A year after the closure of popular coffeehouse and roastery Quarrelsome Coffee, Shortwave Coffee has opened in Quarrelsome’s previous space in the Central West End, located at 33 N. Sarah St. Their soft opening began on Saturday, Feb. 14, making the new location a little over a month old.
Founded in 2014 in Columbia, Missouri, Shortwave now also has locations in Tampa, Florida, and, most recently, St. Louis. On its website, the family-run craft coffee shop prides itself on its in-house creations and fostering community connections.
Ana Manzano, general manager at Shortwave’s St. Louis location, was a barista at the company’s location in Columbia, Missouri since 2020 before moving to St. Louis to assume her position at the new location.
“Shortwave Coffee comes from shortwave radio, so it’s about communicating with people all across the world, connecting with people that you wouldn’t otherwise connect with through coffee and through the experience,” Manzano said.
Now, the Shortwave team is focused on connecting with the local community through their in-house roasting and coffee craft. Manzano said the decision to expand Shortwave to the Central West End was motivated by the great space and neighbors in the community.
“Our slogan is ‘receive and transmit,’ so we want to receive the energy people give us, receive everyone’s vibe,” Manzano said. “A new person might be a little bit hesitant, a regular wants to make sure they’re being recognized, and we know that they’re coming in every time, so we really prioritize that connection that we have with people.”
Manzano said that Shortwave is preserving much of what customers loved about the space when it was Quarrelsome, while also trying to make it their own.
“We know it’s a beautiful space, so we tried to preserve a lot of those things. But obviously, it’s Shortwave Coffee, so it has a unique taste to it,” Manzano said. “Our coffee is very identifiable, so I feel like, maybe if you didn’t care for the coffee side of things so much, give it a try. You might like what we’re doing here instead.”
Leah Scarpa, a barista at Shortwave St. Louis, has worked in different roles throughout the shop since its opening, but said that she enjoys connecting with customers the most.
“I find that I’ve had the best experience when I’m on the register because then I can kinda get to see the community and get to see the regulars that we are interacting with,” Scarpa said.
Scarpa said she hopes the shop can continue on the path of consistency and connection they are on, while also remaining a go-to spot for students.
“[I] would like us to be sort of like a comfortable third space for people to study,” Scarpa said. “If we can make that a more inclusive space for those people, I would love that.”
Manzano said that Shortwave is currently accepting job applications and considering expanding its hours.
“We really value our connection with everyone, with our baristas and with our customers … We try to do everything here so we can perfect everything, and I think that it’s a difference you can taste,” Manzano said.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Shortwave Coffee was founded in 2012 in Minneapolis. Shortwave Coffee was founded in 2014 in Columbia, Missouri.
