Beautiful design, whether it’s Irish or international, never fails to cheer me up. So, when I take refuge from the rainy streets of Galway into the upstairs craft shop at Coffeewerk + Press, and find myself surrounded by Falcon pie dishes, Galway based Tweed Project blankets and Rian Poortvliet gnome prints, I sip on a perfect flat white and note how my mood shifts in a considerably more positive direction.
Coffeewerk + Press is the passion project of Daniel Ulrichs, whose family have owned and run the toy shop Wooden Heart in Galway since the late 1970s. Initially, Daniel set up this little sister company as a publisher for postcards and prints by local artists, which they still exhibit and sell today. He expanded the business to open the coffee and craft shop in May.
“It’s about starting a dialogue between the customer and the design pieces,” Ulrichs says. “Even if they don’t buy anything, it’s nice for people just to be around these beautiful things.”
I sit on the bay window on the second floor, looking out over a rain splattered Quay St. A vintage sideboard, complete with record player, sits under a slate fireplace and spins Bob Dylan’s Shelter from the Storm. It couldn’t be more appropriate. Gestalten books such as I Am Dandy and Delicious sit alongside the Ard Bia cookbook on a display to my left.
Homeware and jewellery by Dutch design duo Onshus catche my eye, as well as the handmade soy candles by Californian PF Candle Co. The Rian Poortvliet gnomes are framed and hung over vintage filing drawers, and bespoke shelves, designed by Ulrichs and a friend especially for the space, are the object of admiration on my instagram feed when I post a pic.
Downstairs, their baristas make coffee using beans from The Barn in Berlin and Copenhagen’s Coffee Collective, both of which are available to buy by the bag, alongside Irish apple juice and a selection of the speciality tea that Coffeewerk + Press also serve. My flat white is faultless. It’s the right strength of coffee topped by the correct amount of milk. Bravo!
At the moment, the business is focusing on their coffee, but they are serving a few buns and cakes supplied by Ard Bia just a few minutes away. Coffeewerk + Press’s winter hot chocolate (€3.50) looks extremely special, too. It’s made from a combination of organic hot chocolate, dark chocolate, black pepper, cinnamon, sea salt, chilli powder and hazelnut syrup. Woah.
Recently, Coffeewerk + Press held an event where they brought the Coffee Collective over to Galway from Copenhagen for a Saturday-afternoon cupping class in the shop. They hope to do a small number of events such as this throughout the year, highlighting suppliers in coffee and craft that they admire. Keep an eye on their facebook page for details of all future events.
