Bandit Coffee opened Feb. 1 on the corner of Central Avenue and 27 Street S.
A bandit is more than just a masked-man looking to rob a train, according to a new coffee shop off Central Avenue, a bandit is an independent idealist, who wants to change the way people think –about coffee.
Bandit Coffee opened on Feb. 1 and is run by three, 25-year-old entrepreneurs Chris Costanza and Joshua and Sarah Weaver.
The crew has been working tirelessly, attending to the shop from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m, daily.
“Putting this place together has been difficult,” said Sarah. “We had to do everything ourselves.”
Although the team received some help from family, the 1950s building needed work.
According to Joshua, duct-tape held up the corners of the walls.
“The work has been nonstop. A lot of it wasn’t up to code,” said Joshua. “It’s amazing that we’ve gotten the kind of compliments we’ve had.”
Joshua said they want to add long tables in the front and smaller, bistro-style tables on the side facing 27 Street S.
The owners aren’t interested in expanding across the state, saying that remaining independent is an important goal.
“We’re a local business, not a corporate one, and we don’t want to get to that level,” said Joshua. “Our goal is not to spread our name in terms of location, I would rather spread our name in terms of our level of involvement in the community. We want a high level of impact, not a large number of shops.”
Anyone who walks into Bandit can get a simple order of hot coffee fast, as the baristas brew new batches every 30 minutes to keep the “hot coffee” fresh.
“For the people who want to nerd out, we have a series of single origin beans for espresso or pour over,” Sarah said. “We love to talk to people about coffee.”
“Single origin beans” signifies that every bean in the bag comes from a specific region. Since there is only one source for the beans, there are distinct differences in the taste, or notes, of the coffee.
Single origin differs from store bought coffee since those bags mix a variety of beans found in different regions to ensure consistency throughout the year.
Bandit plans to consistently rotate its coffee selection which will give customers different experiences throughout the year.
The shop has a custom-made Slayer espresso machine, in black and white to match the store’s interior design. The tables are made of steel and wood, and the space is open.
“Everything in our shop has a purpose” said Sarah Weaver, about the open and minimal design of Bandit Coffee.
The trio says that their style is minimal on purpose.
“Everything in here has a purpose,” said Joshua. “We don’t want to clutter everything up with expensive furniture. We didn’t want to spend five times more on something when we could invest less and make by hand.”
All three baristas are artists, too. Sarah and Joshua both have bachelor’s degrees in graphic design and Costanza is a musician in the local hard-core band Limbs.
They wanted to create a place that artists could work freely. Near the back of the shop, the group plans to open “Bandit Backspace” which will consist of a desk area and warehouse.
Artists will be able to rent Backspace to create music videos, a studio area or a display room.
“Coffee is an art and a science,” Sarah said.
“You have these very specific parameters that you maintain for consistency, but there is enough room to play and make something unique. You have to maintain what’s been done before, but add yourself into it.”
