Residents have been keeping an eye on Spyhouse Coffee’s “coming soon” sign at Broadway and Central in Northeast Minneapolis. A week ago on September 23, the wait was over. Spyhouse opened its third location to the public.
Owner Christian Johnson had been looking for a space where Spyhouse could both roast specialty beans and serve specialty coffee drinks. He finally found his spot in the former Land O Nod mattress warehouse, renamed The Broadway, which is also home to the 612 Brewery. The official name of the new location is Spyhouse Coffee Roasters. The roaster, though, isn’t yet in residence. The 50’s era machine is being carefully restored in the back of the space on heavily reinforced reclaimed-wood floors.
Cortado with a Pumpkin Muffin. Photo by Kristin Boldon
Careful restoration and reclaimed materials are good examples of the attention to detail at the new Spyhouse. The sign on the outside is done in the style of Minneapolis Public Schools. The wide doorway and floor-to-ceiling windows make the large, airy brick and lumber space feel even more open. An extensive menu of specialty espresso drinks is just inside the door. At the register, there is a carefully curated selection of food and non-espresso items: pastries from Patisserie 46, sodas from Joia, donuts from Mojo Monkey, juices from family-farm Columbia Gorge, Kind bars (including my favorite, Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt), and more. Spyhouse baristas have had specialty training in making the artisan drinks. The beans are carefully sourced in small batches. Milk is organic from Crystal Ball farms in Wisconsin. Each drink–macchiato, cappuccino, latte, etc.–has a cup of specific size and shape. Tables and chairs are made of reclaimed wood and steel. Jonathan Gomez Whitney, who worked with Christian to design the space, said the chairs are one of his favorite parts of the new space. They look rough, but they’re very comfortable. Plus, there are plenty of outlets for laptops.
Spyhouse Central’s grand opening will take place on October 26, 2013. Their official website is under construction, but you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Spyhouse Coffee Roasters
945 Broadway Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
spyhousecoffee.com
Spyhouse on Facebook
