Calgary has a new spot for great coffee with the added bonus of bike and ski repair services, all in one community-minded space.
Ski industry veteran Hakan Kayabasi opened Velet Bike Ski Cafe in November 2024. Kayabasi grew up skiing in Turkey and eventually moved to Canada to pursue a career in ski resort management. But after a backcountry accident, he turned to a more easygoing lifestyle.
This led him to open Velet (a Turkish word for someone who is a bit of a rascal), a coffee shop infused with elements of ski culture. Located inside a historic Victoria Park building built in 1911, the café features decor like skis and racing bibs that add to the old-school, cozy chalet vibes. Kayabasi serves espresso-based drinks made with coffee sourced from Kelowna’s Anarchy Coffee Roasters (which is owned by a former classmate from Kayabasi’s ski resort management course in Nelson, B.C.) and other drinks like matcha lattes and non-alcoholic beers. The café serves a variety of savoury Turkish pastries like burek, as well as some sweet ones.


The other half of Velet is the repair and maintenance shop. The shop is run by Kayabasi himself, and customers can bring their skis, snowboards and bikes in for a tune-up, often with same- or next-day service. Kayabasi prides himself on using all eco-friendly materials for things like wax for skis or oil for bike chains, as well as lightly-used parts wherever possible.
At its heart, Velet aims to be a community-minded and inclusive space for the Calgary ski community. Velet hosts monthly ski film nights, as well as the occasional DJ. Kayabasi also hopes to start selling second-hand gear for people looking to get into the sport affordably.
Back alley entrance, 105, 206 11 Ave. S.E., 437-994-9362, @veletcanada