Entrepreneurship.

A word that has always described 20-year-old Keaton Sanjur, owner of Keat’s Coffee, which recently opened at 617 Claremont Ave. near Ashland University.

Far before Keaton opened his coffee shop, his brain was in entrepreneurial mode, according to his father, Carlos Sanjur.

“The coffee shop was not Keaton’s first show of entrepreneurship. When he was 15, he was already thinking about setting up a landscaping business and running it with his brother,” Carlos said.
Keaton has now made his entrepreneurial visions a reality.

The soft opening hours of Keat’s Coffee are Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., however, there are plans to expand those hours in the future.

The coffee shop intends to provide a minimalist and unique experience, focused strongly on the needs of the younger generation that Keaton believes has a craving for simple experiences and a design that focuses strongly on principles of minimalism.

“He wants a clean, simple environment where people can relax,” Carlos said.

Before opening his shop on Claremont, Keaton conducted extensive research, including visiting coffee shops in New York City, before determining what style he wanted to bring to the Ashland area. He decided upon the Brooklyn style coffee shop, which focuses on textures, clean and natural lighting, along with open spaces and an environment tailored to relaxation and rest, where students could come to commune with one another, or simply work on homework.

The facility itself features a wide-open space, decorated with simple artwork on the walls and succulents. Clean, white tables and hardwood floors complete the room, as the main feature is the large windows that provide natural lighting to the shop.

“It’s a vibe for younger adults or college students, which is why it was a perfect opportunity when this place went up for lease,” Keaton said.

Keaton said that he has seen a craving in younger adults for places with unique and simple design, that focus on connecting with one another and experiences, rather than chain coffee shops. While Starbucks and other chains are still popular, he feels that younger adults are skyrocketing coffee shops such as his own to popularity due to the nature of rest and relaxation.

“I think the luxury, minimalist design that we have here really satisfies that hunger that people have,” Keaton said.

Keaton said he saw what they were doing in New York, and wanted to bring that same experience back to Ohio. He describes the shop as his “passion project” and something that he wanted to try his hand at.
“Keaton’s drive is to provide coffee lovers a product and service that translates into a great experience,” Carlos said.

Keaton himself has the same ultimate goal.

“I want to do something everybody loves and can get behind,” Keaton said.