New Serafina Coffee Shop On 7th Avenue Unites Local Businesses With Local Teen Artists
Phoenix Center for the Arts has announced a collaboration with Local Studio and Serafina Coffee Roasters, which collaborated on the newest Serafina location at Seventh Street and Fillmore.
Owner Damian Serafine was learning his trade as a barista in the 90’s at the first valley coffee shop, Coffee Plantation. He opened his first coffee cart in the Valley in 1994 and, since then, has added several coffee concepts to his resume, including One Coffee Co. and the original Serafina Coffee Roasters location at The Luhrs Tower. Damian’s second Serafina Coffee location, which celebrates its opening with a ribbon cutting on September 27 at 9:30 a.m., expands on Serafine’s mission to provide hand roasted coffee at fair price, while creating a community focused gathering space.
Local Studio – known for community focused innovative design-build projects – was seeking an opportunity to engage the neighborhood arts community in a meaningful, lasting way. They enlisted the support of developers Howie Cassett and Keith Ricker, who offered a $5,000 donation to Phoenix Center for the Arts’ Teen Artist Guild to create a mural for the building’s roof. The young artists, and muralist guide Lalo Cota, were commissioned for the project.
The building features a technology driven mirrored stainless steel canopy floating over the roof. Over 500 individual steel pieces reflect the mural casting shadows that change with the light throughout the day.
“We hope this building becomes a gathering spot the neighborhood is proud of,” says Local Studio Founder Brian Stark. “This project demonstrates art doesn’t have to be static. By incorporating the environment, the user experience is unique and continuously changing.”
Serafine states, “From inception this was a collaborative effort with a singular vision: a one-of-a-kind placemaking space, showcasing community talent, great coffee, and an experience that changes each hour.”
“It’s incredible to have community partners that value creative and artistic development as a means of community growth,” says Phoenix Center for the Arts CEO Lauren Henschen. “By engaging our Teen Artist Guild, Local Studio and Serafina have provided a meaningful professional development opportunity for several young community artists, who are just getting started on their creative journey. The funds provided by Local Studio allowed us to not only provide our teen artists with an honorarium for their work, but will also enable our organization to continue funding great programs like the Teen Artist Guild throughout the year. That’s an amazing impact with a wonderful ripple effect throughout the community.”
