Cristian Salas describes his father to be a bit of a coffee fanatic. It’s something he says is baked into his Mexican roots and most of his family members are this way. 

His business and life partner Anna Hernandez said it’s tough to spend a morning anywhere in Mexico and find someone not drinking coffee. She said it plays such a significant role in the culture that even kids begin drinking it earlier than kids in other cultures would. 

It was Salas’ father and his love for coffee which led these two second-generation immigrants to their newest business venture.

Salas said his and Hernandez’s family had invested in a handful of businesses in the High Country and the two of them were in search of one of their own, and had tunnel vision for it to be a coffee establishment. 

His dad, who he said has probably been to every Summit County coffee shop, decided to try Silverthorne’s House of Vibes Coffee and Curio a few months back and learned the spot was for sale during his visit. He loved it and passed the message of its availability along to his son.

Salas said he knew he wanted to purchase House of Vibes after just one visit. 

“We had a coffee from here and it was amazing, the vibes were really cool and we saw all these people were coming in and loving it,” he said. “So we thought, why not?”

House of Vibes officially became Salas and Hernandez’s on Dec. 17.

The shop’s prior owner Zack Turner said he knew the couple were the perfect fit based off of their go-getter energy and the unique ideas they were looking to bring to the table.

The pair said they plan to keep things mostly the same, but will introduce more Mexican-inspired offerings.

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Hernandez said people can expect cafe de olla, a Mexican classic, to be added to the menu. Cafe de olla is a ground coffee beverage enhanced with spices like cinnamon and is often served with orange peel. 

Salas said what elevates cafe de olla above other types of coffee is piloncillo, which is an unrefined cane sugar that has a rich, caramel-like flavor. Mexican hot chocolate, which is similarly brought to life through spices, will also make its way onto the menu. 

The pair hope to add mimosas and a few different varieties of carajillo, a Spanish-style alcoholic coffee beverage, to the spot’s offerings as well. 

“I am very excited to have Mexican culture in there and watch them be able to expand the menu in that way as well,” Turner said. 

He said he didn’t anticipate the community House of Vibes helped bring him and he was thrilled to pass his “weird little coffee shop in the mountains” into new hands. For Turner, his next chapter includes more time with his family back east, which was a driving force behind his decision to sell. He said people might also find him silversmithing and woodworking.

House of Vibes will remain at its home at 191 Blue River Parkway in Silverthorne. It will have a grand opening hosted by its new owners Jan. 18.

Salas said they plan to expand the business’s hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the near future. 

Build-your-own breakfast sandwiches start at $8. Espresso offerings range from $2.25 to $6.25. Specialty drinks including match and hot chocolate range from $4 to $6.25. Tea options, including chai lattes, range from $4 to $4.75 and coffee offerings range from $2.50 to $6.50.