A local coffee shop that is dedicated to bringing Nordic coffee culture to Tucson, and once held the honors of “Best Coffee in Arizona” by Food & Wine magazine, is expanding.
Presta Coffee Roasters, which is currently located at 2502 N. First Ave. and at 100 S. Avenida del Convento Ste. 180, is opening its newest location at 501 E. Ninth St. on Friday, April 16.
The new spot, which is a 100-year-old building, used to be a gas station named Jerry’s back in the 1920s, and converting it into an additional Presta location has been a three-year project for owner Curtis Zimmerman.
“Inside, the building has history on the walls and kind of still has the same structure,” said Zimmerman. “I’ve always wanted to have like a ‘gas station coffee shop’ but still keep it in the theme of vintage.”
When it comes to the new spot — and the other locations in Tucson, too — an easy route for cyclists to stop by is a must.
“Everything I do is kind of related somehow with bikes,” said Zimmerman. “Like at Mercado San Agustin, the bike trail allowed people to pull up. Cyclists always look for destinations to ride to, and that’s one of them.”
The interior of the building, which is decked out in exposed brick walls and wood panels, has space to enjoy your coffee, but there’s also room to take advantage of the cooler mornings out on the patio.
Plus, they’ve got pastries from local vegan baker Houlden’s Rise Above to accommodate your drink in hand.
Zimmerman also got approval from the city to invest in the former upholstery shop on the opposite end of the building, which is where he’s planning to relocate his roasting operation.
At the moment, the hours of operation are 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily.
Presta Coffee Roasters is located at 501 E. Ninth St. For more information, visit prestacoffee.com.