Try Blooming Bean Coffee Co.'s Locally Roasted Coffee at Bailey Contemporary Arts in Pompano Beach

Something new is brewing in Pompano Beach. Blooming Bean Coffee Co., now open in the Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, is the latest coffee shop in Broward County to serve a variety of drip, slow-brew, and cold-brew coffees made using its own roasted beans.

The coffee shop, owned by Sharon and Rick Stephenson, now has a regular presence inside BaCA's west gallery, a communal space where local artists both work and display their creations. The Pompano Beach-based business, however, offers an added perk for the community and visitors who attend BaCA's varied events and classes.

"This new partnership enhances BaCA’s sense of place," says BaCA director Sarah M. Benichou. "The venue has always been welcoming, but now there will be even more reason to visit — for the coffee — all while enjoying some of the finest art exhibits in South Florida."
The west gallery is currently set with comfy tables and chairs for guests to enjoy Blooming Bean’s locally roasted and hand-crafted coffees along with "light-bite" food pairings prepared and delivered by local culinary artisans. The coffee shop is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and during special events.

Blooming Bean does not roast onsite but in a separate facility that also serves as the couple's original on-demand coffee roasting business they founded in 2015. After years of immersing herself in the growing national coffee-roasting culture, Sharon says she hoped to find a local space where she could prepare her roasts for the public while also sharing her passion for the helping others learn more about the coffee-making process.

"There is a coffee awakening happening here in South Florida," says Sharon. "It's like coming out of the Dark Ages and entering into a Renaissance of sorts. There should be local roasters in every city, where local community can enjoy a fresh, quality cup of coffee. We are just one more, trying to make a difference."
Another type of awaking can be felt with Sharon's nitro cold-brew coffee she's named Designated Driver. The roast — a blend of several beans — offers a smooth, rich, creamy mouthfeel with none of the sour notes often associated with most cold-brew coffees. 

If you prefer a traditional drip or pour-over hot coffee, the shop offers several of the most popular varieties including Chemex and Kalita Wave.

No matter what your preference, every sip goes toward a good cause: With each cup of ethically sourced beans and coffee the Pompano Beach community purchases, the business donates 10 percent of sales to a number of South Florida organizations aimed at fighting child trafficking, including Hepzibah House and There is Hope for Me.

In addition, the Stephensons have established a nonprofit foundation they've dubbed the Blooming Difference, turning their blooming business into a space where young adults can learn entrepreneurship and startup business skills though their new coffee shop kiosk at BaCA.

Right now you can also find coffee art created by Steven Mikel, a Coconut Creek artist who worked with traditional watercolors until 2008, when he began experimenting with painting using brewed coffee. His work, full of rich sepia tones, glows with an “earthy warmth” created by systematically removing and applying layers of coffee using various absorbent materials and brushes to create the intricate patterns.

Blooming Bean Coffee. 41 NE First St., Pompano Beach; 954-284-0141; baileyarts.org.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.