FAMILY RUN. PAGOSA ROOTS. SINCE 2012.
The story behind
Two Chicks
& a Hippie.
A family dream. A name that stuck.
A couple of chicks, one well-traveled hippie, and a dream of bringing people together. Welcome to the family behind your next good morning.
BETSY · LOU JEAN · RORY
CO-FOUNDER · ONE OF THE CHICKS
Betsy Burnett
A new chapter beyond corporate life.
CO-FOUNDER · ONE OF THE CHICKS
Lou Jean Espinosa
Part of the trio who started it all.
CO-FOUNDER · THE HIPPIE
Rory Burnett
World travels. Long dreads. Big ideas.
HER NEXT CHAPTER STARTED HERE
From corporate life
to café life.
In 2012, Betsy traded corporate life for a new chapter in Pagosa Springs. Alongside Lou Jean Espinosa and her son Rory Burnett, she co-founded Two Chicks and a Hippie.
The dream began with Rory and his dad: coffee, donuts, music, and a place to bring people together. His dad passed away in 2011. The café became part of the family’s next chapter, with his memory still close.
Today, Betsy leads the everyday work that makes that dream a working café—overseeing operations, managing the business, and keeping things moving behind the scenes.
Three founders. One family story.
FAMILY RUN. PAGOSA ROOTS. SINCE 2012.
STRAIGHT FROM THE FOUNDERS
Pull up a chair.
We’ve got a story.
Meet the people behind the name, hear how the café began, and join a very delicious debate over cinnamon rolls and sticky buns.
The family, the food, and a few laughs along the way.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
It started with
a shared dream.
Before there was Two Chicks and a Hippie, there was a dream Rory shared with his dad: a place for coffee, donuts, and music. His dad passed away in 2011, before they could bring that dream to life.
In 2012, Rory, his mom Betsy, and Lou Jean founded the café. Betsy stepped away from corporate life, and a family’s next chapter began in Pagosa Springs.
“His hat still hangs,
and this is his place.”
RORY, IN THE FOUNDERS’ INTERVIEW
A LITTLE BANTER. A LOT OF PERSONALITY.
Yes, there really
is a hippie.
When it was time to choose a name, Betsy called her daughter Taryn for ideas. A little wordplay and some family back-and-forth later, “Two Chicks and a Hippie” stuck.
The hippie? That would be Rory. Back then, he had long dreadlocks, had traveled around the world, and had hitchhiked across America. The name fit.
The creativity runs in the family.
Taryn also painted the café’s mural. Her imagination helped give Two Chicks both its name and a look all its own.
FAMILY RUN. PAGOSA ROOTS. SINCE 2012.
THE FAMILY PART IS REAL
To the café, Betsy.
To the family, Nonni.
Betsy’s kids and grandkids are part of life around the shop, lending a hand and adding their own chapters to the story.
Her daughter Taryn helped come up with the name and painted the café’s mural. From the art on the wall to the family behind the counter, there’s a little of Betsy’s world all around you.
“A beautiful mother, the best Nonni, and a wonderful boss!”
FROM THE CAFÉ’S FACEBOOK BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE · AUGUST 29, 2025
STILL VERY MUCH A FAMILY AFFAIR
Family is part
of the everyday.
This is a family-run, family-operated place. You’ll often find Betsy’s kids and grandkids lending a hand around the shop. The family story keeps growing, one generation at a time.
And there’s plenty to gather around: breakfast, lunch, homemade pastries, coffee, and live music. Whether you’re a local regular or finding us on your first trip to Pagosa, come make yourself comfortable.
YOUR NEXT GOOD MORNING STARTS HERE
Come hungry.
Leave part of the story.
Two Chicks and a Hippie · Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Open every day
6:30 AM–2 PM
135 Country Center Dr A and B
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147