By Colleen Sparks, Managing Editor
A new coffee shop in Chandler is giving customers another spot to quickly catch a hot or cold specialty or traditional java, as well as a huge variety of other flavored, sweet, rich and bold beverages.
Ziggi’s Coffee owners Jeff and Rita Paxton opened their business at 2120 N. McQueen Road last month. The chain began in Longmont, Colorado, in 2004 and operates many locations in that state and one in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Chandler Ziggi’s sits on about 1,400 square feet with the building and patio. Customers can drive up or walk up to order drinks and food and seating is all outside.
The couple moved from Longmont to the Valley about nine years ago. Their daughter, Hannah Paxton, is the general manager at the Ziggi’s in Chandler.
“We have a friend in Colorado that bought three franchises,” Jeff said. “I like the energy. When we first contemplated this, we toured a number of their (Ziggi’s) locations, met some of their managers, met the founders and just really liked the energy and the positivity and support.”
Jeff and Rita have an extensive background in retail. He was a store manager at Target stores in three states and she is a manager at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse in Chandler. She also previously worked at Target.
Now Mesa residents, Jeff and Rita like Chandler and see the benefits of running a business there.
“The growth in the area has been phenomenal, the economics, especially as the upturn kind of came back,” Jeff said. “The cost of living is so affordable here. We love the weather. We’ve had so many neighbors just excited that we were there. The lot was empty for a long, long time.”
He said he believes Ziggi’s stands out from other similar businesses because of the quality of the coffee and huge variety of drinks.
Ziggi’s partners with Coda Coffee, a coffee roaster and supplier based out of Denver that also has a facility in Glendale.
“We have some outstanding roasted coffees,” Jeff said. “I love drinking coffee, but I don’t like real dark roasted coffees. Our dark roasted coffee is not as heavy as competitors. It’s flavorful.
“We have so many different blenders and smoothies, whipped coffee … a lot of different teas. In terms of milk choices, you get your basic soys, almonds, skim milk and whole milk.”
Ziggi’s offers coffee classics including lattes, Americanos, cappuccinos, mochas and caramel macchiatos.
The coffee shop also provides many different specialty coffees such as salted caramel, Colorado Coconut Mocha, turtle mocha and raspberry truffle.
People can try frozen blenders with or without coffee.
Thirsty customers who want a jolt of caffeine without drinking coffee can try the many Red Bull Infusions iced or blended in diverse flavors including island breeze, fruit punch and the lime and coconut.
Other coffee alternatives on the menu are iced, chai and hot teas, as well as hot chocolate and Italian soda. Ziggi’s gives customers a chance to indulge their cravings for fruity, cold treats with its smoothies in strawberry, mango, pina colada and other flavors.
To pair with their drinks, Ziggi’s offers cinnamon rolls, cookies and scones made at Rise Up Bakery in Gilbert.
Breakfast sandwiches sourced through a local distributor and breakfast burritos from Burrito Kitchens in Longmont are also on the menu at Ziggi’s.
“You cut it (burrito) open and it’s got big chunks of egg, cheese and potato,” Jeff said. “They have been a huge hit. It’s easy to eat in the car. The chocolate chip cookies have been a huge hit; the flavor is terrific.”
Most of the baristas are teenagers, and many students from Mesquite High School in Gilbert are frequent customers at Ziggi’s in Chandler.
Customers can get a loyalty card and after every 10 drinks they get a free one, based on what drinks they have ordered.
Guests can hang out on the patio and play cornhole, Jenga and Yahtzee games at Ziggi’s in Chandler.
“Every day from the day we opened got a little busier than the day before,” Jeff said. “The grand opening day was crazy busy. I’ve been very, very happy with what we’ve done so far.”
Ziggi’s in Chandler is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.
Information: ziggiscoffee.com
