At a time when restaurants, cafes and other small businesses are rapidly shuttering temporarily and, sadly even permanently, seeing a new venture take root is like a light at the end of the tunnel. Just this past Saturday, former local baristas Kyle McLean and Josh Brodey opened Pond Coffee, a window-service coffee shop inside vegetarian spot Small Mart located on the corner of Chartres and Port.
Before the
COVID-19 outbreak and stay-at-home mandate, McLean and Brodey had
made plans to launch their new coffee shop this spring. But the duo
adjusted quickly, working out a collaboration with Small Mart's owner
Bryant Wilms to open last weekend, keeping in accordance with local
guidelines for food safety.
Serving a small
menu of espresso drinks, from Americanos to Matcha Lattes (all made
with oatmilk), Pond Coffee is currently sourcing beans from a
selection several local and non-local roasters. "We come from a
specialty coffee background and we very much value product quality"
says McLean. "We're focused on creating a safe, familiar, and
enjoyable coffee experience in this time of turbulence and
uncertainty. Coffee is more the medium than the message."
Pond Coffee is
open Thursday through Sunday from 8:00am to 1:00pm. Follow the Pond on Instagram @pondcoffee
