A change of scenery is brewing for a years-old coffeehouse in Fort Worth.
Come late fall, Buon Giorno Coffeehouse & Roastery will say goodbye to its Florence Street location but will reopen a stone’s throw away on the ground floor of the First on 7th redevelopment project in the works at 500 West 7th St. Construction of the new spot starts this summer.
Buon Giorno Owner David Clarke says the move deeper into downtown makes the shop more accessible to his regulars. He also thinks the move will help downtown to further flourish, since he said his coffee shop will be joining several more retail offerings soon.
Clarke’s brand, inspired by his first sip of espresso on a trip to Italy when he was 18, serves as a weekly live music venue and a stop where guests can get a pastry fix. The new digs will include both indoor and outdoor seating, and is one of the first street-level storefronts announced to move into the project on the west end of the central business district. Folks with Neighbor’s House Grocery in March also announced plans to open a full-service grocery and lunch bistro at First on 7th.
Buon Giorno originally opened its Grapevine location in 2006, which eventually led to expansions in Fort Worth and Southlake.
Originally First National Bank of Fort Worth, First on 7th is a 21-story tower designed by New York’s Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and associate architect Preston M. Geren & Associates of Fort Worth. The building, completed in 1961, has freshened up in recent times after a major update started by Red Oaks Realty in December 2018.
Expect Red Oak Realty to announce more street-level retailers at First on 7th in the near future, says Jack Clark, president of Red Oak.
