WATERSTONE COFFEE SHOP

COming soon 2026

2023: A New Idea

Stepping Stone, an amazing local group that helps adults with special needs gain job skills, asked if we’d be open to hosting a coffee shop in our building. The elders contemplated the possibility and were intrigued by the opportunity to open our doors and create a cozy gathering spot for our neighbors.

2024: Homework

We spent the year digging into the details. We looked at everything from building designs to budgets, making sure the project was actually doable and that we were being responsible with our resources.

2025: Strategic Move

The timing couldn't have been better. Stepping Stone moved into the shopping center just south of us (where the Subway is). Having their new offices right next door made the idea of a joint coffee shop even more practical for both teams.

Now: YOUR INPUT

After a season of regular meetings and careful legal planning, our leadership has officially given the green light. Since we are building this together, your voice matters. Join us at a Town Hall Meeting on April 12, and to vote on Sunday, April 26.
A headshot of a young woman with long, curly brown hair and blue eyes. She is smiling at the camera and wearing a green shirt and a colorful beaded necklace.

Partner: Stepping Stone
An organization dedicated to providing pre-vocational training and life-skills programs for adults with developmental disabilities.

Bryn Baldassari, CEO & Owner
A Littleton native and CSU graduate, Bryn Baldassari founded Stepping Stone after years of volunteering and studying how to best support peers with developmental disabilities. Driven by her background in Human Development, she partnered with business mentor Barb Ziegler to create a community where participants can find genuine purpose and vocational success. Stepping Stone started in November of 2013 with just 4 participants and has now grown to serve over 150+ families!

Learn More
A high-angle view of a modern coffee shop. People work on laptops and have meetings at tables, while baristas prepare drinks at a counter in the background.

Why a Coffee Shop?

The shop serves two main purposes:

  • Vocational Training: It provides a hands-on environment for adults with special needs to gain life-changing job skills.

  • A Gathering Space: It’s a front porch for our community—from our own Waterstone Preschool and Sunday attenders, our renters, Two Roads Charter School, to our neighbors, Trailhead, and Highland Trails.


Proposed Layout & Design

An overhead view of a modern office layout, showing a kitchen, conference tables, and labeled entrances, rendered in a minimalist style.

How It Works

Waterstone Church will fully own the coffee shop. To manage it, we are co-creating a new non-profit with Stepping Stone, The Stone Collective. This joint venture will lease the space from the church, handle the day-to-day operations, and pay annual rent back to Waterstone Church. This structure ensures a professional, sustainable partnership that reflects our shared values.

The total cost of construction is estimated to be $340,000. Stepping Stone is covering 85% of the project, while Waterstone is contributing a maximum of $50,000. Because Waterstone owns the building, we will manage the construction and payments.

Stepping Stone is currently investing heavily in their new office space nearby. To ensure the coffee shop stays on schedule for a Early Fall 2026 opening, Waterstone will provide an initial secured loan of up to $180,000 to Stepping Stone. They will pay this back to the church at $10,000 per month over 18 months.

As a non-profit, we are limited in what we can charge for rent. Waterstone will receive approximately $10,000 per year in rent from the shop operator, which helps offset facility costs while keeping the partnership missional.

WHAT'S NEXT?

We are working with a contractor who is confident that work can begin on June 1, 2026. Our target is to have the coffee shop completed and ready for its first pour before the school year begins this fall.

At Waterstone, we value transparency and shared leadership. Our bylaws require a congregational vote from members for any unbudgeted expenditure that exceeds 10% of our annual budget. While the Elders believe this is a unique and vital opportunity to reach beyond our walls, we want to move forward together as a church family. So, we ask that you review the information and then participate in the vote on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

How can I get involved?

If you feel a pull toward supporting the special needs community or have a passion for creating "third spaces" where neighbors can connect, we would love for you to be a part of this.

  • Pray: Join us in praying for the trainees, the construction process, and the neighbors who will walk through these doors.

  • Attend a Town Hall Meeting: Sunday, April 12, after each service, Alcove

  • Give: If you would like to help us reach our $50,000 commitment, you can contribute to the "Coffee Shop Project" through our giving portal.

GIVE