In 2004, Mike and Janet Johnston decided to combine their individual skills as avid home cooks and bakers with their experiences in marketing and the retail spice industry to open the very first Savory Spice location in Denver, Colorado. After the immediate success of the shop, they decided to take their concept a step further and created a Savory Spice website. Building on the positive response to the Denver store and a direct-to-consumer option, they opened a second shop in Littleton, Colorado, followed by shops in Boulder and East Denver two years later. Now, Savory Spice and its franchisors operate nearly 30 locations across the United States.