Our Story

In 1993, Steve Arens opened Leelanau Coffee Roasting Company in a small 500-square-foot space on Lake Street in Glen Arbor (now the Cherry Republic Soda Fountain). Steve’s brother, John, soon partnered in the business in 1994, and together they began roasting and selling specialty coffee in a time when specialty coffee was still a pretty unusual thing in Michigan. Their first shop was small, but the idea was simple: roast good coffee, serve it well, and give people a reason to come back.

As Cherry Republic and Leelanau Coffee grew, the coffee shop moved just down the road to its current home on Western Avenue in 1998. The space grew over the years, too, eventually building an addition and adding a patio where generations of visitors have stopped for a bag of coffee beans, conversation, and a little time to slow down and enjoy a cup of coffee.

For more than three decades, Leelanau Coffee has been part of the Glen Arbor community. Summer days, fall weekends, familiar faces, family vacations, and countless cups of coffee have all become part of the story. For many people, a stop at Leelanau Coffee is simply part of the experience of being Up North.

In January 2026, Leelanau Coffee began a new chapter when it was acquired by Schuil Coffee Company, another Michigan coffee roaster with a long history of its own. Founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1981, Schuil shares Leelanau’s belief in quality coffee, great value, and most importantly, taking care of the people who drink it.

While ownership has changed, what makes Leelanau Coffee special has not. The Glen Arbor cafe remains a gathering place, the coffee remains distinctly Leelanau, and the people and traditions behind it continue to matter. Steve and John Arens remain involved in the business, helping carry forward the coffee and community they spent more than 30 years building.