Washing machines line the walls of Dirty Dungarees. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
Dirty Dungarees, located at 2584 N. High St., has always pushed the boundaries of what an establishment can be.
Now, they’re taking things one step further.
The establishment, known for live entertainment, dry cleaning and coin laundry, announced on Instagram Sunday their hours would extend, now opening at 6:30 a.m. opposed to 9 a.m. — still closing at midnight — effective immediately.
To match these new hours, Dirty Dungarees is throwing more elements into their already-unconventional business model. Soon, the laundromat, bar and live music venue will also offer coffee and pastries.
“The community needs for the laundromat prompted us to expand our hours, but coffee has been on everyone’s mind for a while,” Lorien Moore, manager of Dirty Dungarees, said in an email. “Opening earlier seemed like the perfect time to soft launch coffee and pastries.”
Moore said the establishment has always been committed to serving the community and with the expansion, they’ll be able to serve more patrons with certain needs.
“Our goals have always been to be aligned with the community’s needs, whether it’s the need for a queer-friendly safe space, the need to get some aggression out at our hardcore shows, or simply the need to do laundry,” Moore said. “With coffee and pastries, we’re hoping to cater to a set of needs that we’ve just not been able to fulfill so far, which are non-alcoholic beverages and allergen and diet-restriction friendly pastries (in addition to regular pastries).”
Moore said Dirty Dungaree’s intends on partnering with local coffee roasters and bakers. Currently, she said the establishment is in talks with a few local roasters and are actively collaborating with Shea Lobb, a local baker who specializes in allergen-friendly baking.
“We’ve talked to a few [local coffee roasters] so far, but since we’re not planning to launch a full-scale coffee shop, we’re trying to take our time to make sure we find the right match for us,” Moore said.
Moore said the establishment has already begun offering baked goods and a limited coffee selection while they work on expanding. She said the pastries will rotate weekly and change based on the season.
Moore said this week’s selection includes cranberry biscotti and cheddar and chive scones, along with vegan and gluten-free chai cookies.
“Right now we have drip coffee and cold brew, and I am actively developing our versions of some espresso drinks … I’m hoping to have everything fully rolled out with the beginning of the new year,” Moore said.
Currently, Moore said they plan on offering hot coffee drinks through 4 p.m., baked goods and cold brew until close and drip coffee while supplies last.
Along with the hours and menu expansion, Dirty Dungaree’s is wrapping up their laundromat renovations from the past two years and plan on tackling the bar and stage area for some “much-needed TLC,” which Moore said includes adding new seating and a dedicated space for coffee.
Moore said for her, the growth of Dirty Dungaree’s reflects her passion for the establishment and the environment it creates.
“I personally am the most excited about having a healthier reason to be hanging out at Dirty’s; I find myself here often, even on my days off, and I’m not just going to take up a seat at the bar and order nothing,” Moore said. “It might seem silly that the manager WANTS to hang out at their job, but I truly love Dirty’s, and that is the entire reason I’m here managing it … we really are all friends who love each other very much.”
