YPSILANTI, Mich. – On Friday, Cultivate Coffee & Taphouse in downtown Ypsilanti announced a change in ownership.
Ypsi resident Sara Demorest will take over ownership from current owner Ryan Wallace during the next few months.
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“The opportunity came up and we are really good friends with Ryan and Bekah,” Demorest said over the phone. “We wanted to keep Cultivate going in the direction it’s already going.”
Demorest said she moved to Ypsilanti with her husband and children to live in a more diverse area.
“We’ve always loved Cultivate since we moved here, even before we moved here, and we love the Ypsi community. We wanted to keep Cultivate going and all that it encompasses with it making people feel safe and welcome. We knew that was vital, especially in these times, so we decided to make the big move and go for it.”
Demorest said that her husband, Five Shores Brewing co-founder Matt Demorest, is the person who introduced her to the business. She said she found it to be a very welcoming space, something very important to her and Matt.
“We’ve just loved it ever since. We came all the time,” said Demorest. “It’s one of those places that, if you’re even out somewhere else, you end up back at Cultivate in the beer garden, hanging out, seeing old friends and being able to meet new people.”
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Demorest will be the sole owner of Cultivate. She is a mother of five and an adoption advocate. She intends to continue Cultivate’s online sales and local delivery but plans to expand the outdoor beer garden as well as make parking improvements and upgrades.
“I’m very thankful for my husband for being supportive of me in this new endeavor,” said Demorest. Although she has been a part of family-operated businesses previously, this will be her first adventure as an owner-operator.
Since Cultivate was founded in 2015 both its employees and stakeholders have committed to community service and entrepreneurship. To continue the business’ community work, a foundation is being created by Wallace which Demorest will continue.
Cultivate Coffee and Taphouse is at 307 N. River St., Ypsilanti