Our Story

Our story started in 2010, when Paul and Jacqueline DeMaere founded Red Engine Coffee Roasters in Lethbridge, Alberta. What began as a small family-run roasting business came from a genuine love for good coffee and a desire to share it with others. From the beginning, the focus has been on sourcing quality specialty coffee, understanding where it comes from, and taking the time to roast it well.

In 2017, we opened Sonder Coffee Bar in Lethbridge's Warehouse District. After years of roasting coffee, we wanted a place of our own where we could serve it, share our passion, and become a part of people's daily routines. We hoped to create somewhere people would feel comfortable meeting a friend or simply enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Over the years, Sonder has grown into much more than just coffee. Alongside our handcrafted drinks and brewed coffee, we've become known for our Belgian Liège waffles, house-made bagels, and freshly baked goods.

Making things from scratch is something we've always taken pride in. From our waffles and baking to our oat milk and drink syrups, we put a lot of time and care into what we make. We believe in using good ingredients, doing things properly, and serving food and coffee that we'd be happy to share with our own family.