In December, I reported what to expect from Intelligentsia Venice. Last Friday, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea Director of Innovation Kyle Glanville led me on a tour of the Venice construction site with barista Ryan Willbur and company technical specialist Nick Barnett. It may be hard to imagine based on the following photos, but Intelligentsia founder Doug Zell and Glanville should open the company’s cutting-edge Westside branch by early March.

Glanville expected Intelligentsia Venice to open this month in the former Scentiments flower shop, but there was a construction delay. They discovered 30% of the wood in the walls was rotten. Intelligentsia made the structural improvements. Now it will be a quick build-out. After all, Ana Henton of MASS Architecture & Design and partner Gregory Williams designed the coffeehouse to revolve around four custom-fabricated “pods.” The structure itself certainly isn’t incidental, but it’s not the focal point. For further explanation, see the previous post.

Here’s a tour of Intelligentsia Venice, beginning on Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

Live ivy walls that follow the trajectory of the sun will cover off-white stucco walls in this entryway. The ivy will grow on chain-link. Four stalks will host white globe lights at the top. Tiered bench seating and bench tables will run along the right wall, A plateau of incandescent lights will cast a glow over customers.

It will be a natural transition from the sidewalk to the frameless glass-fronted doors that signify the entrance. A King James sized guest book will be mounted on a podium for people to sign in.

Here’s a view of the coffeehouse from the glass-fronted doors. Time to use your imagination. As soon as you enter, a barista will greet you at a butcher block counter, which will host Anisette croissants. Glanville would also like to see two muffins and a scone, but he’s not sure where he’ll source them from yet. He’s also not positive where the gelato will come from for the affogatos. Underneath the front counter, there will be a rolling chilled sushi case that will hold nighttime tarts.

Moving front to back, the left and right walls will feature scaffold-like shelving to support banks of coffee bags. Further back on the left, shelves will house retail grinders and brewers.

A concrete floor will lead to concrete steps and a concrete landing in back. You’ll find a stack of cushions. Just grab one and take a seat. A roll-up door in back is designed for deliveries and to provide circulation. Out back, the city is currently building a metered parking lot, which will house well over 100 parking spaces.

The high ceilings will continue to house four skylights, two up front and two in back. Expect dimmable lighting inside. The ceiling, exposed ducts and walls will all be painted white.

On Friday and Saturday nights, customers will be treated to spinning from the DJ booth above the kitchen. “I wanted to do a turntable in Silver Lake and everybody laughed at me,” says Glanville. “I always thought it was a nice touch.”

As for the coffee, there’s a chance Intelligentsia might not stock decaf. “It’s very difficult for decaf to be delicious,” says Glanville. “We want everything to be delicious.” As a result, skim milk is out, but you’ll find 2%, whole and soy milk.

Related Posts

1. Intelligentsia Venice Hiring and Training
2. Intelligentsia Venice Renderings Revealed
3. Food GPS Exclusive: Intelligentsia Venice
4. Intelligentsia Venice Day One
5. Public House Preview with Photos

1. Pingback: {fig. 8} « Milkmade on February 12, 2009
2. Pingback: He Wishes His Decaf Were Dead « Brave Little Roaster on February 23, 2009
3. Pingback: Intelligentsia plans a groundbreaking coffee bar in Venice Beach | Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com on March 7, 2009

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