Husband and wife duo and Coffee Shark co-owners Matt Allen and Claire Hebner said they use these events to reinforce the shop’s community feel.
“I would say we have a very passionate customer base,” Allen said.
With beers from local mainstays such as Zilker Brewing Co. and Thirsty Planet Brewing Co. and coffee provided by Third Coast Coffee, Cuvee Coffee and a rotating selection of other local roasters, Allen said he does not have to look far for suppliers. Besides serving housemade sandwiches with local ingredients, the shop also serves Tacodeli breakfast tacos, East Side Pies Pizza and pastries from Russell’s Bakery.
“Why would we ship [products] clear across the country here when we can just go across town?” Allen said.
Allen and Hebner relocated to Austin 10 years ago from Seattle. When they moved to the Jester neighborhood they said they were surprised to find out the nearest coffee shop was about 5 miles away. It was a conversation that came up often among neighbors and friends, Allen said. With a close-knit community in the area Allen said it was easy to gauge interest in his idea of opening a coffee shop. It was Hebner, however, who pushed him to go through with it.
“I was at a point in my career where I was looking for something challenging and Claire basically dared me to do it,” Allen said. “She said, ‘If you complain about [Jester needing a coffee shop], why don’t you just do it?’”
Even without surrounding coffee shops a lack of competition does not stop them from trying to set their shop apart, Allen said. He created his own “Hammerhead Blend” using a mix of different Third Coast Coffee beans that are used in some signature drinks and sold in bags.
“It’s about continuing to perfect what we do,” Allen said.
Allen said he has Coffee Shark’s neighborhood customers to thank for maintaining the shop’s momentum since opening in early 2017.
“They welcomed us with open arms and we’ve been doing great from the get-go,” he said.
What is a steampunk?
Coffee Shark has two steampunk machines that make single servings of drip coffee. The machines are connected to iPads that program the temperature, water volumes and brewing times for each blend of drip coffee. Allen said he knows of no other coffee shops with steampunk machines in Austin and only a few in Dallas and Houston.
Coffee Shark Espresso + Pints
7300 RM 2222, Austin
512-505-8051
www.coffeeshark.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
