoccupied three-story building during the early days of the downtown renaissance and, for almost a year, spent weekends and free time renovating the ground floor. When the building was finally completed, they left their bank jobs, apprenticed at an upscale coffee shop in Atlanta for two months to learn the art of coffee, and eventually opened their doors to strong sales and five-star reviews. The Chalice offers a limited premier assortment of drinks and light pastries.

Since the shop’s opening, a loyal clientele has led to a thriving business. Its location — within two blocks of performance venues, restaurants, retail businesses, the courthouse, and Golden University’s School of Art and Design — provides the Chalice with a steady stream of customers. Go any day at any hour, and you’ll see a variety of faces among the patrons.

Some of those faces never leave the room!

The Chalice is a few streets away from the home and studio of Asher Glissen, also a native of Golden and one of its most prominent artists. Over the course of his career, he has taught private lessons, served as curator of the Bredlow Center for the Arts, illustrated numerous ad pieces and periodicals, and become renowned as a master of portraiture.

When the coffee shop opened, Glissen was one of the first customers in line. He claims to have spent a sizable portion of his retirement savings on coffee within months of the shop’s opening.

A year ago, the Carliles invited Glissen to display some of his artwork in the shop. He took the idea and ran with it.

Shep Carlile explains, “Asher said he had something in mind but didn’t tell us what it was. About a month later, he showed up with half a dozen portraits of some of our regular customers. We were floored. It took off from there. People love it. Some folks come in just to look at the drawings. We’re really proud to have them here.”

There are presently 92 portraits on display. All are for sale. When one sells, another piece takes its place.

Glissen speaks of the coffee shop in glowing terms. “The Chalice has become an institution down here, a real melting pot. I’ve tried to capture that in the portraits. My mother, who was an artist, used to tell me that every face is a story. I think she was right. These drawings are a neighborhood in their own right. It’s been a labor of love to bring them together. I’m thankful that Addie and Shep have given them a home.”