By Maria Caceres
People gather, talk and laugh together daily at Yellow King Brews at the Bristol Bazaar to enjoy social outings with friends and family.
“We started the business back in 2018 and we always had a long-term vision of being a coffee shop that had a brewery vibe,” said co-owner of the cocktail and coffee bar Sharma Khan, “something for everybody because we saw there was like a study, quiet time vibe in the coffee shops, like all over, and we wanted to change that. It’s supposed to be a social beverage.”
The business opened its doors in Bristol in January 2024. The coffee bar its original location in Wallingford since 2021 and worked in pop-ups around the state since 2018.
“Per our five-year plan, we wanted to have a few stores, add in a food truck and then expand it to becoming a caterer for weddings and private events,” Khan said.
“The next step was to find a second location. While we weren’t fully ready for it, we did get approached by The Bristol Bazaar that was going to start opening up in Bristol as well.”
Khan said that the business opened in the holiday season which caused it to have a slower start than she expected but people have started finding the “hidden gem.”
“We have a great set of regulars,” she said. “We have a great staff that wants to get to know you and likes to have fun.”
She said the community feedback has been overall positive with complaints about the size of the business.
“Our biggest concern and our biggest criticism is that we are too small in Bristol,” Khan said.
She said that led to opening a patio and getting a license to serve alcohol outside. She also said she plans to make use of the parking lot and host more events.
Khan said customers have also said the environment is friendly and they like the seasonal drinks they offer.
“We did just release the Nuzilla Affogato Espresso Martini, which is only here until Labor Day,” she said.
“We have our fall menu coming out Labor Day weekend that will have all the pumpkin, and I think salt life is coming back too. It will be fun to see how Bristol takes to the fall menu because [the] fall and holidays are always the most fun.”
Khan said the plan is to cater at farmer’s markets again with plans to build a coffee truck finishing soon.
“So we will have that next year for market seasons,” she said.
She said she is excited for the end of the year when she will have a better idea about the direction of the business.
Yellow Kings Brews is among the businesses at The Bristol Bazaar at 67 Race St. Its hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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