The 1841 coffee and espresso bar in Glasgow uses HIMACS for some Italian flair

In 1841 the Thomson Coffee Roaster company was formed, and nearly 200 years later this great coffee and espresso bar has opened – showcasing the delicious coffee and acting as a retail shop for Thomson coffee. With a mix of modern, minimalist materials, such as the solid surface HIMACS, and traditional period features like the art deco motifs and Japanese-style joinery, the owners have created a space that is calming and welcoming, whilst also maintaining a high attention to detail and with a clear design aesthetic.

As with any public space, hygiene, cleanliness, and ease of use is paramount, so the owners, Grant Dick and Russell Jenkins, decided that HIMACS was the perfect material for the countertop. It is hardwearing and resilient against almost all every-day stains such as fruit juice, coffee and red wine. HIMACS is totally non-porous and impervious and it is extremely scratch resistant, usually needing just a gentle scrub with a mild abrasive. HIMACS is also heat-resistant, due to the innovative thermalcure technology used in its manufacture.

The design of the coffee shop mixes the solid surface’s minimalism with period features within the space to represent the past and present, which ties in with Thomson's as one of Glasgow's oldest roasters, whilst staying at the forefront of the industry for so many years.

The space adjoins Glasgow's Botanic Gardens and is next door to the grade one listed building, the Botanic Gardens Garage, so these two areas have influenced some of the inspirations inside including the colour palette, art deco motifs and a nod to Japanese style joinery. The HIMACS solid surface material, in Terrazzo Classico, was the perfect material to compliment all the joinery details whilst also being ideal for the work flow, and providing a fitting link to the Italian origins of espresso itself.