Cafenated Coffee Co. plans to open another store location in June at 2960 College Ave., the former location of Espresso Roma.
As first reported by Berkeleyside, the site is currently being renovated to bring many of the same elements as Cafenated’s original 2085 Vine St. location, according to founder and CEO Mak Jamasbi.
“This is gonna be a very cool space,” Jamasbi said. “You feel like you’re sitting in a garden.”
The College Avenue site especially excited Jamasbi because Cafenated will be able to expand its food offerings with a more robust kitchen, he said.
A Cafenated press release notes that in addition to the beverages offered at Vine Street, the new location will expand its happy hour and dinner options and partner with local beer and wine vendors. Jamasbi added that Cafenated will also partner with Berkeley’s Starter Bakery.
Some of the potential items include a variation of Cafenated’s popular avocado toast, eggs benedict, house fries, roasted fish and an oyster and crudo bar.
The “enhanced experience” of the College Avenue location will also host small classes on latte art and espresso shots so customers can replicate their favorite drinks at home, according to Jamasbi.
“People feel like they’re going to an extension of their living room,” Jamasbi said. “They make suggestions, they contribute.”
To cultivate the same community vibe of the Vine Street location at College Avenue, Jamasbi said the business plans on opening up interior space by integrating the outside environment into the design. Additionally, he plans on having a green wall and a small patio complete with a firepit.
While construction and supply chain issues may cause delays, Jamasbi remains hopeful for a June opening, especially with the decline in COVID-19 cases. He added that a lot of customers at the Vine Street location were very receptive to the expansion.
Jamasbi noted Cafenated regularly takes suggestions from customers, who frequent the coffeehouse because it acts as an “extension of the community.”
This extension also feeds into Cafenated’s mission, which Jamasbi described as supporting women farmers by selling their products directly to American customers.
“It’s becoming a space not just for our brand but the community,” Jamasbi said. “Consumers are … choosing to help those guys have a better life.”
