Anthology Coffee Plots Move to Bigger Cafe Space in Eastern Market

As Corktown nonprofit Ponyride prepares to relocate to Holden Street near New Center, in-house cafe and roaster Anthology Coffee is readying for a move of its own. Owner Josh Longsdorf tells Eater that the buildout is underway on a 2,900-square-foot shop at 1948 Division Street in Eastern Market.

Longsdorf says the cafe will have more dedicated space for roasting and production with seating for more than 42 patrons. The layout is designed to accommodate what he describes as two types of coffee shop drinkers — those that are looking to sip coffee while working and those looking using the space to enjoy coffee and socialize.

The front seating area, which features three garage doors will be more dedicated to people coming to work on computers with a 18-foot-long walkup coffee bar with multiple stations for baristas. A second area farther to the back of the space will offer more of a full-service experience that’s “catered to people that just want to enjoy coffee,” he says, with table service and specialty drinks. It will feature a second 18-foot-long bar with 14 bar seats and 14 more seats at two-top tables.

The shop, which Anthology is designing primarily in-house, will have a a minimalist white interior. In the warmer months, customers can also look forward to an outdoor patio area.

Anthology opened on the ground floor of Ponyride in 2012 and has served as a sort of informal “concierge” and workspace for people in the building. “Ponyride has been a really great place to start on the retail end,” Longsdorf says. With the move to a more coffee-centered space, Longsdorf is looking forward to developing stronger connections with customers and growing partnerships with other businesses in the community. “Being able to focus on ourselves and not have to worry about everything else will help us build relationships with our clientele,” he says.

Longsdorf, who signed a letter of intent on the space early last year, says construction on the space is underway with rough plumbing completed and some of the walls in. The cabinetry has also already been manufactured. However, the timeline for the relocation is still uncertain. Stay tuned for more updates as the project moves forward.

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