Open-concept coffee
Steve MacNaull, 250-470-0767
Taking inspiration from the Netflix comedy Master of None, Blenz Coffee’s newest outlet in Kelowna features a massive opening front window.
“Definitely, I stole the idea from the TV show,” said Blenz Okanagan master franchiser David McDougall.
“Aziz (the star of Master of None) and his dad sat at one of these windows in the show in New York City. I thought it was so cool that people in the same group, or different groups, could be sitting inside and out at the same time.”
There’s also the option to use the opening as a walk-up or bike-up take-out window directly onto the sidewalk.
However, McDougall admitted that would only be a novelty.
The main purpose of the window will be a unique seating area to let the outdoors in and vice versa.
This latest Blenz is in the base of the new Okanagan Centre for Innovation with an exterior door onto Ellis Street and a garage door opening directly into the centre’s lobby.
“Blenz just had to be in this part of downtown because it is exploding with 900 people across the street in the new Interior Health headquarters and 700 people in this building,” McDougall said.
David Domg is the franchise owner of the new Blenz.
There’s another Blenz franchise downtown on Bernard Avenue, which will soon be renovated, as will the one on South Pandosy Street.
In all, there are 11 Blenz outlets in the Okanagan.
The innovation centre is full of office space for high-tech companies and has also attracted food service to feed and water the workers in the building and the public.
Perch restaurant opened last week on the seventh floor roof top and Glow Juicery opened the week before that off the lobby.
Perch operator, Luigi Coccaro, will also soon open an Italian restaurant in the base of the innovation centre. email: steve.macnaull@ok.bc.ca