Café Du Luxe is Denton’s newest and most exciting coffee, wine, music and art café.

And like any good music and art, there’s a story behind the new business.

It begins in 2005 when David Carles learned he was being riffed from his 15-year-long job at American Express. He found himself in a situation all too familiar these days.

“I was a financial consultant in corporate America,” he said. And then, nothing.

The Minneapolis resident turned to his wife, Jana Etheridge, and they began searching for options for themselves and their family of four.

They began to see it as an opportunity. Jana’s No. 1 priority was moving closer to family in Oklahoma and escaping the mind-numbing Minnesota winters.

They settled on Denton, liking its small city with a big city feel.

Jana found a job in the corporate world. But David was ready to follow a longtime dream.

“I like coffee and I love wine,” said the 53-year-old entrepreneur. He also appreciated art and had served as the frontman for a rock band, The Rapid Fire Rock ‘n’ Roll Show.

So he hit on the idea of a coffee house that would feature four of his favorite themes: coffee, wine, music and art.

The resulting concoction was Café du Luxe.

“It was not a hard leap,” David said.

But it wasn’t a quick one, either. He spent more than three years researching existing franchises and possible competitors. He soon realized that his concept of four cafes in one would be a welcome addition to the Denton community.

On July 31, Café du Luxe opened at 3101 Unicorn Lake Blvd. The name means café of the rich, David said.

“Not rich as in expensive,” he said. “I want my place to enrich people’s lives. Our mission is to help our customers and employees enjoy the richness of their everyday lives”

“My wife calls it upscale casual,” David said.

In addition to serving private label coffees and some of the world’s finest wines, its menu also features breakfast pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups, evening appetizers and decadent desserts.

Authentic Italian espresso machines dispense the finest lattes and cappuccinos in the city. Breakfast pastries are baked on site daily. Salads, sandwiches and evening appetizers are made to order, not pre-packaged. And the desserts will satisfy the most discriminating palates.

A small complement of imported beers is chilled and waiting. Music, local art and a contemporary atmosphere make Café Du Luxe the perfect alternative to those “on every street corner” cafes.

ART

What coffee café would be complete without art? While some cafes will feature a local artist from time to time or dedicate only a limited amount of space for the artist to display their talent, Café Du Luxe goes the extra mile. An entire wall of the café is dedicated solely for featuring some of the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth area’s brightest and most exciting artists. Featured art will be displayed monthly with a “meet the artist” night on the third Sunday evening of the month.

“They get to display their art for free,” David said, adding that the artists reap the entire profit from sales. “I like having the art, so it’s a win-win scenario.”

Artists who have been showcased are J. Lynn Kelly, Scott Focke and Joan Hart.

MUSIC

Does the sound system in your café remind you of your first car stereo?  Café Du Luxe utilizes sound reproduction equipment usually reserved

for the recording studio. Yamaha sound reproduction and fully digital recordings fill the café

with the finest sound you’ve ever heard. The Music

Menu has been designed to provide patrons with specific music genres on different days of the week and at different times of the day.

“We have jazz in the mornings, adult contemporary rock in the afternoons and a wide variety in the evenings,” David said.

WINE

Café Du Luxe serves wines for every palate. From house wines by Choncha y Toro, Bella Sera and Beringer, to more sophisticated wines by Casillero del Diablo, Sterling Vintner’s Collection, Ecco Domani and Casa Lapostolle, the café is sure to have a wine that will meet or exceed the guests’ expectations.

Café du Luxe offers four tiers: house, featured, select and private reserve. All wines except the house wines are available for purchase by the bottle.  Prices range from $5 for a glass of house wine to $105 for a bottle of BV Tapestry.

“I’m a Libra,” David said. “I enjoy making people happy.”

A recent customer provided a fitting testimonial. Tim Schoendorf of The Schoendorf Real Estate Group, said that “Denton has been needing something like this for a long time.”

“They really did it right,” he said of the contemporary atmosphere and impressive food and beverage offerings. “I could eat here morning, noon and night.”

And David is also a welcome addition. Not long after he opened, Schoendorf approached him about participating in a local fundraiser for the Nelson Children’s Center. David was quick to sign up and donate a percentage of people’s tabs on Oct. 5.

“I’ll sing (owner) David’s praises all day long,” Schoendorf said.

COFFEE

Ever wonder what happened to those unique coffee cafés that invested quality time in preparing you a perfect cappuccino or latte? Sadly to say, most baristas today simply push a button and walk away. Not at Café Du Luxe. The coffee café uses only Italy’s finest espresso machines and grinders by La Marzocco.

Traditional brewed coffee drinkers can choose from light roast, darker roast and decaffeinated coffees from opening to closing every day. The beans are specially roasted and packaged for Café Du Luxe and are available for purchase in one pound packages. Seasonal and one-of-a-kind packaged beans will be featured throughout the year.

For tea lovers, Café Du Luxe features Numi teas, including a unique flowering tea experience.

With a wide array of flavored drinks on hand, what does David like best?

“I like a great cup of black coffee,” he said.

LOCATION AND TIMES

Café Du Luxe is located at 3101 Unicorn Lake Blvd. It is open Monday-Thursday from 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday from 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

“I hope someday to have five to seven more in the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” David said.

David’s wife summed up the experience.

“The whole journey has been an incredibly exciting experience,” Jana said. It’s been stressful, challenging, enjoyable and rewarding. To see it really come alive has been a dream come true for us.”