Building Community, One Cup at a Time: Inside Square 1 Coffee at West Block Glenora
Walk into Square 1 Coffee in West Block Glenora and the first thing you notice isn't the menu — it's the feeling. Regulars settling in with laptops, friends leaning over a shared table, the low hum of a Friday-night guitar warming up in the corner. Somewhere along the way, this West Block cafe stopped being just a place to grab a coffee and became a place people belong.
A big part of that story started in 2022, when the team decided coffee this good deserved to be made from scratch. They began roasting their own beans under the name Anecdote Coffee, taking ownership of every step from sourcing to the final pour — and putting bags on the shelf so the experience could travel home with you. We sat down with Melissa, Manager at Square 1, to talk about the craft behind the cup, the events that fill the calendar, and why local connection shapes everything they do.
Visit Square 1 Coffee at: 14055 West Block Dr NW #140, Edmonton
Learn More: Square 1 Coffee
The Craft Behind Anecdote Coffee
Square 1 started roasting its own beans in 2022 under the name Anecdote Coffee. What did that change for the team?
It let us be involved in every part of the process, from sourcing exceptional beans to crafting the perfect cup. We care about every drink we serve, and roasting our own means that care starts long before it reaches the counter.
And for someone deciding what to order?
People can taste the difference. We focus on getting every cup right, and we love when someone tries one of our feature adventure espressos and discovers something new. You can always take a bag of Anecdote home, too — same coffee, your own kitchen.
A Welcome You Can Feel
For people who haven't visited yet, how would you describe the space?
Square 1 is a space where people can relax, meet with friends, work, or simply enjoy a really good coffee in a comfortable atmosphere. We want it to feel easy the moment you walk in.
How do you and your team create that experience for regulars and newcomers alike?
We focus on genuine hospitality. Our team works hard to make sure everyone feels comfortable and welcomed, whether it's their first visit or their hundredth. What we hope people take with them is a feeling — relaxed, connected, cared for, and already thinking about coming back.
More Than a Coffee Shop
Square 1 has become known as a gathering place. Why was creating space for connection so important?
We wanted to build more than just a coffee stop. Having events and gathering spaces helps bring people together and creates a stronger sense of connection in the neighbourhood. Cafes do that naturally — they're where conversation, relationships, and community grow.
What does that look like in practice?
It's people supporting local talent, meeting their neighbours, and feeling at home. That's the whole point for us.
Creativity on the Calendar
The cafe hosts everything from live music to watercolour workshops. What's coming up this season?
This season we're continuing our bi-weekly watercolour classes, hosting a terrarium-making workshop, and featuring Friday live music nights with local artists. We love creating fun, hands-on ways for people to connect and be creative together — it's one of the best parts of what we do.
Rooted in the District
You're a fan of the neighbourhood yourself. Any local favourites?
So many! A couple of mine would definitely be Apache Seeds and Leopard Pizza.
And the order that keeps you going?
Usually an iced latte with oat milk and salted caramel — but I'll never say no to one of our feature adventure espressos.
So here's a plan for your next free afternoon: start with a salted-caramel oat latte and a bag of Anecdote at Square 1, catch a Friday set if the timing's right, then wander the district — maybe seeds from Apache, a slice from Leopard Pizza. That's the Stony Plain Road experience in a nutshell: good coffee, good neighbours, and a whole lot of reasons to stick around.