Milwaukee Caffè
Designers | Ashley E. Davidson & Citizen Creative
Location | Detroit, MI, USA
Launch date | June 10, 2020
After decades of abandonment, a 200sf storefront in the heart of a Detroit neighborhood is transformed into Milwaukee Caffè; a modern take on the classic Italian espresso bar with a new breath of life and the open arms of hospitality. This would be the first building in the neighborhood to open without bars on the windows, or obscured security glass, in decades. The message: you are safe and welcome here.
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We only had 200sf to work with. So we blasted out the street wall, raised huge windows to create a sense of opening to the outside, and began to plan a design for a walk-up or drop-in kind of place that could feel like a little sanctuary to break up the day and bring all kinds of folks together. We packed the interior with rich and diverse textures. We installed a Venetian Plaster wall in sage green and covered any remaining drywall with panels of wood designed to abstractly reflect the M in Milwaukee. On one interior brick wall we kept the 100 plus years of scars visible, an homage to the building’s history. Our color palette reflects a feeling of abundant life through the range of natural greens and calming tones, highlighted by pink and gold. Our desire to make the shop visible and open to the street, led us to design the space with stage design principles in mind. The lighting puts the service area on display, while the backdrop is soft and considered as a frame for the menu and signage. Every square inch of the experience feels considered, and each patron feels well cared for as a result.
Two weeks prior to opening in March 2020, the Covid-19 shutdown began. Luckily, we’d added that giant cantilevered window to the facade, allowing customers to order from the sidewalk while baristas stay indoors. Milwaukee Caffè was able to open for curbside guests in June 2020
