WASHINGTON - With midterms just around the corner at Georgetown University, the campus is buzzing with anticipation of the newest Compass Coffee location a short distance from campus at the Historic Georgetown Theater. The DC-based and Veteran-owned Compass Coffee will share this address, 1351 Wisconsin Ave NW, with the headquarters of fellow DC-company, Framebridge.
Speaking of the new cafe’s design, which draws heavily from vintage movie theaters, Compass Coffee’s co-founder, Michael Haft, remarks, “We knew the history of the location and the importance it holds within the Georgetown neighborhood. When we started planning what the cafe would look like, we wanted to maintain a fidelity to the original theater while adding some familiar and decidedly Compass Coffee elements into the space.”
The cafe features exposed brick running along the southern wall of the room and a large bar, arranged in a half-circle, with a “Compass Coffee” marquee spanning the length of the bar. Further into the space, there are several communal tables and a cozy fireplace surrounded by leather and marble furniture. In the rear of the cafe, where you would normally expect to see a screen for movie watching, there is a large window looking out onto a fountain and plant-filled courtyard seating area.
“It just seemed like a great location for Compass, a great community space,” Haft said. “It seemed like we could do justice to the building and build something great for the community. This location has something for everyone , from people looking to work in groups at the communal tables to those who want a cozy place to study; and depending where you sit in this cafe, you can either be firmly located on Wisconsin Avenue or in a private garden. It’s super cool.”
