The Molecule Effect Opening South Broadway Location With a Drive-Thru

"The Santa Fe situation was so heartbreaking. It wasn't just about closing a business; it was losing a community," says Megyn Rodgers, who owns the Molecule Effect, a coffee shop and wine bar, with her husband, Mark Landman.

They opened the original location of the business at 1201 Santa Fe Drive in 2014, adding a second outpost in Wash Park in 2020. Over the years, the Molecule Effect became a beloved gathering place in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe — but in 2021, Rodgers and Landman received a notice from their landlord that their lease would not be renewed.

The community rallied in response, and the landlord agreed to renew the lease on a short-term basis. The initial plan was to reopen the Molecule Effect on Santa Fe in a space just steps from its original home, but then Method Coffee Roasters moved into that space, and having two coffee shops so close together just didn't make a lot of sense for the business or the neighborhood. So after the original Molecule Effect closed last March, only the Wash Park cafe at 300 South Logan Street remained.

Now the Molecule Effect will have two locations once again. It's opening a small shop with a walk-up window and a drive-thru at 2215 South Broadway, in a building that most recently was home to Bambu but was a Dairy Queen for thirty years before that. "It would have been easy to just rent another spot, but we took the time to find the right space, and we're thrilled to death that we found this location," Rodgers says.

"We're super excited about being on South Broadway," Landman adds. "It's a major throughway, and there are so many eclectic little shops and stores on that strip."

They are hoping to debut the shop by mid-February. While the menu will be similar to its current offerings in Wash Park, the smaller footprint and different service model will be a change. "I'm excited about being able to challenge myself and the team to do something we've never done," Rodgers notes. "It's another branch to what the Molecule Effect is."
Because the space hasn't been vacant for long, "it's going to allow for a quick transition," Landman says. "We're making it our own — we painted the building and are doing some work inside."

"Once that paper comes off the windows and the lights go on, you're going to see the Molecule Effect. With the way we're curating it aesthetically, it's got the vibe," Rodgers adds.

Although the building itself is small, there is a patio with outdoor seating, as well as a large parking lot. "The spring and summer are going to be wonderful for people to walk on over," Landman says, adding that since the business has a liquor license, "we have every intention of doing wine and cocktails and our espresso martinis on the patio."

Other ideas for the outdoor space include hosting a summer market, movie nights and live music. Plus, "Megyn and I are both Dairy Queen fans," Landman says, "so we're trying to figure out how to pay homage" by partnering with a local ice cream maker for some kind of frozen treat.

When the Molecule Effect announced the new location on its Instagram page, "we immediately heard from our Santa Fe customers hoping we would come back to that neighborhood," Landman says. "And we do have every intention of doing that as soon as we can find a spot."

"It's so touching, all the different shout-outs about us coming back," Rodgers adds. "That's where we started — it's so important to come back. ... We're actively looking all the time, but it does have to be the right space."

In the meantime, Rodgers and Landman are excited to bring another community-focused gathering place to a new part of town. "Neighbors have come by, and they're very excited to have a local coffee shop to walk to," Rodgers says. "It feels amazing. I couldn't be more happy. I'm just so grateful."