Space for people.
We advocate for welcoming places to sit and gather, better pedestrian spaces, and public spaces that invite people to stay.
Barren Ground Coffee / Our story
Good coffee.
A place to
belong.
We're a Yellowknife coffee roastery and the people behind Barren Ground Coffee and Birchwood Coffee. We roast for homes, workplaces and businesses across the North, and welcome our neighbours through the doors of two downtown cafes.
From Old Town to downtown
Started small.
Stayed northern.
Barren Ground began in 2017 with a five-kilogram roaster in a Quonset hut in Old Town. People found their way to us for coffee, conversation and a look at what we were making.
We moved downtown in 2019. In 2024, we welcomed Birchwood Coffee into the business, giving us another place to bring people together.
Today, our work stretches from the roasting room to the cafe counter, and out to shops, workplaces and communities across the North.
- 2017A five-kilogram roaster and a beginning in Old Town.
- 2019A move downtown and room to grow as a cafe.
- 2020Adapting our service and developing espresso and in-house baking.
- 2024Birchwood Coffee joins the Barren Ground family.
- TodayTwo downtown cafes, a Yellowknife roastery and northern partnerships.
Our neighbourhood matters
A downtown worth
spending time in.
We want downtown Yellowknife to be a place where people come to meet, shop, make things and spend an afternoon. Local businesses have a part to play, alongside the public spaces that belong to everyone.
Our seasonal parklet outside Barren Ground is one way we put that belief into practice: making room on the street for people to sit, talk and enjoy being downtown.
Local businesses.
Independent shops, cafes and creative businesses give downtown its character. We support investment that helps them thrive and keeps street-level spaces active.
More reasons to visit.
Art, workshops, community events and everyday conversation all bring life to a neighbourhood. We make space for them and speak up for a downtown built around people.
The everyday work
Care in every part.
In the roastery.
We roast coffee weekly in Yellowknife, with attention to flavour and consistency. We share the origin and sourcing details we can verify, and welcome questions about what's in your cup.
At the counter.
Good drinks, something to eat and a warm welcome. Our roasting, baking, kitchen and cafe teams bring those pieces together every day.
Across the North.
We work with northern shops, cafes and workplaces to get fresh coffee into more hands. We buy locally and collaborate with northern businesses whenever we can.
The people behind your coffee
A team makes
this place.
Our baristas, bakers, kitchen staff, roasters and managers make both cafes what they are.
Pay matters. Our cafe team earns base wages plus tips, with higher base rates for management roles. We take compensation seriously and want the business to provide worthwhile work over the long term.
That means paying attention to day-to-day support, opportunities to learn and the people doing the work, as well as the experience we offer customers.
Barren Ground was co-founded by Eric Binion, Jeremy Binion and Susan Saunders. Today, it is shaped by the whole team and the community around it.
Part of the community
Coffee brings people together.
We've supported northern events, community groups and fundraisers through coffee donations and local partnerships. We also welcome people with ideas for gatherings, workshops and collaborations.
Tell us what you're planning. We'll discuss what's possible and how we might help.