Hufft Projects brews design for Roasterie expansion

On the heels of its 23rd birthday, The Roasterie is growing its footprint on 27th street. Founder Danny O'Neill is rolling out plans for a 3,000-square-foot expansion project for the cafe that will add a new in-house bakery, theater, and coffee history section.

“This is an exciting time in our company’s evolution,” says O’Neill, who built the company from a single roaster in the basement of his Brookside neighborhood home. “The initial expansion phase will enhance the engaging, interactive and intimate experience The Roasterie crew has created for customers over the years and also brings full circle our passion for discovering the world’s best coffee. Matthew Hufft and his team have perfectly captured the essence of our brand personality.”

The cafe added its own signature mark on the area 2012 when a DC-3 aircraft was hoisted atop the roof, fixating itself as a new, unique piece of the Kansas City skyline. Now, Hufft Projects will bring that brand to life inside the space. In the theater, special design considerations transform movie-goers into passengers on a serene early-morning flight toward the sunrise.

Additionally, the cafe will gain a new tenant. Baked in Kansas City is a popular Westport bakery that already supplies The Roasterie's Factory cafe, but plans to add an 800-square-foot wholesale bakery.

The first phase is slated to be complete in early Spring 2017, while the second phase will open in two years and include an overhaul of the current cafe and retail area.