On the new Belleair Espresso Co. location in Largo. All photographs courtesy of Belleair Espresso Co.

Virtually a decade after opening its first cafe in Florida’s Tampa Bay space, Belleair Espresso Co. just lately launched its spacious second location in Largo.

Cafe tables and velvet-lined chairs now fill the area the place shiny beer fermenter tanks as soon as stood contained in the constructing beforehand owned by Olde Florida Brewing Firm.

Shiny white quartz wraps round an prolonged 25-foot bar topped with a 3-group La Marzocco espresso machine paired with Mahlkönig grinders that assist baristas prove conventional and seasonal drinks.

The Olde Florida spirit lives on via remnants of the unique wood slat ceiling and 28 wall-mounted faucets behind the bar, many nonetheless pulling native craft beers alongside chilly brews, kombucha, prosecco and protein drinks.

“We purchased the Olde Florida Brewing constructing outright so we may replace it to our exacting requirements,” Belleair Espresso Co-Founder Chris Whalen instructed Every day Espresso Information. “The inside feel and look had been paramount to our imaginative and prescient.”

Stay-edge tables and potted crops deliver Florida’s lush panorama indoors, whereas a tropical foliage mural brightens a complete wall. Patio seating extends outdoors the constructing. 

Inside, head roaster Noah Logan runs inexperienced coffees bought from Royal Espresso and different importers via a 15-kilo Ambex and smaller Diedrich roaster.

“If our authentic location is craft espresso for the nation membership crowd, the brand new location is craft espresso for the up-and-coming skilled crowd,” Whalen mentioned. “Moreover providing reside music, beer and wine, the brand new location has a barely youthful, hipper vibe.”

Whalen, a former techniques engineer and product supervisor for tech corporations and present president of CL Whalen Property Group, co-founded Belleair Espresso Co. together with his spouse Cammie in 2016, opening the primary cafe in Belleair Bluffs Plaza.

The pivot into espresso was impressed by time spent in Italy as a university scholar, which led Whalen to embrace espresso as important to each day life. With a simultaneous admiration for West Coast specialty espresso tradition, the Whalens noticed a necessity for extra high quality espresso round Tampa Bay.

“After leaving the tech world, I needed to deliver a West Coast roasting ethic — specialty-grade beans and medium roasts, in addition to grass-fed milk — to my adopted hometown of Belleair,” Whalen mentioned. 

With each places drawing crowds and demand for recent roasts rising, the Whalens see vital alternative for continued retail growth.

“We’re places in particular Tampa neighborhoods which have the fitting match demographically, however much more importantly, even have the fitting neighborhood spirit to embrace what we do,” mentioned Whalen. “Our mission is to assist construct neighborhood round high-quality espresso and meals in comfy, aesthetically pleasing environments.”

Belleair Espresso Firm and Faucet Home is positioned at 1158 seventh St NW. in Largo. 

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