Caffe Vero on Lark Street is becoming Stacks Espresso Bar
When word got around back in March that the Caffe Vero location on Lark Street in Albany would be closing, there were a lot of people sad to see the high-quality coffee spot shut down -- including one of the people who's now keeping the location going.
The shop is currently undergoing a transformation into Stacks Espresso Bar. The two people behind the shop's next life are Tyler Wrightson and Ron Grieco.
"Everyone heard they were going out of business, and my partner and I saw the potential of the place," Grieco, who had been the manager of Tierra Coffee Roasters in Albany, told us today. "It was [Wrightson's] idea at first, he was a regular customer, and he didn't want to let that happen, so he approached me."
And the pair -- both live in the neighborhood -- decided to team up to take over the space. "[The shop]'s got great equipment, great location, and the Lark Street community is awesome."
Grieco says the shop is currently undergoing some renovations, and they're working with Silverfox Salvage on a few things. Among the planned additions: A bar at which he'll be making pour-over coffees for people interested in exploring different types of coffee. "It'll be more like a tasting menu [experience] than a stop-in."
They're also planning to offer coffee from a range of roasters (both regional and national), single-origin coffees, and "interesting" espressos.
The shop is currently open. There's a soft opening for the new concept planned for this Friday evening. Grieco says they're aiming for an official grand opening under the new name in the middle of May.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Talking about coffee culture in the Capital Region
+ The macchiato at Caffé Vero
Find It
Stacks Espresso Bar
260 Lark Street
Albany, NY 12210
Say Something!
We'd really like you to take part in the conversation here at All Over Albany. But we do have a few rules here. Don't worry, they're easy. The first: be kind. The second: treat everyone else with the same respect you'd like to see in return. Cool? Great, post away. Comments are moderated so it might take a little while for your comment to show up. Thanks for being patient.
Comments
As sad as I was at the closing of Vero (nutella lattes, c'mon!!), I'm so, so happy it's staying open under new management/a new look. It's been such a caffeine godsend and you can't beat the walking distance when you're a Center Square-r.
... said CC on May 1, 2014 at 2:20 PM | link
Ron has talent and passion for coffee. I can't wait to see him fly on the fabulous equipment left by Vero.
He left some big shoes to fill at Tierra. Hopefully whoever steps up to fill them will continue the excellent progress he made at improving their espresso program.
This is great news for Capital Region coffee lovers. I'm thrilled. Congratulations to Ron & Tyler. And thank you for making this leap.
... said Daniel B. on May 1, 2014 at 5:01 PM | link
Please - Bring high-quality loose teas to Stacks for those of us who don't drink coffee! Tierra does a good job but so many shops around here stick to bagged teas. Set yourself apart by catering to the tea-drinking crowd as well.
... said Greenguy on May 1, 2014 at 6:07 PM | link
High Five!!!
... said August on May 1, 2014 at 7:02 PM | link
Greenguy, Thank you for the input. We're actually working on solidifying our tea offerings. Please come in and ask to speak with Tyler & Ron if you have a minute, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
-Tyler
... said Tyler W on May 1, 2014 at 8:51 PM | link
Tyler, I'm hoping to find Mariage Freres teas in the area, if that's ever a possibility. Last bought some in Montreal and they were phenomenal!
... said Gabby on May 2, 2014 at 10:20 AM | link
I am so thrilled by this news! Hurrah!
... said Innae on May 2, 2014 at 4:15 PM | link
@Gabby - FWIW I'm pretty sure you can get Mariages Freres at Sweet Sue's in Troy. She was bringing it in a few months ago, and I have every reason to believe that her tea program continues to thrive. It's worth a phone call at the very least.
If you reach out, please tell her I say hi.
... said Daniel B. on May 2, 2014 at 9:40 PM | link