Here's an unofficial test of how "local" you are: how many pictures have you taken with the kids, friends, and out-of-town visitors (and occasional selfies) with the life-sized fiberglass cow at Java Cow on Main? "It came with the shop when we bought it 25 years ago," laughs Ken Davis, who, with his spouse Marcie, owns Java Cow and sister store I Love Moo in Kimball Junction.
Former senior execs with an NYC-based retail firm, the couple was drawn to the mountains years ago and brought their Manhattan food sensibilities with them. 'We strive to maintain a NY foodie standard in everything we serve,' Ken asserts. Converting a closed coffee shop into Java Cow, Ken honed his ice cream-making skills crafting favorites like Purple Cow and Chocolate Monster. Today, Java Cow's delicious food and baked goods are made from scratch on-site, many sourced locally.
Their store’s welcoming, cheerful ambiance is due to the Davises’ love of "putting fun into everything we do," though you should think twice before sitting down to a friendly care game with Ken. "I play poker sometimes," he understates, winning enough to qualify for the World Series of Poker Main Event in Vegas a few years ago.
But his poker face dropped when Ken first saw Banksy's 'Cameraman and Flower' on Java Cow's wall in 2010. "I drove up at 7 a.m. and thought, 'What?!'" His trepidation was "quickly replaced with an education about the artist." Java Cow has carefully protected the famous work.
An integral part of PC culture, the couple often gives back. Ken is a past president of the PC Main Street Business Alliance, and Marcie, an associate broker with Summit Sotheby's, is engaged with the PC Board of Realtors, where she is a past president.
Avid restaurant goers and skiers, the Davises have an adult daughter—"an equestrian in California," Ken says —and are delighted with their PC success and relaxed lifestyle. "Definitely friendlier and slower-paced than back East," Ken smiles, surveying the happy faces in Java Cow's lighthearted atmosphere.