Inside Flatiron Espresso Bar in Portland, Maine. All photographs courtesy of Flatiron Espresso Bar.

Changing a longtime Starbucks within the Hay Constructing in Portland, Maine, Flatiron Espresso Bar just lately opened as an art-centric cafe and micro gallery.

With a reputation that nods to the constructing’s distinguished wedge form, the espresso store formally opened in July, bringing European aptitude and fast counter service to the Arts District area throughout the road from the Portland Museum of Artwork.

Bathed in mild from the constructing’s giant street-facing window, the compact bar seats a couple of dozen company. The store gives no Wi-Fi and only some small tables, encouraging dialog between prospects and baristas whereas drawing consideration to rotating artwork on the partitions.

Flatiron Espresso Bar Proprietor Gary Perlmutter — a classical realist painter and longtime orthopedic surgeon — showcases his personal works alongside featured month-to-month artists.

“The [art museum] is correct throughout the road from us,” Perlmutter just lately advised Day by day Espresso Information. “There are a few galleries round us, and it’s actually type of a vibrant space.”

He famous that retail vacancies since COVID-19 had been a setback to foot visitors, although he hopes the espresso store can proceed to revive the district’s buzz.

On the bar, Flatiron gives a basic lineup of European-style, espresso-based drinks, supported by a Victoria Arduino Mythos MYG75 grinder and a 3-group La Marzocco Linea Traditional machine. A Mazzer Main grinds for Fetco batch brews.

After initially looking nationwide for a espresso roasting associate, Perlmutter determined to go native, shopping for roasted coffees from Claw Espresso Roasters in close by Scarborough, Maine, and Lay Day Roasters in West Bayside.

For now, Perlmutter appears content material to depart the roasting to others. “I don’t wish to recreate the wheel making an attempt to roast and change into one other espresso roaster,” he stated.

Perlmutter’s spouse, Rhonda Pearle — an artist, designer and artwork director with deep roots within the New England artwork scene — consults on the enterprise. The couple additionally operates the Pearl Gallery upstairs, which stays lively within the metropolis’s First Friday Artwork Walks.

The third flooring of the constructing — above the espresso store and gallery — contains extra studio area for a number of artists, including much more inventive vitality to the block.

“My husband was pondering we should always simply do it,” Pearle stated of opening the espresso store. “I believed, ‘he’s loopy.’ However he’s a dreamer.”

As for their very own inventive endeavors, Perlmutter enjoys portray with pure mild, whereas Pearle has been creating oil work for over 30 years, typically drawing inspiration from climbing journeys on Monhegan Island.

Whereas company can anticipate an open and welcoming inventive hub on the primary flooring of the Hay constructing, they need to not anticipate a string of recent Flatiron Espresso openings throughout the town.

“We actually didn’t do that to make cash,” stated Perlmutter. “It was actually to assist the neighborhood and have a neighborhood assembly area.”

Flatiron Espresso Bar is positioned at 594 Congress St. in Portland, Maine. 

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