Albany is about to get a bit more caffeinated.
Construction has begun on a new coffee shop at 1207 Solano Ave., the former location of Hal Hoffman’s notary and real-estate business. Called, appropriately, Hal’s Office, the new café is a project of Bonnee and Abraham Elterman, the owners of As You Wish, the frozen yogurt joint next door.
“We wanted to honor Hal and hope to maintain this location as a meeting place for locals to gather,” said Bonnee Elterman this week.
Read more about East Bay coffee roasters.
Hal’s Office will be serving coffee from Bay Area newcomer Counter Culture Coffee. The North Carolina-based company opened its first West Coast roasting and training facility in Emeryville this spring. (Learn more about Counter Culture coffee in our tour of the roasting facility.) Counter Culture is still only in a few local coffee shops, so Hal’s Office will stand out.
Abraham Elterman said that the choice of Counter Culture was a conscious one. Because the company’s roasting facility only a few miles away in Emeryville, Hal’s Office will be able to serve super fresh beans. Plus, their values are aligned.
“We chose Counter Culture to be our supplier because not only is their coffee incredibly tasty, but they are committed to sustainability in all aspects of growing, purchasing and roasting coffee,” he said.
While the new café will be connected to the frozen yogurt shop through the back, it will function as its own entity. The Eltermans hope to evoke a New York coffee shop, but with a friendly, modern vibe.
The debut menu will be short and sweet — think coffee, small pastries and desserts — but the Eltermans intend to expand the offerings to beer, wine and an expanded food menu within a year. The plans for Hal’s Office are in the final stages of approval from the city, and the Eltermans hope to open up shop in October.
Hal’s Office will be at 1207 Solano Ave. (at Cornell Avenue), Albany.
Related:
Counter Culture Coffee roaster arrives in Emeryville (04.23.15)
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