RUST Espresso Bar has landed a location in Downtown Buffalo. Laura Anhalt and her son Patrick have decided to lease the property at 130 Genesee Street, directly next to Dog é Style. I recently wrote about Laura and Patrick’s vision for their 3rd Wave Coffee shop (see here).
Since that time the two have been busy looking for the ideal building in which to build out their caffeinated vision. Now that they have found their ideal location, the objective is to create an inspirational coffee and espresso lovers’ destination, serving up French pastries, deconstructed sandwiches and some of the best hand cranked coffees and espressos in the region. Laura has dedicated her life to food, and she and Patrick have traveled the world in search of the best cafés in order to bring thoughtful, flavorful, beautifully prepared brasserie fare to Buffalo.
The plan is to not only elevate the coffee experience in Buffalo, but to take full advantage of the building’s sumptuous offerings. “We weren’t looking for a building of this exact size,” says Laura [laughing]. “But the 2200 square feet of space will come in handy. We will now have a full kitchen, a behind the scenes office, and the ability to design a space that mirrors our culinary concept. We love the thought of being on a corner, with tall ceilings and lots of glass exposure. There’s a parking lot in back that is available to customers. More than anything else, I have been following all of the developments in this neighborhood for a long time, and we feel that this is the perfect place to be at this point in Buffalo.”
Laura and Patrick also love all of the new business that is popping up around this corner. From myriad restaurants to the Catholic Health building, there are office workers and even nearby loft residences from which to draw from. RUST Espresso is also close to Chippewa, Main Street, the Metro Rail and the 33 entrance/exit ramps. Between the newfound walkability and the growing business density, Laura and Patrick feel that their unique offerings will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. “We’re seeing a real community rise up around the corner,” explains Laura. “RUST Espresso has been a long time in the making. It’s a business that will fit in nicely within the historic building. We’re excited to introduce Buffalo to our concept. We are going to build a café that you might find while visiting NYC or Seattle – something that will be a real draw in Downtown Buffalo. If you look down the street you will see one of my favorite buildings in this city – M&T Bank (formerly Gold Dome). That, to me, is the daily inspiration to make RUST Espresso Bar the best that it can be.”
Hearing Laura discuss her heartfelt enthusiasm for Buffalo, I tend to forget that she is originally from another country altogether. While she was born in Mexico, she now (thankfully) calls Buffalo her home. The family’s world travels have become somewhat of an epic adventure, to see all there is to see, and eat and drink along the way. At long last, Laura and Patrick have set out to make their mark here in Buffalo, in a way that reflects their lifestyle and their passion for living. Their goal is to pass along their culinary passions, the best way they know how to – through food and drink. Thankfully, we’re all invited to share in this adventure moving forward.
RUST Espresso Bar | 130 Genesee Street | Buffalo NY | Facebook