An Indigo location in downtown Toronto that used to house a Starbucks is now serving its customers a different kind of brew from an independent homegrown chain rather than a multinational corporation.

People looking to caffeinate or snack while they peruse books and lifestyle goods at Indigo's Bay and Bloor storefront are now being served by a Dark Horse Espresso Bar, the brand's eighth and newest location.

For those who have often associated Indigo with Starbucks, if any coffee company, it's been a pleasant surprise — as it was also for Dark Horse's team, who says that Indigo made the first move in establishing the collaboration, which was especially exciting.

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"A few members of the Indigo family reached out to us last year because they were fans of Dark Horse and the atmosphere in our cafes," Dark Horse Chief Marketing Officer Max Daviau tells blogTO. 

"We were of course flattered by the interest, as we have always been fans of Indigo, and the relationship grew naturally from there."

Of course, for a small business, landing a spot in a retailer as big as Indigo is a huge deal, which is something many customers applauded Dark Horse for when the company announced the news of the forthcoming cafe in late November.

"Wow, that’s huge! Thought Indigo has only been exclusive to Starbucks," one person wrote, to which another replied "My thoughts exactly! Really awesome to see no exclusivity."

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A representative for Indigo says that despite these beliefs about its ties with Starbucks, it also has many other cafe partners of all sizes across Canada, including Calgary-based Good Earth Coffeehouse and Propeller Coffee Co. in the bookstore's sprawling new location in The Well.

"We are thrilled to welcome local Toronto favourite Dark Horse Espresso to the Indigo family at our flagship Bloor Street location and we encourage everyone to come experience their specialty offerings as they shop for their next read," they add.

Along with offering Dark Horse's signature coffees, teas, baked goods and more, this unique new outpost at 55 Bloor St. W also stocks various products from local brands not seen in other cafes, which Daviau says "complements Indigo's philosophy of highlighting local talent and goods."