While opening a sit-down location for Sparrow Coffee Co. is what first intrigued Anna Canepa, Jaime McKinley, and Jeremy Layden about GO Topeka’s offer to open a coffee shop inside Link Innovation Labs, it wasn’t the only reason they bought into the idea. Here, they’ll have a collaborative partner to help serve a new set of customers downtown.
Anna, Jaime, and Jeremy, sat down with Downtown Topeka Inc to tell us more about themselves, Sparrow Coffee Co.’s mission, and the joint effort they’ve undertaken inside Link Innovation Labs.
Friends Anna, Jaime, and Jeremy, make a warm ownership team for Sparrow Coffee Co. In the early stages of their partnership, the trio looked to GO Topeka for essential financial assistance before officially opening their drive-through window at 4611 NW Fielding Road Topeka, KS, 66618 in October 2024.
It was having that established community partner in GO Topeka, which has worked lock step with Washburn University’s Small Business Development Center for over 20 years, that motivated the owners of Sparrow Coffee Co. to combine forces and open a sit-down location inside the Link Innovation Labs building at 220 SE 6th St. Topeka, KS, 66603.
Having a sit-down space for Sparrow Coffee Co. was always the plan for these drive-through owners, Jaime said, and they seek to bring warmth and homey elements to this high tech space. Remembering the “mathematical” thinkers they expect to serve inside Link Innovation Labs, Jeremy seeks to remind them of their need for fuel and connection even in times of laser focus when it’s easiest to become socially isolated.
We wondered, how will Sparrow Coffee Co., a drive-through coffee establishment serving families of North Topeka, bring its intimate charm downtown while serving a totally different community inside a tech hub full of engineers and scientists?
“Our mission is to be a bright spot in people’s day and that’s through our interaction and through the product that we serve… So we really strive to serve an excellent product and we really strive to connect with people. And I think we do.” Anna said. “… our regulars that come through everyday, we know their names, we ask them how they’re doing, they know our names, they’re our friends now. And so, I would like to say ‘we’re looking forward to creating relationships like that down here.’”
As small business owners who worked with GO Topeka early on themselves, Sparrow’s story is coming full circle to support the burgeoning tech start ups and lab tenants of Link Innovation Labs.
In order, Jaime, Anna, and Jeremy gave hopeful small business owners of the world their best advice: From Jaime, “Do it scared.” From Anna, “Take one small step.” From Jeremy, “Ask for help; don’t try to do it all on your own.” Jeremy also thoughtfully mentioned one should take the help they receive and pass it along to future business owners.
Then, after more warm and giggling chatter inside their sunlit coffee shop under construction, the group decided what Anna, Jaime, and Jeremy would be if they were a drink order from Sparrow Coffee, based on their personality.
Anna would be a London fog. Jaime would be a cold brew. And Jeremy, head roaster for Mighty Beast Coffee Roasters in Meriden Kansas, would be drip coffee.
You’re invited to attend the Link Innovation Labs Ribbon Cutting with the Greater Topeka Partnership on February 9, 2026 at 220 SE 6th St. Topeka, KS, 66603 (time)
Author: Brynna D
Editor: Kaitlyn A
# # #
About Downtown Topeka Inc.
Downtown Topeka Inc. works to ensure Topeka’s downtown is the center of a thriving regional economy through recruiting, retaining and engaging commercial, cultural and residential opportunities. DTI operates under the Greater Topeka Partnership and provides administrative services and oversight for the downtown Capital Business Improvement District. For more, visit DowntownTopekaInc.com.
About Greater Topeka Partnership
The Greater Topeka Partnership brings together community organizations that promote economic development and quality of life in Topeka and Shawnee County. They include Downtown Topeka Inc., GO Topeka, the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Topeka Inc. For more, visit TopekaPartnership.com.
Recent Comments