The Knotty Brew follows three pillars; Coffee, Create, and Connect. Their beverage selections, such as lattes and matchas, are of high quality with unique flavours. Their Create aspect allows people to crochet with a variety of yarn that they provide. Lastly, Connect refers to the workshops they host after hours for those who want to learn how to crochet. During their hours of operation, customers are also encouraged to try their hand at the craft. Davila explained how every aspect of the cafe is playful and curated with care.
“I think that’s really what sets us apart [from] other cafes … we really do want people to come here and be able to chat with each other, see what projects everyone’s working on, make new friends, have new connections, and build that community.”
The crochet cafe’s story began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Davila took up the hobby to fill her time.
“Art and creating has always been part of my life, so when we got locked down something I took on was crocheting … I [thought], ‘I have all the time in the world, so I’m going to do it now.’ I loved it.”
Davila spent countless hours learning and creating. That is when she realized that a crochet-focused community was rare.
“It always amazed me how you could literally get a piece of yarn and turn it into anything you wanted, whether that’s a plushie, a piece of clothing, or a hat … but something I always recognized and realized was that there wasn’t much of a community for it … I started to think that it would be amazing to be able to have a community like this, where we can share our creations with each other.”
The idea of combining coffee and crocheting was officially formed in Davila’s mind after visiting a flower-themed cafe in Alberta. Davila also shared what inspired the theme and aesthetic of her cafe.
“I think it stems back to our values and what we uphold –– positivity and playfulness, and the ability to create and have no limits in your creation. I think pink is that colour for me. It’s a very playful [and] pretty colour. It makes you happy. When you walk into here, it’s like ‘wow,’ it’s not all black.”
Through their vendor program, The Knotty Brew cafe has searched far and wide to feature yarn that is less commonly found, bringing it in from global small business sellers from the United States, Canada, Peru, and select places in Europe. They take pride in ensuring vendors get 100 per cent of their profits. When it comes to customers, Davila said with confidence that the cafe has something for everyone regardless of their abilities, likes, or dislikes toward the art form.
“I feel like we have done our absolute best to be able to offer something for everyone, so everyone can feel like they belong.”
Currently, the cafe doesn’t have any student perks. However, students or others who want to crochet but lack sufficient funds or materials can pick up a roll of yarn from their donation basket and crochet away. If someone has too much yarn, they can donate it to the cafe.
Davila said that she focuses on how the customers feel when they visit.
“I think the most important thing out of all this is the experience that whoever walks through the door has when they come in here … being able to have that really great experience where it wasn’t just about the cup of coffee or the crochet.”
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.