The Much-Anticipated Cafe Opens Today.
By Kirstina Bolton
SPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE
In May of this year, the Nashville-based coffee shop, Barista Parlor, celebrated its two-year anniversary. While neighbors and visitors listened to live music and ate their way through local food trucks during the festivities, owner Andy Mumma had his mind somewhere else. œIt took me 17 years to get to this point, he recalls during our meeting later over cold-brewed tea. œNever in my wildest dreams would I have thought in the middle of celebrating the two-year anniversary, we would be in the thick of building out to another shop.
With the help of his friend, Dan Aurebach of The Black Keys, who is partnering with Mumma on this new venture, Nashville is about to get a heavy dose of the craft coffee scene.
Located in the Gulch, bordering downtown Nashville, the new location inherits the same space (and name) as an old recording studio called Golden Sound. The original, retro sign of Golden Sound still graces the side of the building. œThat was really the first thing that attracted Dan and I to that property was the fact that that sign was still up there, Mumma says.
Don’t be fooled ”this isn’t some honky tonk or a ploy to elevate the partners’ fames in Music City or the coffee industry. œDan is a good friend of mine, we’re not trying to make a niche music-slash-coffee bar, Mumma says, œbut it is kind of cool that it’s in an old studio.
As always with Andy Mumma and his articulate hunt for the perfect equipment and styled interiors, everything down to the furniture and what the employees wear is reflective of the progressive theme inspired by his vision of the place. Unlike Barista Parlor in East Nashville, which takes on a reclaimed, heritage feel, Golden Sound leans toward a more futuristic vibe. œIt will be like a midcentury moon landing. Think rocket ships and lunar modules. Though Golden Sound is an extension of Barista Parlor, he did not want the new shop to be an exact replica of the original, and for good reason.
œI didn’t want people to refer to it as Barista Parlor West and the first location to be Barista Parlor East ”I want them to be their own thing. ”Andy Mumma, Barista Parlor & Golden Sound owner.
The flow and function of new shop, however, is like Barista Parlor through and through. With custom Slayer espresso machines, Mazzer Major E and Baratza Forte grinders, and Marco boilers ”not to mention the layers of interior design insights from local companies such as Imogene and Willie, Holler Design, Side Show Sign Company, Southern Lights Electric, and Isle of Printing ”fans of the first shop will find comfort in the attention to detail within Golden Sound. And while the food menu will stay relatively the same, expect new options for craft chocolates, macaroons and their house-made jams.
Golden Sound’s coffee bar also doubles the size Barista Parlor’s and have as many as 10 baristas on staff at any given time, also providing training grounds for future brewers and barista competitors, something Mumma has seen the need for in Nashville.
œWhen we started [Barista Parlor], we had a group of four or five of us. Now we have people sending their resumes from all over the country, coffee professionals who are willing to relocate. I think the quality of baristas has risen in town, so it’s really cool, I think we have a lot more people to take a chance on and place them somewhere. ”Andy Mumma
The biggest difference you’ll find at Golden Sound are the two Diedrich roasters, giving way to the company’s own line of coffee. œWe’re going to have essentially three companies: we’ll have Barista Parlor, and then Golden Sound and then our roasting and wholesale, says Mumma, œObviously there’s some great importers and there’s also some great producers that we know personally so we’ll try to mix and do both, and hopefully grow and evolve as we go. Unlike roaster/coffee shops that stick to serving their own brand, Mumma plans to include their roast into the rotation alongside other familiar names.
œIt just doesn’t go with our philosophy to not serve other people’s coffee. If someone has a coffee that we feel would really compliment our offerings, then we’re going to serve it. It’s a compliment to serve great coffee even if it comes from other roasters.
And so goes the process to perfection, no matter how long it takes. œMy goal was just to have a coffee bar and have a business that we could all continue our journey and pay our bills and be happy, and it was only after we were really busy that I thought maybe there was something more we could do. Yes, I think I can agree with everyone who is a fan of Barista Parlor that the something more was well worth the wait.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kirstina Bolton is freelance writer originally from Kona, Hawaii, though currently living in Nashville. When she is not writing, she is mapping out her next adventure, usually involving some pen and paper, a camera, and the great outdoors.
