Cedar Coffee Co + SpokeNGear Cyclery and Outdoor
Nestled in the woods just north of Highway 61 in Two Harbors, MN, this warm, inviting building has quickly become a sanctuary within the community. Placed within the cedar trees, the building embraces the natural qualities of the site and blends in through the use of natural materials and expansive windows. The site design preserved as much of the natural landscape as possible which has continued to fill back in since the project’s completion.
The building is a combination of three separate businesses - Cedar Coffee Company, SpokeNGear Cyclery and Outdoors, and a fabrication space. The building consists of two distinct wings with interior design that reflects the nature of each business. The bike shop / fabrication space consists of industrial metal finishes and the coffee shop is complete with warmer cedar lap siding. The prominent shed roof slopes towards the exterior courtyard and creates a covered, welcoming entrance to the spaces.
The bike shop and fabrication space take advantage of the gently sloping roof, utilizing windows above eye level for indirect natural light throughout the day. The front facade windows also add to pleasant working conditions with continual daylight and views to the outdoors.
Across the courtyard, the coffee shop features a cedar ceiling milled from trees felled on the site during construction, warm Douglas Fir millwork and sustainable Richlite countertops. The seating area in the coffee shop is lined with floor to ceiling windows that blurs the line between indoors and out. Spilling out to the back of the site is a patio featuring modern, sustainable, furniture made locally by Loll Designs that enhances a patron’s experience of this wooded hidden gem.
This project was imagined by a dedicated and thoughtful family of entrepreneurs who have given much to their community and embrace innovative ideas which are reflected in the design and setting of the building.
SpokeNGear facing shared courtyard with Cedar Coffee Co.
Main entrance of SpokeNGear and Cedar Coffee Co.
Photo Credit Andrea Rugg Photography
project completed as part of the CF Design LTD design team