Looking for a good spot to set up your laptop and get some decadent ice coffee? Want to do your grocery shopping and pick up a bit of tea on your way out? Want a cute little breezy location to meet with friends? Sparrows Coffee & Tea in Kingma’s Market has it all. The darling new second location opened on July 14th, and how can you not be obsessed with these millennial pink chair legs?
Sadie II Barstools in Light Pink and Natural - explore our Color Finder Brochure for more metal finish options
Sparrows has been on the Grand Rapids scene serving delicious coffee and pastries since 2007. The older location on Wealthy Street in Eastown has a cozier vibe with dark wood floors, eclectic wall art, and a warm brick wall. This new space has white walls, light wood on the barstools and counter, and polished concrete floors, creating a distinctly modern look.
We spoke with Jacey Schacter of Metric Structures about the process of bringing the location to life. "The existing building was an old greenhouse," she told us. "We had to update it quite a bit." They also had to find a way to turn what used to be the back of the building into an approachable and welcoming part of the street. We think it worked perfectly!
When it comes to working with small areas like this former greenhouse, Schacter emphasized that small spaces are capable ones. "It’s hard to imagine a 500 square foot coffee shop but that’s what this is, and they’re doing plenty of volume out of there," she said.
There are so many details to adore in this new café: the brass accents on hanging globe lights, the lighter natural wood wrapping around the counter and bar, and those gorgeous green tiles inside tall arches behind the baristas. Sparrows is bright and the garage style doors across from the counter can be opened on a nice day, making the coffee shop feel much larger. There is also an outside seating area lined with evergreen trees, cutting it off from the bustle of Plainfield Avenue.
Sadie II Barstools in Light Pink and Natural - explore our Color Finder Brochure for more metal finish options
Metric Structures was proud to partner with lots of local vendors, like us here at Grand Rapids Chair Company. Of course, we have to talk about those adorable Sadie chairs and barstools. The pink color looks absolutely lush on those wider legs, and pairs perfectly with the green tiles on the arches. This powder coat comes from the Color Finder Program, where there are 150 additional metal finish colors on top of the standard 28 we offer. It’s an excellent choice that makes this coffee shop really pop both in these fabulous photos and in person.
We love this new take on the same great Sparrows experience. If you’re in our neck of the woods, we can’t recommend this spot enough to try one of their house made chai lattes or espresso concoctions. You can walk into the coffee shop via a door located inside Kingma’s or come in right off the street, and is open daily from 7am to 4pm. Tag us on your social to let us know you stopped by!
All images via Stacy Feyer-Salo