We here at New Union love our coffee.
A lot. Any city we visit we are touring every third wave coffee shop physically possible. It's an obsession that transcends past drinking. We love making it, experimenting with flavors and unique drink combinations.
It's also no secret that we're big dreamers. We have a lot of crazy, unattainable vision for this city, mainly starting with this building on Columbia.
To say I am in love with this building is an understatement. There's so much potential. So much space. So much character. The windows, the upstairs loft. It feels like a blank canvas that could be painted in a large variety of ways, and we've daydreamed about a lot of them.
The cornerstone of which wouldn't be a coffee shop but a coffee lounge
The Idea
Let me paint you a picture. It's early in the morning, the sun is just starting to rise, but the atmosphere is still blue. You've settled into a comfortable couch, surrounded by warm, soft lighting (no overhead lights please). There's a vinyl record being played softly in the background. Maybe you're studying, editing your next single, or enjoying a book. You're drinking your favorite coffee drink out of a glass and you have no intention to leave.
That's the idea. In the age of to-go coffees and Uber Eats, there are few places that focus on cultivating the perfect in person dining experience. Even less so for coffee shops. It's all about getting in quickly and dashing. This space would go against that.
The Space
The vibe of a coffee shop is paramount to whether or not I return, let alone stay for an extended period. This space would be designed for you to stay awhile. It would focus heavily on soft seating. Couches, comfortable chairs, the like. Yes, there would still be bar tops and tables to meet and get work done if that's your routine. But so many coffee shops lack comfortable seating that invites you to stay awhile, break out your book, or talk with family and friends. It feels like it's designed to turn tables (which maybe it is).
There would be records playing to set the tone - intentionally picked music, no Spotify pop playlists. There would be spaces and activities like board games, books, and even a retro game room with N64s and CRTVs.
You sit down and we serve you. No approaching a kiosk, no QR code menu. Find a spot, relax, and we will bring the drinks to you.
The Coffee
Now if you're going to stay awhile the coffee needs to taste good, and it would. There would be a strong focus on experimental seasonal drinks. Things like a s'mores latte, espresso tonic, who knows. But don't get confused, this is a coffee shop. These drinks will be coffee focused and coffee forward. And they'd actually be made in smaller ounce quantities, encouraging you to try multiple drinks and stay a while.
But it doesn't stop at the drink, it's an obsession with what the drink is served in. Quality glassware, chosen for each drink, topped with garnishes. Drinks that look pretty, worthy of Instagram, not hidden in a white paper cup.
Now, can you still get a drink to go, of course. But that's not how it's designed.
Can you see the vision? We do, and it sounds like I'd never leave. Now what's the name for this coffee lounge? Well, we're not going to tell you that. Mainly because we're just dreaming anyways. This building needs lots of work to renovate it, let alone to run a coffee shop. But alas, we will keep dreaming anyways.