When Colby Barr and Ryan O'Donovan opened Verve four and a half years ago on a shoestring budget, they did all the interior work themselves, from pouring the concrete counters to driving to Sausalito, California, to buying stoneware tile. Slinging espressos for the surfers and other locals in the Pleasure Point area of Santa Cruz, California, proved successful, and soon they took over the space next door and began roasting their own coffee. By 2010 they had outgrown both spaces and, to keep up with growing demand, Barr and O'Donovan decided to expand their roasting capacity. Working with Daniel Gomez and Daniel Townsend of the Santa Cruz'based design-build firm Fuse Architects + Builders, they found space in the city's old Seabright Cannery to adapt for the new roastery. At the same time, they planned a second caf' in a storefront on Pacific Avenue, the main drag downtown. For both renovations, Barr and O'Donovan wanted to translate the honest, do-it-yourself spirit of their first coffee shop into a pair of open, daylit, industrial-modern spaces that would communicate their brand's focus on straightforward, unfussy quality.
Joining a bike shop, a surf shop, and other businesses in the circa-1914 cannery, the owners liked that their new roastery belonged to a residential neighborhood'which had been built to house cannery workers. 'It's easy to find industrial space out of town, but that's not our vibe,' says Barr. 'We're always trying to connect our business with people and include them in the manufacturing side of it.' In addition to an office, a barista training area, and a cupping room (for experimenting with brewing techniques), the 7,200-square-foot roastery includes a small ground-floor caf'.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.