J Dapper, who owns Huntridge Shopping Center, is running a contest in the hopes of reviving the old Vegas coffee shop.
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 | 2 a.m.
J Dapper, a Las Vegas native and the man behind the Dapper Companies real estate development firm, remembers when nearly every casino in town had a flagship coffee shop.
He hopes a contest he’s running leads to the opening of just that kind of business at the Huntridge Shopping Center, which he owns.
With the help of some other sponsors, Dapper is offering an entrepreneur a package worth about $950,000 for a “coffee shop, diner or deli” next to the Garrison barbershop at the downtown retail center on Maryland Parkway and Charleston Boulevard.
To win the contest, an entrepreneur will have to convince Dapper and a panel of judges that his or her idea fits Dapper’s dream.
“When I say coffee shop, I don’t mean Starbucks,” Dapper said. “I mean the type of coffee shop that you used to find in any casino or hotel. The kind of place that was open 24 hours and served breakfast, lunch and dinner, and had a lot of great comfort food. Those places kind of went away.”
A graduate of Clark High School, Dapper said he has fond memories of frequenting those types of shops during his formative years in Las Vegas.
“I remember eating a French dip at 8 a.m. or steak and eggs at 8 p.m.,” Dapper said. “Over the years, I’ve seen all of these amazing places disappear. When I go to New York or L.A., I see those types of places, and I feel like downtown Las Vegas could really use something like that.”
Dapper said he’s already received inquiries about the contest, which has a Feb. 1 deadline for presentations. Finalists are expected to be announced in mid-February, and a winner will be chosen April 5.
The winner will walk into a 3,000-square-foot space, designed to specifications, complete with furniture and equipment. The deal also includes signage provided by the YESCO sign company and a full marketing plan to help get the business off the ground.
The winner will get three months of free rent.
The vacant space is where the old Huntridge Pharmacy and adjacent lunch counter used to be.
Dapper said the partnerships he’s secured for the contest have exceeded his expectations.
He said when he reached out to YESCO, he never dreamed the company would agree to provide a $30,000 sign for the contest winner.
Other partners donating money, goods or services include: AAA Restaurant Supply, Meadows Bank, architecture firm RAD Studio, the Ava Rose marketing firm and the Humblewood Company, which makes custom furniture.
Dapper said Chuck Brennan, CEO of Dollar Loan Center, has offered to buy thousands of dollars of gift cards to hand out at the company’s locations.
“We have yet to receive a no, which is incredible,” Dapper said. “Chuck heard about what we’re doing and texted me to say he wants to buy $10,000 in gift cards from whoever wins. So, on day one, this business is going to open with a $10,000 sale. Never in a million years did I think something like that would happen.”
Along with Brennan, local restaurant owners and chefs Cory Harwell (Carson Kitchen and Butcher & Thief), John Simmons (Firefly, Tacos & Beer, and Graze) and Marc Marrone (Graffiti Bao and SkinnyFATS) will judge entries.
“J and I are both aficionados of coffee shops and diners, and we talk about them all the time,” Simmons said. “I thought this was a brilliant idea. Somebody with a great idea is going to have a turnkey business. For me, I’m going to be looking for a certain kind of passion and enthusiasm. I’m looking for a person with a spark.”
Not just business partners, Dapper and Simmons are also neighbors. Simmons said they’ve spent a lot of time in their driveways talking about old coffee shops and nostalgic spots, like the old Jewish deli in Chicago where Simmons worked his first job years ago.
Though most of the vintage Las Vegas coffee shops are gone, Simmons points to the Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop at Jerry’s Nugget in North Las Vegas as an example of what he thinks a Vegas coffee shop should be.
Jerry’s is open around the clock and serves everything from bacon and eggs to pastries to prime rib.
“That place is frozen in time, and they still rock it,” Simmons said. “The new place could maybe last for decades, just like Jerry’s. In the area of downtown where this will go, there’s so much going on. There’s the Huntridge Theater and what’s happening with the renovation there. It’s old school Vegas, but just shining it up. It still works, man.”
Three finalists for the prize will be revealed before a winner is chosen. The contest is free to enter and open to anyone.
For more information on how to enter the contest, visit lasvegascoffeeshopcontest.com.
