THOM BARGEN COFFEE & TEA, KENNEDY STREET

Winner of the 2017 Commerce Design Awards, Sputnik was asked to design the interior of Thom Bargen Coffee & Tea’s second location at the corner of Graham and Kennedy Avenue in downtown Winnipeg.

Creating a valuable relationship between the interior spaces and vibrant sidewalk life is critical to the operation of any great coffee shop, and the installation of Thom Bargen Coffee’s second store was an opportunity to re-animate a commercial corner with a design that welcomes engagement with street life. 

The owners of Thom Bargen Coffee were interested in maintaining some of the rawness of the old sewing factory that existed in a bygone era, but wanted to create a space that was also clean, refreshing, and spoke to the wonder of a perfect pull of coffee.  The same care the owners take in choosing their coffee beans went into choosing furniture, equipment, finishes, and fixtures, and into placing these elements in an arrangement that was both highly functional and appealing to the senses.  The material pallet used is natural, earthy and authentic, and the opening up of the front façade allows an abundance of natural light to enter the store, not only inviting passers-by into the shop, but also allowing the green wall that has been installed on the inside of the shop to survive and thrive.

Photos by: Simeon Rusnak