Santa Fe has some things that few other places can boast of. Now even ice cream is on the list. Latitudes Espresso and Ice Cream, a new coffee shop downtown, opened in April.

"Our ice cream is premium," said owner Christopher Kolon. "It's made in Maryland and there's only one other shop in the U.S. that carries it. The rest is distributed to fine dining establishments."

After 23 years in the hospitality industry in Santa Fe, Kolon and his wife, Reingard Kolon, were looking for something to do. A friend is a business broker and knew of a coffee shop for sale. The Kolons looked it over, made an offer and got it.

"We're across from the Inn of Loretto and we get a nice mix of locals and tourists," said Chris Kolon, whose wife is from Austria where she had a coffee shop for four years. "She's really the one behind all this, making it happen."

Kirk Mullenax, a partner with Artistas Gallery on Old Santa Fe Trail, the same street as Latitudes, said, "Every time I come to work I walk over to Latitudes for coffee and a pastry. They always have fresh goods. And when I get tea, they give me extra lemons."

Kolon said he "loves making coffee" and explained that when it comes to espresso, "No one is allowed to do the espresso drinks unless they know how to run the machine." He said he gets the right pour in 24 seconds. It can't be more or less. "I use the right grind of coffee, micro-foam the milk so it's a thick velvety texture."

The ice cream is sold in dishes and cones. "A real treat is the Ice Café, which is a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a pulled coffee," he said.

For Sky Red Hawk, who owns Native Sounds, also on the same street as Latitudes, the coffee is the best. "He's got the best coffee in town and they spruced up the shop after the last owners. They didn't keep it so neat, but now it's nice and bright and open and clean," he said.

Using a personal loan, the Kolons bought the business for $75,000. Their first priority is to pay that off, which they anticipate doing in three years. The shop is open seven days a week and in the beginning, the owners worked 53 straight days in order to get the business up and running. They don't have enough to pay a manager. But for the summer season, the Kolons have six people working in the coffee shop and reiterate what many businesspeople in town say: It's hard finding quality staff.

Kolon says they have no official business plan but "so far, so good." They have noticed one thing, though. "Adding the ice cream has doubled the income," Kolon said. At last count, the shop was a little past breaking even. Kolon said, "You need to be a good accountant to be a good chef."

His background also includes owning two catering businesses, a coffee cart, working as a chef, and he also started the monthly magazine Local Flavor. They chose the name Latitudes because, they said, it's all about travel. "And we're right on the Old Santa Fe Trail," he said.

Brian Fedorowicz works at the Inn of Loretto and loves having the new coffee shop across the street. "You get great service and it's always with a smile. They also have great coffee and everything is 'green' — corn cups, straws. The shop also has a more genuine Santa Fe feel to it than the chain stores," he said.

For Kolon, so far there's no downside to his new business. He likes everything. Especially the ice cream.

Business name: Latitudes Espresso and Ice Cream
Owners: Christopher Kolon and Reingard Kolon

Address: 228 Old Santa Fe Trail

Employees: 6

Phone:  986-9607

E-mail: chrisk5555@gmail.com

Web site: none