Coffee enthusiasts will have a new joint to frequent on Front Street as of next Monday.
Tucked under the parkade at the corner of McKenzie Street, Old Crow Coffee Co. blends an industrial and heritage feel. What used to be a photo shop is now a gathering place. Decor is simple, with a white colour scheme to balance a grey brick wall and the wooden furniture. Your eyes are met with bright photographs depicting life in Cuba, while your ears take in the sound of ambient folk music.
The cozy environment is just the start. Business partners Stephanie Vu, Tim Lajambe and Rob Mosser hope to stand above the competition by offering patrons two things – different brewing methods and high-quality coffee.
“Our drinks will be manually brewed and we’ll use methods like aero press and pour over. We really want to give the highest level of care and attention to your cup of coffee,” Vu said. “You don’t really see that in New West right now, so that’s our No. 1 focus.”
The 30-year-old East Vancouver resident said a big part of the barista-customer relationship is education.
“Some people are not familiar with these techniques, so I’m going to really try and inform everyone who comes in, be friendly about it and just have fun.”
And with only two other baristas on staff, you can expect to see Vu behind the counter every day.
Besides coffee, Old Crow also carries a full menu of fresh salads, sandwiches and baked goods (with some gluten-free and vegan options, too). If you want to know where all their products come from, you don’t need to look far. The loose-leaf teas are sourced from Granville Island, while the sweets come from South Vancouver. Coffee beans, meanwhile, are being brought in from different roasters across the Pacific Northwest.
“We really wanted to stay local because I feel this city does well when the community is supporting each other. Also, the level of quality tends to be better than buying from a massive whole food supplier."
While the shop may look small at first glance (roughly 1,200 sq. ft.), another 800 sq. ft. exists in the back. Depending on how business goes, Vu said the goal is to turn it into an area that could host entertainment or an open mic night.
The trio met while working in New Westminster’s industrial area. Vu, who’s originally from California, came to the Lower Mainland three years ago to go to school for motorcycle mechanics. Plans changed after Lajambe and Mosser offered her an apprenticeship at their hot rod shop in New West.
“I spent my early 20's working as a barista in small mom-and-pop coffee shops. Since then, it’s been a dream of mine to open a local spot I could call my own,” she told the Record.
Talk of getting into the coffee biz started just this last year, when the group began to look at locations in East Vancouver.
“Then one day, we were driving down Front Street and saw this space for lease and it kind of clicked for all three of us. We thought, ‘This is it!’ and called the realtor immediately,” Vu said.
The inspiration behind the name Old Crow comes from the group’s love of the bird and Vu’s admiration for the Yukon.
“It’s actually a small gold mining city up there, so it just rang really nice to us,” she said.
The business has been receiving a lot of good feedback, according to Vu, who added local residents have been nothing but welcoming.
The self-proclaimed free spirit isn't looking to move back to the Golden State anytime soon, despite all her family living down there.
"I'm currently looking at apartments in New West. I think when I see them in May, they'll know why I want to plant roots here."
Old Crow is located at 655 Front St. Doors will open March 9 at 7 a.m.
