Opo Coffee Bar, Roastery, and Training Center Opens Across From Kimball House in Decatur - Eater Atlanta

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A new coffee shop from the owner of Taproom Coffee in Kirkwood is now open across from Kimball House in Decatur. Opo Coffee officially debuted last week on East Howard Avenue.

Located in the former Ammazza space next door to BBQ Cafe and Kelly’s Market, Opo Coffee features a coffee bar with indoor and outdoor seating, a roastery with beans available for purchase, and a coffee training center all under one roof.

Backed by Taproom Coffee owner Jonathan Pascual, and under the direction of Chris Avirett (former head roaster for Thrive Farmers Coffee) and Jenny Burrell (former general manager of Taproom Coffee,) expect drip coffee and espresso drinks, as well as nitro coffee, chai, and special lattes. Fresh pastries and baked goods are also available. But unlike, Taproom Coffee, beer isn’t on the menu here.

Left to right: Chris Avirett (director of coffee); Jonathan Pascual (founder and CEO); and Jenny Burrell (director of marketing).

Cristina Elena

For Pascual, the ethos behind his newest coffee shop is all about the “quadruple bottom line”: people, planet, purpose, and profit. “Opo” means “yes” with respect in Filipino, and Pascual and his team hope to have a positive impact on not only the patrons of the Decatur coffee shop, but on the entire Atlanta coffee community.

One percent of sales from the coffee shop and roastery will go toward environmental sustainability efforts as a member of 1% for the Planet, and Opo Coffee will host neighborhood and charitable events in the future. The training center offers certifications for baristas throughout the Southeast from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) with courses in brewing, roasting, and barista. All of the shop’s employees will carry SCA certifications. With Opo Coffee, Pascual says, he also hopes to fill a void in Atlanta for people seeking a coffee shop open beyond 3 p.m.

Pascual first opened Taproom Coffee in 2014 on Hosea L. Williams Drive in Kirkwood, serving coffee from Atlanta roasters, craft beer from local breweries, and pastries from local bakeries around town. Taproom Coffee has since become a gathering spot for coffee and beer drinkers throughout the week, especially for those looking for a quiet place to work or read.

Open Monday - Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Limited menu during the first few weeks.

314 East Howard Avenue, Decatur. opocoffee.com.

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City Market Café in Whitefish Bay is closing, Stone Creek Coffee to take over the space - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Avalon Bakery to close flagship cafe, open new space within Jolly Pumpkin - Detroit News

Beloved Kansas City cafe closes again: ‘We held on as long as we could’ - Kansas City Star

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Mediterra Cafe to open in Lawrenceville in former B52 space - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Stay And Play Game Cafe Mixes Puerto Rican Food, Board Games And Rum Drinks In Irving Park - Block Club Chicago

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IRVING PARK — A new cafe is mixing board games, Puerto Rican cuisine and rum-based cocktails in Irving Park.

Owners Jose and Yesenia Maldonado hosted game nights at their home for decades before deciding to open Stay and Play Game Cafe, 3932 West Irving Park Road, in December. The cafe’s shelves are filled with more than 500 board games.

“This is like hosting game night at your own space. That the exact vibe we’re going for,” Jose Maldonado said. “But we can take the burden of setting up and cleaning up. You can just focus on the fun part, and we take care of the heavy lifting.” 

Stay and Play Game Cafe Owners Jose and Yesenia Maldonado.

The Maldonados met in college in 1991 and quickly discovered they shared an affinity for card games, board games and dominos, Jose Maldonado said.

They’ve continued that love over the past three decades, inviting family and friends to their home to play.

“It’s funny because in both of our families, the range of board game knowledge varies,” Jose Maldonado said. “From ‘Hey, I only know Monopoly’ to ‘I’m a 50 level paladin in Dungeons and Dragons.’ Everyone loves it.”

They settled on combining their love of games with their new restaurant and found their location on Irving Park Road. The bar was Independence Tap before former owner Geroge Lacon retired, putting the building on the market in 2021.

Jose and Yesenia Maldonado closed on the property in November and renovated it with Perpetuum Designs’ Cristiana Crin. 

They removed things that were blocking the front windows to let more natural light in, and they used bright colors to better reflect their Puerto Rican heritage and love of board games, Jose Maldonado said.

“This is a restaurant first with great cocktails, local craft beers, bottle service and fun board games,” he said. “We really wanted to be a beacon of light for the area.” 

Credit: Alex V. Hernandez/Block Club Chicago

Stay and Play Game Cafe’s interior on Dec. 29, 2022.

Credit: Alex V. Hernandez/Block Club Chicago

A group of players at Stay And Play Game Cafe engaged in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign Dec. 29, 2022.

The menu includes tostones, Cubanos and jibaritos. Cocktails include mojitos, hurricanes and El Zombi, a black and white rum blend with triple sec, orange juice, lime and grenadine.

The duo put up shelves of board games and created a selfie wall with the cafe’s logo. They have other playful touches, like large chess pieces and a mural from local artist John Vergara.

“He sketched something up in 15-20 minutes that felt directionally and spiritually on point, and we went from there,” Maldonado said. “You can see Chicago and Puerto Rico and board games all intertwined in it.” 

Stay and Play has hosted a few “Dungeons and Dragons” sessions for a local group, and the Maldonados plan to host game nights where people interested in more niche games can drop by and learn the ropes, he said. 

“The other day we had one table playing one of those heavier games, ‘Champions of Midgard,’ while we had another table playing a mid-level game, the wait game of ‘Splendor,’ and another table with a party game called ‘Raise Your Goblets,’” Jose Maldonado said. “We support the gamut of games.”

Stay and Play is open 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. 

Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”:

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