Los Angelesโ newest Blue Bottle Coffee sits in a development that’s been in the works since 2010. Named Platform, a collection of shops and merchants in theย Hayden Tractย area of Culver City, the compound houses whatย was originallyย goingย to be the first Blue Bottle location in the cityโeven before the company opened on Abbot Kinney Boulevard and took overย Handsome Coffee Roasters.
On a recent visit to the shop I spoke to Blue Bottleโs regional director of retail Brett Garrett, who gave ย some insight on the latest location in the growing Blue Bottle empire. Opened in mid-March, now as Blue Bottle’sย fifth location in LA, Hayden Tract was an attractive choice due to the โcreative surrounding businesses and offices in this neighborhood, where we felt that our brand would be really well-received,” says Garrett. “Platform is an amazing concept as well, so itโs great to be a part of it along with the businesses here.โ As of now, Platform is still under construction, and only a few of itsย planned businesses have opened so farโSoulCycle, Loqui Taco Shop, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, and Sรฃo Aรงaรญย among them (with many more to come in the next year).
When you walk into the Blue Bottle at Platform, you may be surprised by its size. At first it appears to be a small space, and you only see whatโs in front youโthe menu, pastries, baristas, the bar, and some brewing equipment for sale. Venture a bit farther in and you take in the full space. Itโs an odd but inviting setup; the design came after theย space hadย โgone through about ten iterations,โ notes Garrett. It was designed by DCR/Super Paprika, a design group that’s worked on other Blue Bottle locations, so they were familiar with the look Blue Bottle was going for.
Wide wooden stairs adorned with cushions are there for you to freely sit on, or you can go up those stairs to reach the mezzanine, where you can catch a seat at one of the tables forย a view of the patrons coming in on the first level. โItโs your own private space, like a shelter, allowing you to get away from everyone downstairs and be by yourself,” saysย Garrett. “Itโs just one of the many ways to interact with the cafe.โ Other seating, especially if youโre looking for fresh air or more light, can be found atย the outside tables across the stairs, whichย you might pass by on your way to the top.
The brewing and equipment at this Blue Bottle is uniform withย every other Blue Bottle: everything is measured on sleek Acaia scales, coffee is ground on Mazzer grinders, andย the La Marzocco Strada EEย pumps out endless shots. Like other Blue Bottle cafes, you can also opt for espresso drinks orย their signature pour-over. If you want something to goย with your cup, a variety of ready-to-grab itemsโlike their breakfast granola bar, muffins, or even chia-seed yogurt and overnight oatmealโare available. Unlike other Blue Bottles, you wonโt find heartier food like sandwiches and salads, due to space limitations. Luckily, however, this Blue Bottle is right next door to Loqui, an already popular taco spot, which youโre welcome to bring into the cafe. No doubt the other eateries scheduled to open in Platformย willย also complement the cafeโas Garrett says, โCoffeeโs a really great product because it goes with everything.โ
For future plans, Garrett saysย this location, like all the others, will offer brewing classes and cuppings. Collaborations with other vendors are also in the works. โSoon, weโll be doing a coffee tasting with Loqui, and theyโll be doing a beer tasting here for us, so itโs going to be fun to team up with them for events.โ Along with the two-tiered cafe design, another unique aspect at this Blue Bottle is itsย One Grand Books collectionโa selection of books,ย on display and for sale, curated by โcelebrated thinkers, writers, artists, and other creative minds, [all sharing] the 10 books they would take to a…desert island,” according to One Grand’s site. Itโs a fun idea that keeps the books-coffee relationship alive and well.
Blue Bottle at Platform may be a bit quieter than the other locations, but thatโs all about to change. For years, Hayden Tract has been under construction while the surroundingย neighborhood continues to revitalize in conjunction with the expanding and highly anticipated Expo Line Phase 2 thatโs set to open May 20. Soon enough, riders on the metro line will be able to stop here and bringย their brew all the way to the beach in Santa Monica.
Tatiana Ernst is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst onย Sprudge.