FILL UP ON COFFEE AND GAMES AT CORAL SWORD
Game day will take on a new meaning for San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence, who is partnering with one of Houston’s biggest coffee names to open Coral Sword Games Café on Friday.
Pence, a former Astros star who resides in Houston during the off season, has created Coral Sword with David Buehrer of Greenway Coffee Co. Their shop, at 1318 Telephone, combines specialty coffee and food with indie games and comics.
Named for a recurring weapon in the “Final Fantasy” series, Coral Sword will offer state-of-the-art gaming, a gaming bar, a podcast booth and the ability to actively livestream on social media for games and tournaments. In addition, the café will offer coffee and tea, beer, wine and a food menu that includes pizza.
“Coffee and gaming are two of my favorite off-the-field activities,” the baseball player said when the project was announced in May. “I’m most excited about creating a space that combines the two. Incorporating new media into the coffee shop is an exciting way for me to bring a piece of San Francisco to Houston that keeps me feeling connected.”
Coral Sword is owned by Pence and his wife, Alexis; Buehrer; Ming Chen of “Comic Book Men”; and Sanford Bledsoe III, a barista and gamer. It will be open 7 a.m.-midnight Mondays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays.
Opening day will feature half off coffee, tea and food from 7 a.m. to midnight. greg.morago@chron.com twitter.com/gregmorago