A new coffee shop concept is coming to Fort Lauderdale in 2015 and its creators claim that it's like nothing you've seen before in South Florida -- or anywhere, for that matter.
Tap 42 co-owner Blaise McMackin has partnered with Scott Ojeda to provide the city with a new kind of coffee shop. They've named it Warsaw Coffee Company, what will be a spacious, 3,800-square-foot space that includes indoor and outdoor lounge-style spaces, table and bar seating, a pastry kitchen, roasting room, walk-up and drive-through barista bars, and flex space.
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McMackin and Ojeda are most excited about the building's flex office space, rooms that can be rented by the hour or day by individuals or businesses looking to host meetings, presentations, staff trainings, and more. Each of the three flex spaces -- various sized private rooms -- inside Warsaw will be able to utilize the coffee shop's in-house printers, scanners, and fax machines.
"There won't be anything like it in Florida -- or anywhere really," said McMacking in a recent interview. "We wanted this place to have all the accoutrements for people to be able to work and do business there, while also offering a different approach to the traditional coffee shop."
Ojeda, who has worked in wireless telecommunications for the past 17 years, said he wanted to establish a concept similar to the coffee shop culture he discovered while working in Vancouver, British Columbia.
"When I came back South Florida I realized there weren't many independent coffee shops here in Fort Lauderdale," said Ojeda. "And so many of them -- even Starbucks -- are small and cramped. Warsaw will be a large, industrial chic space with lots of different options for everyone."
The building features 13-foot exposed ceilings and custom interior brick and concrete work. The idea is to create a comfortable space that is roomy without being intimidating, said McMackin.
As for the coffee: Warsaw Coffee has plans to do its own in-house roasting, but will be opening and serving a locally-sourced brew. Custom-order roasts will be made as needed by Fort Lauderdale's Argyle Coffee Roasters. The coffee shop's drink menu will feature the standard line-up of lattes, cappuccino, and espresso, but will also offer drip coffee, Chemex pour-overs, French press, and more.
In the future, Ojeda and McMackin plan on featuring and brewing small-batch roasters from around the country, and will host monthly cuppings -- special brewed coffee tastings used to measure the coffee's taste, specifically the body, sweetness, acidity, and aftertaste.
The same interactive experience can be found with Warsaw's exposed pastry kitchen, where monthly cooking classes will take place with their in-house pastry chef -- one who McMackin and Ojeda say comes with a high-profile resume out of Miami. The kitchen will produce fresh-baked goods, as well as a short menu of snack and lunch items.
The Warsaw Coffee building is currently undergoing a complete renovation from its former use as one of the city's tag agencies. That includes construction of a 200-foot-long drive-through, one that will allow for up to 11 cars to sit comfortably on the building's property. The drive-through will feature its own barista bar, said Ojeda, and will be separated from the main coffee bar as a way to keep each experience from crossing over.
"The whole idea is like nothing in Fort Lauderdale," said Ojeda. "We want people to come for the coffee, but ultimately stay for the space."
Warsaw Coffee is expected to open in February, and is currently hiring staff, including baristas. Those interested in applying can email a resume to [email protected].
Warsaw Coffee will be located 815 NE 13th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Visit warsawcoffee.com.
Nicole Danna is a food blogger 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 Clean Plate's Instagram.
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