Paradise meets Deco with newcomer Paradeco Coffee out of St. Petersburg, Florida. We had a chance to check out their design as they continue to build out their cafe (check back here at Sprudge for Paradeco’s Build-Outs feature!) Paradeco’s style stands out with an emphasis on the uniqueย 1920s Floridian Art Decoย vibe. Gorgeous! We spoke with founder and owner Sonya Sarkar to find out more.

img 4966

banner advertising tricorbraun flex your flexible coffee packaging partner stock bags biotre sustainable packaging custom printing one way degassing valve

Congratulations on opening the cafe! How have the first couple of weeksย been?

We were not 100% ready to open due to construction still being done but we got to the point where we just needed to get open so given that, the first couple weeks went very well! We learned a lot and adjusted accordingly and are still fine-tuning things. But luckily our entire team is amazing and has done such a great job! We are also fortunate to be busy from day one with very little marketing (aside from social media). St. Pete is all about supporting local, which means the world to us!

img 5091

Your shop is gorgeousโ€”tell us about the Art Deco design elements and styleย you’re going for.

We knew from the beginning that we wanted to create something truly unique. Theย โ€œParadise meets Art Decoโ€ theme was our idea from day one and luckily it panned outย amazingly, thanks to the help of local companies such as Hype Group that did ourย branding, Boyd Construction that did our build-out, and Place Architecture that designedย our interior. We wanted very bright and fun colors, not only to reflect the types of coffeeย we serve but to compliment the downtown St. Pete area, which is very vibrant and fun!

We also made sure every detail was coveredโ€”we imported a multi-colored blue and greenstone on our coffee bar, custom branded our to-go drink cups, and worked with NYC-based ceramic artist Josephine Noel from Recreation Center to create customย ceramic service mugs. We also build a massive merch wall to sell our custom Katinย shirts, Corckcicle tumblers, Fellow thermosโ€™s and coffee canister, and our whole beanย coffee!

We love art deco because of the curves and arches, which you can see throughout ourย shop. The โ€œparadiseโ€ theme came about because both Tom and I love all things tropical,ย which is why we have a plant wall with over 150 live plants! St. Pete is also paradise toย us so it all worked out.

paradeco 5lb bag

advert but first coffee cookbook now available

 

Your website and branding isย literally award-winningโ€”who did you team up with to create your look?

We teamed up with The Brand Collective, based in Miami, to build out our website andย e-commerce. We interviewed with several different companies, both locally andย nationally, and The Brand Collective stood out to us based on truly understanding ourย vision, being extremely responsive, and have a great aesthetic eye. They also work withย several companies in the service industry and have won several design awards for theirย work!

paradeco small bag sample

You recently launched fresh merch including whole bean coffeeโ€”how manyย coffee offerings do you currently have?

We have four origins currently: Peru, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala. We will have a consistent rotation of four to five different offerings.

Your packaging shares the Paradeco color paletteโ€”tell us about the colors.

Like our space, we wanted our coffer bags to stand out as well. Have a holographicย effect was a must, only because I (Sonya) have a weird obsession with all thingsย holographic and iridescent haha! We also wanted to tie in our branding with the palms,ย blue tones, and pink.

What information do you share on the bag?

We share the region, producer, elevation, process, roast profile, flavor notes, the date itย was roasted, and brew method recommendations such as how to brew if you use aย Chemex vs AeroPress.

paradeco 12oz bag alt

What kind of bag is it?

Our bag was produced by Savor Brands, who was awarded โ€œBest New Product in Packagingโ€ by The Specialty Coffee Association at the 2019 World of Coffee.

Where is it availableโ€”will it be available online?

We are currently working on our e-com website, hoping it will be live in the next fewย weeks!

paradeco pink shirt front

How should we spend a perfect day in St. Petersburg?

On a sunny Saturday morningโ€”first, stop into Paradeco for coffee and brunch! Take in all the good vibes, food, and overall ambiance. Then, walk right down the street from us to the brand new St. Pete Pier, voted top 3 in USA Todayโ€™s Best New Attraction of 2020.ย Grab a beer from Hops and Props and head to the park or beach on the pier OR checkย out live music at Doc Fords and get your fix of tropical cocktails! Then take a scooterย from the Pier to Central Avenue for some shopping! You will find tons of well-curatedย local boutiques (shout out to Ashe Couture, Shoreline Sugars, and Atlas!) and shops forย miles on Central. If you get hungry and thirsty grab a bite and a beer at the new Grandย Central Brew House or Intermezzo for great cocktails. For dinner, check out Wild Childโ€”trulyย amazing and unique food and drinks. If you still have energy after dinner, watch liveย music and aerialists at theย Floridian Social Club and call it a night!

img 5090

Perfect! Thank you!

Coffee Design is presented in partnership with Savor Brands. Explore Coffee Design archives at our exclusive Coffee Design hub.ย 

New Rules of Coffee banner advertising an illustrated guide to the essential rules for enjoying coffee