Downtown Phoenix's cup is overflowing with coffee shops. However, the new kid on the block, Street Coffee, is bringing something fresh to the Phoenix coffee scene.
The shop opened its doors on the intersection of 7th and Pierce streets during the 2015 Thanksgiving weekend. It is managed by Andy Smith, who has a long history working in equipment repair for coffee shops in Phoenix, and owned by Preethy Kaibara.
Kaibara bought three historic houses along 7th Street, each more than 100 years old, with the purpose of opening a bento box fast food restaurant in the middle house. She originally didn't know what to do with the other two houses and toyed with the idea of opening a yoga studio until the idea for Street Coffee came along.
The middle house is on its way to being turned into the bento box restaurant Kaibara plans to open in late summer, and the two other buildings house Street Coffee and its coffee roasting equipment.
While the old school exterior of the buildings may hint at a similarly vintage vibe inside, Street Coffee could not be more different from expectations. Instead, the interior is modern and industrial, with a white and grey color scheme and minimalist furniture.
While the trend of coffee shops in old houses has been popular in Phoenix (think Jobot and Songbird), the sleek interior of Street Coffee sets it apart and brings in a specific kind of customer.
"It's hard to know where to go to get coffee quickly," Kaibara said. "We cater to people who want to get coffee on the way in or out of town. We just attract a different crowd than other coffee shops downtown."
Street Coffee's brew is roasted on site by manager Andy Smith. He and Kaibara have worked hard to try to perfect a smooth blend that's neither too bitter nor too bold. This in-house roasting is an important part of what sets the coffee shop apart from its competitors, according to Smith.
"We're not serving somebody else's product," he said.
In addition to traditional coffee and tea drinks, Street Coffee offers three specialty lattes formulated by Smith and Kaibara:
- The Garfield: Latte flavored with honey, mint and white mocha powder.
- The South East: Vietnamese-inspired latte flavored with condensed milk and cinnamon.
- The South West: Latte flavored with caramel, mocha powder and ground cinnamon.
I had The Garfield, and was generally impressed. The honey, mint and mocha combine to create a unique and interesting blend of flavors without being overwhelming. However, as I came closer to finishing the drink, the sweetness became a bit too much and I had a hard time drinking the last of it. It's definitely not a drink for black coffee-devotees, but the smooth blend of flavors made it worthwhile.
Kaibara described the downtown location as ideal for a shop such as this, as it brings in both urban commuters and ASU students from the nearby campus.
"Students are the early adopters for things like this," Kaibara said. "That's the crowd we're looking for."
Gave Street Coffee on 7th and Pierce a try today. I recommend The Garfield (latte with mocha powder, honey & mint). pic.twitter.com/Es6WDgk3aM
— Emily M. Zentner (@emilymzentner) January 20, 2016
Three ASU nursing students, Mariah Ohle, a junior, and Jasmine Orozco and Martine Desulme, sophomores, were studying in Street Coffee when I came in.
"It has a really chill atmosphere," Ohle said. "Unlike Starbucks, which is crazy all the time. It's a good place to study."
Street Coffee is located at 625 N. 7th Street in downtown Phoenix, and is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Related Links:
Cortez Coffee Company makes a unique debut to Tempe's coffee shop scene
Hazelrock seeks to join the friendly coffee community in Tempe
Reach the reporter at ezentner@asu.edu or follow @emilymzentner on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepresson Twitter.
