An Art Space and Century-Old Haven For Photographers Focuses in On Coffee

Instagrammers and arthounds rejoice! A Brooklyn coffee shop that focuses on single origin espresso and a nonprofit organization devoted to popularizing local photographers are teaming up to create a space filled with beans and beauty.

Baxter St at Camera Club of New York came up with the idea when its next-door neighbor moved out. The organization’s president, Michi Jigarjian, said the artists and organizers met often with others in the art scene, and that often involved coffee in some form. So, what better way to expand the business while also securing a spot to chat — one door from its location at 126 Baxter Street.

“The top of our mission is how we, as an art institution our size, can come into the neighborhood and be good neighbors,” said Jigarjian. The organization moved from Midtown in 2014.

Weirdly enough, in the city with coffee shops on every block, there is not yet one on the Baxter Street corridor in which the organization moved, Jigarjian said. The new one won’t be named; it’s essentially an extension of the Camera Club.

The space has what East One founder Tom Cummings calls a “somewhat Scandinavian design,” with birch plywood counters and dark red concrete floors. It’s minimalist and light-filled, which Jigarjian said will allow for a “focus on the art on the wall.” Shows will pop up often, along with a variety of workshops with artists, collaborations, and other learning opportunities.

Baxter St at the Camera Club has been around for more than a century with the purpose of finding upcoming artists and giving them an opportunity to show off their creative works. They host shows and dialogues, along with various series featuring camera artists.

The menu will include grab-and-go food options with East One’s coffee drinks. Prices for a cup of  joe will be around $3 and all other drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, mochas) likely will fall in the $4 to $5 range.

East One first opened in Carroll Gardens last year. That Brooklyn location has a roastery for its espresso beans and an eatery with everything from malted pancakes to fried chicken and pickles.

Baxter and Cummings hope to have the coffee shop will be up and running by Nov. 8, for the opening of a show of multimedia works by Ivan Forde.

Correction: This article was revised to correct the name and abbreviation of Baxter St at the Camera Club New York, or Baxter St at CCNY, as well as its original location.