If there was a race for best coffee cities in America that no one really talks about, Milwaukee would be up in the front of the pack. Sure, Los Angeles, Portland, and New York City have great coffee scenes worthy of the press they receive, but there\u2019s some homegrown excellence in the MKE, which really shouldn\u2019t come as much of a surprise in a town counting both Brew City and Cream City amongst its nicknames. And thanks to Colin and Emily Whitcomb of Canary Coffee Bar<\/a>, there\u2019s another cafe to add to the city\u2019s already stacked line-up.<\/p>\n

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As told to Sprudge by Colin Whitcomb.<\/em><\/p>\n
For those who aren\u2019t familiar, will you tell us about your company?<\/strong><\/p>\n
We are a coffee bar owned by Colin and Emily Whitcomb, located in downtown Milwaukee.<\/p>\n
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?<\/strong><\/p>\n
We are renting a space in what was originally the Hotel Wisconsin, open in 1913. The Hotel Wisconsin was a fixture in Milwaukee for decades before languishing into a residential-hotel. In 2003 is was converted to apartments. Our space has been empty since that time\u2014west of the river in downtown Milwaukee has only recently attracted new businesses. We opted for a cosy (for MKE) 1,250 sq\/ft. Half the floors have original terrazzo tile, the ceilings are 18ft high, but unfortunately there isn\u2019t as much to retain of the original space as one might hope\u2014the original wood paneling on the walls is long gone. We will have blue velvet stools at the counter, wood and resin cafe tables, black leather bucket chairs, and some fun hoop chandeliers. Our hope is to create a space that zigs when they zag, so to speak, looking to capture an aesthetic is that urban, yet comfortable. Nearby are offices mostly, but we have a park across the street, and are next to the old Grand Ave Mall, which is now becoming a food hall.<\/p>\n
$\"canary$ <\/strong><\/p>\n
What\u2019s your approach to coffee?<\/strong><\/p>\n
To make a welcoming environment first. Barista skills and coffee knowledge will be tools that we can use to help people connect to our product, but not our raison d\u2019\u00eatre. Our offerings will include coffee flavors that span the range of what coffee can display: dark, aromatic, fruity, balanced, etc. I\u2019m completely exhausted with telling people which coffees I like, let alone which coffee they should get off a menu of light-roasted coffees when they expressed another preference. Instead, we\u2019ll try to celebrate many coffee styles. I\u2019m totally freaked about the future of coffee. I hope that a larger menu of coffees will allow us to convey the message that all coffee has value.<\/p>\n
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Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?<\/strong><\/p>\n
La Marzocco Linea PB<\/a>, Mahlk\u00f6nig<\/a> EK43 and PEAKs, Curtis<\/a> brewer and two Gold Cups, Optipure<\/a> water filtration\u2014good tools to get the job done. Madcap Coffee<\/a> and Snowdrift<\/a> are two roasters we will work closely with. Our hope is to work with Ant and Rita at Snowdrift to select some coffees that they will roast for us (that\u2019s their model, not something we asked for).<\/p>\n
How is your project considering sustainability?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Sustainability has many aspects. We will of course be looking to compost, and our roasting partners have commitments to sustainability in their operations. We\u2019re also interested in the sustainability of coffee, and as naive as it may sound, we hope that by charging more and paying more for coffee we can contribute to a more equitable coffee supply chain. Finally, we have goals to try and make someone\u2019s time as a barista as sustainable as possible. However, we can\u2019t do any of that without a sustainable business first, so we will be looking to wow as many customers as possible, with the idea that without profitability we are unable to contribute to wider sustainability goals.<\/p>\n
$\"canary$ <\/strong><\/p>\n
$\"canary$ <\/strong><\/p>\n
What\u2019s your hopeful target opening date\/month?<\/strong><\/p>\n
July 2019<\/p>\n
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and\/or creatives that you\u2019d like to mention?<\/strong><\/p>\n
Andrew and Marysol Whitcomb are our design team.<\/p>\n
Thank you!<\/strong><\/p>\n
It\u2019s super scary to put Canary, as we call it, and all these ideas out there. However, we hope to have a place in the specialty coffee world, and we\u2019re excited to be part of a generation of coffee shops that are looking ever forward. I sincerely appreciate the interest.<\/p>\n
$\"canary$ <\/p>\n
Canary Coffee Bar is located at 720 N. Old World 3rd St., Milwaukee<\/a>. Visit their official website<\/a> and follow them on Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/div>\n
The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our\u00a0Build-Outs feature hub<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
Photos by April Larson<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Canary Coffee Bar In Milwaukee, WI<\/a> appeared first on Sprudge<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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