Houndstooth Coffee Shaping Up to Open in August

The corner of Henderson and McMillan has been a bit lonely since neighborhood coffee institution The Pearl Cup shuttered back in December, but that will all change soon with the arrival of Austin-born Houndstooth Coffee. Most of the heavy lifting inside the space has been completed, and all that remains is the finish-out. The completed coffee shop will be crisp and clean, outfitted with white walls, wood, brick and metal accents and plenty of (mostly communal) seating, divided into different zones — or "moments," as owner Sean Henry likes to refer to them.

Coffee nerds can grab one of three stools at the small coffee bar and get up close and personal with their barista; an elevated nook to the left of the main coffee bar will feature a bench with cushions, small round tables and fun patterned carpet assembled from carpet tiles. The patio will feature bench seating as well as a seated bar, while a decorative wood-and-metal screen on the front facade will help to filter out some of the hot summer sun (a process that will certainly be helped along by two new air-conditioning units) as well as throwing intricately patterned shadows during the day and lending a cool glow to the street at night.

Houndstooth intends to set itself apart from the coffee competition with its thoroughly trained baristas (Dallas hires are being sent down to Houndstooth's existing locations in Austin for training) and an order process that's focused on customization. "We ask a lot of questions," says Henry. "Our main goal is to share better coffee with more people. Whenever we ask people questions, we're not trying to annoy them, we're trying to get a better idea of how to make recommendations and pair them with a coffee that's suited to them." The shop will feature at least two espresso options and three brewed-by-the-cup coffees on any given day, including selections from Henry's own recently launched Dallas roastery, Tweed.

A rendering of the finished space. [Image courtesy of RAD]

Another product unique to Houndstooth will be a bottled drink called Coffer, "the world's first naturally carbonated cold brew coffee." As coffee blog Sprudge explains, Austin-based Coffer uses "a natural yeast and sugar based fermentation process to carbonate their brew," resulting in "an effervescent cold brew reminiscent of a semi-sweet cola." (If that seems a little too out-there, fret not: There will also be the Japanese-style cold brew that's become popular in recent years, along with a toddy-style iced coffee.) They eventually intend to add wine and craft beer to the menu, along with later hours until 11 p.m.

Henry is hopeful for an early August opening, but in the meantime, stay tuned for upcoming Houndstooth pop-ups to be held at HG Sply Co. and Blind Butcher.

· Houndstooth Coffee [Official]
· Houndstooth Coffee to Launch This Spring on Henderson [-EDFW-]
· All Houndstooth Coffee coverage on Eater Dallas [-EDFW-]