How Seanna Forey Carrelo and Her Team Built Little Owl Coffee Into a Denver Essential

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TLDR

When Seanna Forey Carrêlo opened Little Owl Coffee in Denver’s LoDo in 2013, she wanted great coffee to be easy to find. At that time, specialty cafés were scattered, often far from the busy center of the city. Her vision was simple: create a welcoming spot where coffee lovers could walk in, feel at home, and enjoy something crafted with care. The name comes from her favorite twelve-seat whiskey bar in Tokyo called Owl Bar, which had a real owl perched behind the counter. Her first shop also seated twelve people, and the name felt right.

What began as one small café soon grew into three locations across Denver. Two early team members, Michael Sinon and Corey Wall, started behind the bar before joining as partners and helping grow the roasting program. Even with growth, Little Owl has held on to what makes it special, friendly baristas, relaxed energy, rotating coffees, and speakers often playing nostalgic 90s tracks.

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A Coffee Company Built on People, Relationships, and Shared Craft

Little Owl is guided by two things: passion for coffee and compassion for the people behind it. Seanna and her team care about where their beans come from and the families and producers who grow them. They work closely with small farms and importers, building relationships built on mutual respect. Their goal is to help customers feel connected to the origin of their cup.

Denver’s coffee scene has grown a lot in the past decade, and Little Owl has played a real part in that. The team describes the community as supportive, collaborative and full of old friends who help one another instead of competing. During difficult years, including the pandemic, that support carried many cafés through. Today that same spirit shows up in Little Owl’s seasonal drinks like the Yam Queen latte made with house-made canned yams and marshmallow crème, and in plans for future origin trips and new projects that reflect the team’s creativity and curiosity.

Final Thoughts

Ten years later, Little Owl Coffee continues to feel like a neighborhood shop. The team has expanded, roasting in-house and opening new locations, yet the experience remains relaxed and genuine. Grab a coffee on a slow morning or a quick cortado before work. The vibe stays the same, welcoming, warm, and rooted in connection.

Seanna, Michael, and Corey have built something that lasts because they care deeply about craft and community. Little Owl proves that good coffee paired with intention has staying power.

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