Honolulu Coffee Archives - Page 54 of 74 - The Curb Kaimuki

Santa Fe, New Mexico is a truly magical place, and not just because they put chiles on everything, though honestly that would be enough. A unique mix of artists, cowboys, mountains, and Pueblo architecture, Santa Fe is unlike anywhere else in the world. And in recent years, a thriving coffee scene has begun to blossom in the New Mexican desert, a place whose claim to coffee fame up to that point was putting butter in an otherwise good cup and calling it healthy.

In the center of this newfound, non-bulletproof coffee resurgence is Iconik Coffee Roasters. When we profiled Iconik a few years back, we were taken by their ability to straddle the divide between third wave sensibilities and old school coffeehouse charm. And this new location—their third—continues to find that balance, feeling like a modern cafe (replete with some serious gear) but also completely like a Santa Fe coffeehouse. But there’s no bulletproof coffee at this new Iconik; you’ll just have to go to one of their other two locations to get that part of you Santa Fe experience.

As told to Sprudge by Sean Ham.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Founded in 2013, Iconik is a third wave coffee roaster based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We operate three cafes in town and provide coffee to hotels and restaurants throughout the state. We roast on a 1927 Otto Swadlo that we’ve modified to roast to modern standards—variable drive fans, drum, and other modifications to roast tasty coffee. We believe that from seed to cup, everything matters. In each of our cafes we strive to brew the perfect cup, integrating new techniques and technologies and teaching methods to bring our customers the very best. We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, bake our own bagels and pastries, and anything we can do ourselves, we do.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We were in search of a new location close to downtown Santa Fe that was truly unique. When we came upon an abandoned building from 1926, we knew we’d found it. Located next to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, ICONIK LUPE represents a variation on a theme for Iconik. Whereas the main Iconik’s aesthetic is Mid-century Modern meets Industrial Revolution, ICONIK LUPE is Art Nouveau/Art Deco meets Industrial Revolution. We incorporated found items and architectural design from the original building and added fixtures and furniture from the 1920s to the 1940s from an employee antiquing trip through Texas in late 2017. As much as we were able reuse and repurpose, we did, down to the 2×4 studs saved from demolition to be used for any new framing. Our barflow was designed to remove walking time for our baristas, allowing them to spend more time connecting with our customers. Our espresso machine was built on a cart for easy roll out repairs when needed. For our by-the-cup coffee, we incorporated the new Modbar AV, programing it to brew 320 gram full cups of coffee in 2-3 minutes at equal to or better cup quality than our pour-over method (which would take 5-7 minutes per cup). We have two filtration systems, one for brewed coffee, the other for espresso service, allowing us to dial in our water to our brew method. In short, ICONIK LUPE represents the sum of all of our learning from the past five years.

What’s your approach to coffee?

To connect our customers to their coffee, community, and each other. For sourcing: selecting the finest coffees available and creating direct relationships with our partner farms. For roasting: roasting with enthusiastic detail to ensure that each bean’s varietal, soil condition, altitude, and harvesting method come through in each cup. Brewing: forever refining and improving our methods to offer an extraordinary experience and extraordinary cup quality to our customers.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Slayer Steam X two-group. Modbar AV. Marco MIX PB3. Two EVERPURE CONSERV 75E RO systems.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

Already opened Jun 15th!

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Yes! We tried to use as many customer craftspeople as possible. Michael May with Traveler Fine Furniture for all finish woodwork and cabinetry, Alex Barrett and John Stump for welding. For much of the buildout, painting, and fit and finish, we involved our staff to help put the finishing touches on the space to make it their own, down to plasma cutting and rolling the waterfall edge on the front of our steel counter top.

Thank you!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Iconik Coffee Roasters In Santa Fe, NM appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Never underestimate humans’ fundamental desire to take something simple and completely overcomplicate it. Granted the overcomplication is often impressive in its design, it is still wholly unnecessary. Take for instance IBM’s newest patent for a coffee drone, a creation that not only takes the act of transferring a cup of coffee from one person’s hand to another person’s and adds flying machines to it but is also said to predict which random strangers it sees need a coffee.

According to CNBC, IBM has secured the patent for a coffee drone that can deliver a pre-ordered coffee to an “office, cafe or event setting” using “facial- or voice-recognition software, an electronic ID tag or Bluetooth from a person’s smartphone ensures the coffee gets to the right person.” Calling out the name of the person who ordered the coffee is so 2002.

More than just delivering coffee, the drone will also “predict” who needs a caffeine boost in rather terrifying ways:

Yeah sure, I’ll give over my entire medical history to a bot controlled by a mega corporation just so it can tell me if I need coffee, something I’m completely unable to figure out myself. What’s the worst that could happen? And PS: IBM, you don’t need all those fancy widgets to know if I’ll drink another coffee. The answer is always yes. Just ask the nice people at my local grocery store handing out really terrible coffee. I’m always game.

For what it’s worth, this drone technology is also being considered for use in bars to keep from serving alcohol to already drunk individuals or minors, so that’s cool I guess. Again, things a responsible and attentive bartender can easily do without lasers or biometrics or medical histories, but kinda cool maybe.

Don’t expect to see this technology buzzing overhead, spilling hot liquid on passersby thanks to an untimely gust of wind any time soon, though. According to Ryan Calo, a University of Washington School of Law drone expert, “It’s a combination of technology that is ready for prime time and technology that clearly is not ready for prime time.”

For the time being, we’re going to have to decide for ourselves is we want a coffee and use our own stupid legs to go get one like a bunch of saps.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post IBM Wants To Use A Drone To Predict When You Need Coffee appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

The 2018 Build-Outs of Summer has been all about repeat appearances. We’ve seen roasters, cafes, and individuals all making their second appearances in our little summer series, and we are here for it. Today’s entry falls right in line thematically, with Share Coffee Roasters in Amherst, Massachusetts. Back after a three-year hiatus, Share is here to show off their brand new space in Amherst Center, and it somehow both elegant and cozy. But don’t just take my word for it, have a look for yourself.

As told to Sprudge by Lucas Smith.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Share started with the mission of bringing the best coffee to the hands of our costumers in an accessible and easy way. In the Pioneer Valley everyone knows their farmer and has farm shares, we wanted to create a way to have that same experience but in coffee. We work super hard and have a lot of fun sourcing, roasting, and brewing really tasty, clean, sweet coffees! Values that mean a lot to us are have fun, be nice, and always be learning.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

It’s super sick! We are so excited to share this space with the world. We feel it’s finally an accurate representation of what we are doing in coffee. We moved from our old location in Amherst that before was Rao’s (formerly Scott Rao’s roastery/cafe) and left a space that had over 25 years of history. Ken, our owner worked under Scott as his roaster and had personally been in there for the last decade so leaving the old shop was a bit bittersweet, but our new home is a beautiful, light, welcoming space that we just want to hang out in.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We do coffee the best way we know how to right now. We are really big on education for our staff. We want our baristas to have the skill to artfully and comfortably slay the coffee game! A big thing for us is being truly accessible, not just saying we are, so we work really hard to make sure we have the knowledge and the skills needed to create the most accommodating guest experience. On the backend of things we are huge on data logging. We do same day QC on every batch we roast before we send it out, to us its the only way that makes sense. But in the end of the day we just love coffee and want to enjoy it with our friends.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We have a Kees van der Westen Mirage Bastone. We are pretty stoked on our Rhinoware pitcher rinser. We use Mazzer grinders for our espresso and Mahlkönig EK43s for our FETCO batch brew. The new space also has a full kitchen that we are super excited about!

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

July 3rd

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

John LaValley: Master of all trades, builder of amazing furniture.

Sarah Ettelmen Interiors: Interior design, materials, paint selection, lighting and plants. Makes everything look beautiful.

Jason Tuthill: Tracksaw wizard

Pete Clark: Captain polyurethane

Ron Sheppard: Electrical

Jeff Pickering & Sons: Plumbing

Thank you!

We made it!!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Share Coffee Roasters In Amherst, MA appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

If you were to ask me right now to pick my favorites to win the 2024 Brewers Cup, I would Aaron Bossett and Jamaica Myres. The two 13-year-old Seattle residents are the creators and sole proprietors of StayWoke Coffee, a coffee stand in the Columbia City area that is garnering some major attention.

As reported by Seattle’s Child, the project began as a “home-schooling summer project to make some extra spending cash,” but thanks to the teens’ dedication, StayWoke may just be here to stay. Their offer sheet is simple—pour-overs are $4—but their setup is serious. A brief perusal through their Instagram finds the duo brewing single origins from Empire Roasters using Baratza Fortés, Fellow Stagg kettles, and Kalita Waves (and a very smart denim apron). StayWoke even has a digital loyalty program where regulars can earn rewards.

The response thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. Thanks to their hard work, Bosset and Myres have been able to meet celebrities like Guy Fieri and former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant, per the article. The response from the community has been equally enthusiastic, and the duo says they have long-term plans of securing funding to turn their stand into a full-blown cafe.

Ex Seahawks legend came down and supported stay woke coffee and had our delicious tea. Thank you for stoping by @marcus_trufant !

A post shared by StayWoke Coffee Stand (@staywokestand) on Aug 9, 2018 at 12:35pm PDT

But for now, you can find StayWoke Coffee at the corner of South Alaska Street and 31st Avenue South near the Columbia City light rail station between 6:30am and 11:00am every weekday. Or follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see where they may be popping up next. I’m telling you, the 2024 Brewers Cup is a wrap.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Seattle’s Child

The post Two 13 Year Olds Are Seattle’s Newest Coffee Entrepreneurs appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

If there had been a really good coffee shop in the office building where I used to work, I may have never left the corporate world to come back to coffee. Well, that’s not true; office jobs are a slow death. But having good coffee at my every beck and call would perhaps have made me forget my soul was leaving my body at an uncomfortable rate. In Burlington, Vermont, Kestrel Coffee Roasters is helping weary office workers fight the good fight with the opening of their brand new space in 1,200 employee office park.

Their full-time cafe is still in the works, but for the time being, Kestrel has being the white collar crowd caffeinated via a pop-up shop shop in the lobby of their future home. But soon enough, they will have a space all to themselves. Better get those timesheets approved early, that way you can spend a few extra but very necessary moments at the all new Kestrel Coffee Roasters in Burlington, Vermont.

As told to Sprudge by Charlotte Steverson.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Kestrel Coffee Roasters just opened this year as a roaster, wholesaler, and retailer in South Burlington, Vermont.

Co-Owners Charlotte and Johnny Steverson each have years of experience in the coffee and hospitality industries. Johnny, a licensed Q Grader, has been roasting for over five years. Charlotte is an experienced event planner and has accompanied Johnny on various cuppings, events, and classes.

Kestrels are the smallest of the falcons; they are small but mighty, which is the trait we love most about Kestrel Coffee Roasters.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

We are located inside a six-acre building at a large office complex called “Tech Park.” There are about 15 businesses and over 1,200 employees as well as walking trails (with the well-known “Whales Tails” sculpture) and a gorgeous view of the Green Mountains.

The entrance to our space will be right off a large atrium with skylights and communal seating. Our roaster (Loring S15) will be featured near the cafe behind a glass wall. We’ll bring in fun colors and a mix of wood and metal finishes to create a warm, welcoming vibe.

In the meantime, we have been open since July 2 in the form of a coffee kiosk located in a high traffic hallway of the same building. We also have our roaster temporarily set up. It’s been really amazing to get to know our neighbors and customers before the cafe even opens!

What’s your approach to coffee?

People have come to know us for sourcing really excellent coffees. It’s easy to talk at length about water temperature, extraction rates, and grind size, but at the end of the day it’s about drinking a great cup of coffee made by someone who cares.

Our job is to get that across to our customers.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Our roaster is a Loring S15 Falcon. As far as brewing and grinding goes: La Marzocco Linea two-group, FETCO XTS, Mahlkönig EK-43 and Peak grinders… and great people!

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

December 2018/January 2019.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Our branding and design firm (Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, Burlington, VT) was unbelievably creative and, among other things, came up with an incredible color palette that we can’t wait to showcase in the final space.

The architects (Scott + Partners, Essex, VT) have understood our vision from the start, and we’re just putting the finishing touches on the plans so construction can begin in September.

The counter/bar for our kiosk was designed and built by Construct Custom VT out of Montpelier, VT. Benjamin was so excited about this project and we couldn’t be happier with the result!

Finally, our landlord and contractor, ReArch. They have been an amazing partner, and we are so excited to be joining the Tech Park community.

Thank you!

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to share our story!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Kestrel Coffee Roasters In Burlington, VT appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Cuties is in trouble. The Los Angeles-based coffee shop that serves as an all-ages alternative to the bar scene for the queer community is in danger of having to shutter. With a focus on serving the LA queer community—not just those with the money to afford to buy a coffee (which as RJ Joseph’s article for Sprudge elucidates, queer community members “face higher rates of unemployment, homelessness, and poverty than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts”)—Cuties has always relied on the financial backing of supporters. But that backing is running out.

In a recent Facebook post, Cuties entreated their followers to give to their Patreon account in order to keep the doors open. As the post explains, there is a big need for all-ages safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ peoples, not just in LA but world wide. “Every week I get messages from our queer & trans kin all over the world asking us to open a Cuties in their hometown,” the post explains. The need is there but the funding isn’t always. From a Medium post by Cuties co-founder Iris Bainum-Houle:

With programs like the suspended coffee—where patrons can buy two coffees, one for themselves and one to be redeemed by a future customer in need—and the community tab—where non-Angelinos can donate to make sure everyone is able to get a beverage and feel comfortable in the space—Cuties focus is on anything but the bottom line. But nonetheless, bills need to be paid and staff compensated in order to keep this truly necessary space accessible.

There are a lot of ways you can help. You can sign up for their newsletter and pledge $5 a month to Cuties’ Patreon or you can give a one-time donation, both of which can be done here. Anything helps. And if you don’t have the expendable income to help financially, you can share their Patreon “on all of your social accounts, on your newsletter, on your event pages, send it via text or email to people you know in the community & allies! Call your family members who say they have ‘nothing against gay people.’ Ask them to put their $ where their mouth is.”

To read more about Cuties current situation and the important role they play in the community, Iris Bainum-Houle, fellow co-founder Virginia Bauman, and social media coordinator Leslie Foster have all put their thoughts to paper via Medium posts, which can be found here, here, and here, respectively.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via In Los Angeles, Cuties Coffee Serves The Queer Community by RJ Joseph

The post Cuties Coffee, Los Angeles’ Queer Community Space, Needs Your Help appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Back for a 12th year, Caffè Culture is bringing one of the UK’s biggest coffee trade shows back to London, but with a completely new look. With Living Media Events taking the helm, the reinvented show is putting a focus on the specialty cafe and is bringing some of the biggest names in the industry along for the ride. And for the first time, Sprudge is proud to be an official media partner of Caffè Culture, so keep an eye out for our coverage of the event later this year.

Happening October 16th and 17th at London’s Business Design Centre, some 4,000+ visitors are expected to attend this year’s show showcasing “products ranging from tea, artisan food, bakery and chocolate right through to equipment, technology and packaging,” per the Caffè Culture press release. Exhibitors this year include: Union Hand Roasted, Assembly Coffee, Roastworks, Colonna Coffee, and Climpson and Sons.

But it’s not just booths, thanks to a Steering Committee comprised of Creative Director Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood (Colonna Coffee), Steve Penk (La Spaziale), John Richardson (Industry Consultant), Marco Arrigo (Illy), and Nick Mabey (Assembly), this year’s event will be information driven. In four separate theaters around the event space, Caffè Culture will feature panels and debates programmed by Colonna-Dashwood and Mabey. With over 30 talks already scheduled, attendees can expect topics to include discussions on starting and growing a coffee business, sustainability, quality control, and hospitality. Caffè Culture will also feature the finals of the SCA UK Latte Art Competition as well as a sensory experience led by current World Barista Champion Dale Harris.

There’s no cost to attend Caffè Culture, but an RSVP is required, which can be done here. For a full list of who and what will be at this year’s event, visit the Caffè Culture official website.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

Top image via Caffeè Culture

The post Caffè Culture Returns To London In October appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

We’re back in Charlotte for another exciting Build-Out of Summer, this time coming from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Heading 350+ miles west towards their new home, Cafe Moka is the newest addition to an already exciting Charlotte coffee scene. The vibe is approachable but make no mistake about it, they are not skimping on the coffee quality. As a multi-roaster, Cafe Moka has upwards of five different roasters on offer at a given time, showcasing some of the best in the region (and from the other coast as well). So let’s get cozy and check out the new Cafe Moka in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As told to Sprudge by Roark Basham.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We are a multi-roaster, espresso, and  brewed coffee bar. Owned by three brothers. Roark Basham, along with Rowman and Rhett Basham. We started in 2010 in Virginia Beach, VA. We still have a shop there, on the campus of Regent University. Rowman moved moved to Charlotte in 2016, and we felt like Charlotte would be a fantastic spot for Cafe Moka. So I (Roark) moved there this spring to open and operate the shop.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Vintage Americana, worn in, repurposed materials, hand made. I myself (Roark Basham) designed the entire space from the layout, to the interior finishes. I made most of the signs and some of the furniture. I designed the various logos seen throughout the space.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We offer a menu that has something for every level of coffee palate. For the purist, we hand-brew each cup, with offerings from four different roasters daily. Fruity espresso for straight consumption or small espresso beverages. We offer a heartier espresso with more milk, and tons of flavor options. We feature matcha drinks (Swallowtail Tea), chai (Prana) and golden Turmeric, hot or iced tea, smoothies, hot cocoas, blended coffee, and coffee-free drinks. Each season we have a seasonal menu. Our most popular off our summer menu is our signature Blackberry Coffee Lemonade. We sell it, as well as our Summer Crush Teas, and our Ice Brew Coffee by the cup or growler.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We use an old La Marzocco FB-70, custom painted orange. We use Baratza Forte BG grinders, Curtis hot water tower, Acaia Pearl scales and mainly v60’s to hand-brew each cup. Right now we use Hex Coffee (Charlotte, NC), Red Rooster Coffee (Floyd, VA), Barista Parlor (Nashville, TN), and Cirque (Tulsa, OK) on brewed coffee and Dillanos (Sumner, WA) and Red Rooster (Floyd, VA) on espresso.

What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?

We opened on July 03, 2018

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

We use a local baker here in Charlotte. The company is called Whisk & Wood.

Thank you!

Thanks so much!

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

The post Build-Outs Of Summer: Cafe Moka In Charlotte, NC appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Recently, we reported on how even the smell of coffee has the ability to increase one’s mathematic acuity. Ultimately, researcher’s concluded that it was most likely a placebo effect leading to the increased scores, but still, coffee cause that placebo effect, so coffee makes you better at math. Simple as that. But there’s a new coffee on the market that claims it will actually make you smarter. Created by an actual doctor, Neuro Coffee claims that just one cup will “boost proteins in your brain that are linked to mental acuity, learning, and general wellbeing.”

According to The Manual, it isn’t the coffee in Neuro Coffee that is said to boost brainpower but a “patented antioxidant complex” called NeuroFactor added to it. And from whence is that patented antioxidant complex derived, you ask? Why, from cascara! The company claims that cascara consumption increases a protein called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and is called “Miracle-Gro for the brain.” Neuro Coffee’s website states that BDNF helps support neuron growth and repair, learning, mood and wellbeing, and metabolic health.

Sounds great, right? But does it sound $45 for a 12-ounce bag of pre-ground coffee great? Because that’s how much it would cost to buy a bag, though if you sign up for a subscription it’ll only be $30 a bag. But according to the website’s math (represented in the infographic below), Neuro Coffee is actually a steal. Based on their calculations, you can save 79%. All you have to do is assume you’ll pay “$30 – $40” instead of the $45 sticker price, compare making coffee at home (which is always cheaper) to “coffee shop coffee,” and believe that making coffee at home costs $0.00.

Maybe you’re curious, maybe you’re dubious, but if your interest is piqued, now’s the time to try it yourself. According to The Manual, Neuro Coffee “offers a six-month 100 percent money back guarantee,” and will even buy you four bags of your old coffee should you choose to go back. Assuming Neuro does not change my life forever and I’m able to take advantage of the offer, my four bags will be the most expensive Gesha I can possibly find, preferably ordered from Finland or Greece or somewhere with especially high shipping rates, because who’s smart now?

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

The post This Coffee Says It Will Make You S-M-R-T appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News

Of all the globe-spanning coffee brands out there, you are unlikely to come across one as unique as Four Letter Word. Started by a trio that met in Chicago, the coffee company began life as a roastery on an island off the coast of Turkey, where one of the owners was from. A few years later, they decided to open a roastery back in the States, and the Second City was just the right fit.

Now, in 2018, Four Letter Word is ready to open their first retail location in Chicago. The space itself is small, only 500 square feet, but is massive compared to their roughly 150-square-foot Turkish location (featured here in the Build-Outs of Summer four years ago). Tiny though it may be, the new 4LW is one of the most beautiful cafes we’ve seen this year on the Build-Outs of Summer. So let’s pop in and say Merhaba! to the brand new retail location of Four Letter Word in Chicago, Illinois.

As told to Sprudge by Ria Neri.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Four Letter Word started in 2014 in Burgaz Island off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, founded by Ria Neri, Kevin Heisner, and Eylem Ozkaya. We met in Chicago and have been friends for 22+ years.

The three of us had always wanted to start an adventure in coffee together so when Eylem moved back to Burgaz, where she is from, the appeal of roasting coffee on an island began to take shape and form. (I mean, who doesn’t want to hang out and work on an island?!)

Fast forward to 2016, we decided to spread the love and open a roasting space in Chicago, in a building called The Plant, a really smart space that houses a collaborative community of food businesses focusing on material reuse and closed loop systems.

Fast forward to 2018, the time felt right and ripe for a retail shop, finally! Yay!

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

It’s small but cozy, around 500 square feet. We were able to squeeze in seating for approximately 20 people, plus three standing tables, ideal for a quick shot of espresso.

It’s definitely a space with a very personal touch; Eylem, Kevin, and I have items that came from our own homes: books, objects, art, and furniture.

One of the best parts about our space: we are right across the street from our friends!! Cellar Door Provisions—an amazing daytime cafe and night time bistro—will be providing us with pastries and Diversey Wine—a natural wine shop (who knows, maybe our shop can host a BYONW* from across the street someday?) We are not opposed.

*Bring Your Own Natural Wine

What’s your approach to coffee?

We ask the questions: Where did the coffee originate, what’s the variety, what was the process? Most importantly, what did the producer intend for this coffee to be? We respect the role of the producer. Our job as roasters is to not alter the inherent qualities of the coffee, but to translate them to the best of our ability.

What’s your target opening day?

Hopefully soon! Targeting the end of August.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

Yes!! We are so excited to finally serve our stash of 2015 Gesha Village 1931. We travelled to Gesha Village in 2015 and got to cup this first harvest! Bought it, froze it (ala George Howell) and three years later, voila!

Also we have a juicy SL-28 Lactic from La Palma Y El Tucan from Colombia and several new lots of Long Miles Coffee from Burundi. Yum.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?

Kevin Heisner, our partner designed the space as well as provided the art for our walls.
And I would like to mention to please follow him on instagram at @shlumpr 🙂

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub.

Photos by Jude Goergen.

The post Built-Outs Of Summer: Four Letter Word In Chicago, IL appeared first on Sprudge.

Source: Coffee News