Buddy Brew Coffee has found another home in Tampa — this time, at Hyde Park Village.
Located at 1605 Snow Ave., the 1,100-square-foot cafe is the fourth location for the Tampa Bay specialty-coffee-scene staple. It joins Buddy Brew's two outposts (including the flagship) on Kennedy Boulevard, and another in downtown Sarasota.
For owners Dave and Susan Ward, there was "no way" they could say no to Hyde Park Village, which Dave says is in its final stages of revitalization.
This latest location, opening at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, represents an opportunity to not only grow their business, but to also change someone's day.
"If you do everything right and you give people a great cup of coffee and a great smile and a great experience, they walk away happy and their day is off to the right start," Dave said. "And that's where our goal is."
The new space's setup reflects these efforts.
The cafe is centered around an open bar, where people can sit and talk with one another while enjoying a sips of signature Buddy Brew roasts and grab-'n'-go food. When people go into a coffee shop alone, they sit at a table by themselves and don't talk to anyone, according to Susan; the Wards, married for 19 years, wanted to change this.
They also chose to install, for the first time, a Modbar espresso machine, which features a tap-like design that "breaks down the barrier" between barista and customer, allowing for more interaction.
And interaction is what the owners are really after.
When Dave interviews people for a job, his most important question to prospective employees is: What business are we in? He looks for an answer with an emphasis on people.
"It's that people piece that's really transforming, and if that's right, then everything else we do just adds and adds and adds to that," Dave said.
The duo takes this idea seriously. Their motto, "Brew Good. Do Good," is laid into the tile at the front door.
"Our mission is to share joy and inspire hope that transforms our community and our world. Really, for us, it's the opportunity to make someone a fabulous cup of coffee and share a smile," Susan said. "There's so much power in that, to change somebody's day, and that's the responsibility we feel we have."
Despite road construction, the village coffee shop is almost immediately noticeable thanks to a metal cutout of the Buddy Brew logo screwed into the building's brick wall. Buddy, the Wards's dog and the brand's namesake, welcomes everyone inside for a fine cup of coffee.
Though Buddy passed away two years ago, his legacy lives on through the local roaster.
"What Buddy epitomized is exactly what we're trying to epitomize here. Friendship, unconditional love — those things that really make a difference," Dave said.
"And that's what we want to pass on to our customers," Susan added. "That same spirit of friendship and hospitality."
The Hyde Park Village Buddy Brew will operate 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
This article appears in May 19-26, 2016.