Midtown’s Monarch coffeehouse plans May 2017 opening

The owners of Monarch plan to step up the typical coffeehouse service model.

So instead of taking orders and calling customers’ names for pickup, their customers will place their order and take a seat.

“We’ll bring the order to them so they can sit down and enjoy the experience,” said Tyler Rovenstine, who is opening the shop with his wife, Jaime, along with investors. “We want to meet their needs before they express them, or before they even realize they have that need.”

They took a 1,731-square-foot space in the renovated Ambassador building at 3560 Broadway and plan a May 2017 opening.

Tyler, who grew up in Wichita, has been in the coffee industry for more than a dozen years: in Oklahoma while in college, in Chicago and locally at the Roasterie, Quay Coffee and Oddly Correct. He has worked as a manager, in quality control, training employees, as a barista, and in design and layout for new shops.

The couple had several criteria when selecting a site for their own shop: historical building, urban feel and strong residential area for walk-in traffic. One added perk: the Ambassador space also is in walking distance of their North Hyde Park home.

Monarch plays off Kansas City’s other royal names — the Kansas City Royals, the American Royal, the Kansas City Kings, the Kansas City Monarchs and the Empress Theatre. It will have a “bright, clean and classic” decor in white, black and gold with mint accents, wood floors and large windows looking out on bustling Broadway traffic.

Hours are tentatively set to be 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Rovenstines also have 2,300 square feet on a slightly lower level for overflow seating and as an event space.

The Ambassador, at Broadway and Knickerbocker Street, was constructed in Spanish Revival style, circa 1925, as one of the city’s largest apartment hotels. It now features 112 studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units, along with a resident rooftop lounge and deck.

This story was originally published October 28, 2016 at 11:04 AM with the headline "Midtown’s Monarch coffeehouse plans May 2017 opening."