'We know we're a little crazy': Sisters turn spontaneous idea into downtown Vancouver cafe

Young entrepreneurs Angel Dee and Sara Dee are building their cafe around connection, creativity and local businesses.

Some ideas are best without a script. That was the case for Angel Dee, 17, and Sara Dee, 23 — sisters who decided to swap summer plans for espresso machines and community building. They'll be opening Unscripted Coffee in downtown Vancouver, at 455 Granville St., by the end of July, and they're hoping to create something more than a coffee stop.

According to the pair, the cafe is meant to be a place where people can relax, connect with others and create their own experience. From community polls on new drink flavours to beanbag seating, an event space and a wall dedicated to local businesses, Unscripted Coffee aims to make customers part of the story rather than just visitors. "We honestly want to see what people want," says Sara, a UBC graduate, explaining that customers will be able to vote on seasonal drinks and suggest future menu items.

"We're going to have lots of experimental stuff that could potentially end up on the menu based on what people think." This is their first time in business and they are not hiding it. Angel has just finished high school, and Sara last spring finished her degree in accounting and real estate from the University of British Columbia before she decided that working in the corporate world wasn't the long-term path she wanted.

Hence, the name Unscripted. "Our name kind of explains how our future is unscripted," Angel says. "We didn't actually plan to do this until the opportunity came up."

The sisters, who had never worked in a cafe before, took the chance when they came across an unusual downtown location that included a cafe, a connected event hall and a commercial kitchen. They say the business came together in just days after encouragement from family. They have been documenting their journey on Instagram by challenging themselves to open the doors in 30 days.

"We know we're a little crazy," Angel says. A community space for everyone Unscripted's menu will feature espresso drinks, pastries from local suppliers and colourful slushies inspired by the sisters' multicultural background, including Filipino mango and calamansi flavours. They also got a panini press recently and plan to keep a rotational menu based on polls and demand.

They hope the space will be a place for people in the neighbourhood to gather for more than just coffee. The cafe has a casual beanbag corner and the surrounding event hall that may eventually be used for community events, screenings and live music. The vision extends to a new community wall, where local businesses will be invited to showcase their products.

They also plan to make it an interactive space where people can leave sticky notes, share ideas, vote on future concepts and snap photos. Businesses interested in displaying products are encouraged to contact Unscripted Coffee. "We've very carefully chosen our team by finding genuine people who truly care about our mission and make an effort to create a friendly community space for everyone," they added.

For Angel and Sara, the cafe is as much about taking a chance as serving a great cup of coffee. If all goes well, Vancouver won't just be getting another cafe — it'll be getting a space where conversations, ideas and maybe even a few sticky notes can come to life.