If you visit Crystal Bridges in the next few weeks, you will notice construction under way around the Coffee Bar at Eleven. Located just off the main lobby, the Coffee Bar and its accompanying seating area have become popular places for Museum guests to rest and renew between galleries, grab a quick bite to eat, or enjoy a custom-made coffee beverage while they take in the view of the Museum ponds and architecture.

The bar has become so popular, in fact, that it needed to be upgraded to handle the volume of business and to provide guests with the quality experience they have come to expect from Crystal Bridges.

The new Coffee Bar was designed by Marlon Blackwell, the architect who also designed Crystal Bridges’ Museum Store, fixtures for the temporary exhibition store, and the Guest Services desk in the south lobby. As in those areas, the new Coffee Bar features a sleek design and incorporates the same walnut cabinetry and white countertops. The design also provides  extended counter space on the guest side and improved functionality on the baristas’ side.

Coffee Bar at Eleven, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Marlon Blackwell Architects

“This design was built for speed, accuracy, and aesthetics,” explained Front-of-House Manager Jay Dee Menchue. “We have more space, increased functionality, and increased capacity.”

The new design allows for some expansion in menu offerings, and a more appealing presentation of the bar’s wine and beer offerings, including a rack for Riedel glassware and a cold-case for sandwiches and pastries. New equipment, such as onsite ice maker, a third sink, and increased capacity for storage, will make the Coffee Bar more self-sufficient, eliminating the need for staff to restock during the business day.   While the new-and-improved Coffee Bar is under construction, guests can still get coffee drinks, pastries, Grab and Go sandwiches, and a few other items through an Express Grab and Go line at the lunch counter in Eleven.