Popular Tucson Coffee Shop Desert Drifter Opens 2nd Location, With More On The Way

TUCSON, AZ — Tucson's newest favorite coffee shop isn't slowing down.

Desert Drifter, the locally owned café that quickly built a loyal following after opening last year, has already added a second location, and two more are on the way.

Subscribe

The newest café opened last week at 10335 N. La Cañada Dr. inside the Cañada Crossroads shopping center. The shop joins the original Speedway and Main café as Desert Drifter grows its Tucson footprint.

Behind the business are founder Eddy Yunkherr and his wife, Brenna, who started the company after leaving the corporate coffee world.

The couple previously operated 13 coffee locations in the Pacific Northwest and Tucson before deciding to launch a brand with a more community-focused approach.

"When profits came before people, we knew it was time to walk away," the duo wrote on their website.

So they did. They traded the franchise playbook for something with more heart, and Desert Drifter was born.

That local-first approach carries through to the menu.

Coffee is roasted by Tucson's own Presta Coffee, milk comes from Danzeisen Dairy, and the pastry case rotates through offerings from local bakeries.

And the footprint is only growing. A Broadway Boulevard and Alvernon location is slated to open soon, with a Grant Road shop following later this year.