6 times • AUGUST 18, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com ‘Breaking Bad’-inspired coffee shop has soft opening in Bushwick BY CRISTIN NOONAN editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com @RidgewoodTimes Highly-anticipated Walter’s Coffee Roastery is in soft opening mode and will be serving free espresso drinks to customers until their official opening. The Irving Avenue location marks owner Deniz Kosan’s second “Breaking Bad”-inspired coffee shop. Kosan divulged to Bushwick Daily his aspirations to make Walter’s Coffee “the next Blue Bottle.” The interior is a freelancer’s paradise. Large wooden tables make it a more comfortable sharing space than many other coffee shops in the neighborhood. Electric outlets conveniently line the walls (inside and out), and Kosan told Bushwick Daily that he “chose this space because we want people to sit down and to not feel bothered for sitting too long.” Tables aren’t yet ready for the outdoor section, but customers are welcome to work on the wooden bench lining the perimeter of the exterior for now. The original plan was to roast at 65 Irving Ave., but because the gas pressure was too low and it would have involved digging up the whole street to achieve better pressure, Kosan decided to outsource the roasting part to Red Hook coffee roasting facility Pulley Collective. “We didn’t want our neighbors to be angry with us before we opened up by digging up the beautiful streets of Bushwick so we decided not to do that,” Kosan said. “Also we didn’t have the time and the money for that.” Kosan, who is insistent upon Walter’s being “Breaking Bad” “inspired” and not “themed,” has curated the coffee shop’s laboratory aesthetic. And for some people, a laboratory reminds them of Walter White’s alias. “People are asking for the WiFi and we say it’s (insert ‘Breaking Bad’ reference) and they smile because they know,” Kosan said. “It connects bridges,” he continued, touching base on how all the little subtleties within Walter’s Coffee culminate into an inside joke that we’re all invited to be part of. Beakers and test tubes help define the “Breaking Bad” references at Walter’s, particularly the Japanesestyle cold brew up front. Its clear step-by-step process also serves to remind us that without chemistry, there would be no coffee. Let’s not think about what life would be like without coffee, though. Expect prices to be just slightly more expensive than standard (though the phenomenal quality is most definitely worth it) with a cup of filter coffee priced at $3 and a latte going for $4. Currently Walter’s espresso beans are a blend of Nicaraguan, Brazilian and Ethiopian beans. Their single origins come from Ethiopia and Colombia. Bushwick Daily drank the blended espresso beans in the form of a delicious iced latte. Walter’s plans on offering pastries and small items but doesn’t plan on additional food options. “Sandwiches are the most we would ever serve,” Kosan said. Offerings will soon be available courtesy of Ovenly and Balthazar, but Kosan told Bushwick Daily that they “want to focus on what’s important here, and that’s coffee.” Walter’s Coffee’s Brooklyn location was originally poised to open ahead of the Istanbul outpost roughly four years ago. With another location set to open in Dubai Walter’s Coffee Shop, inspired by the hit drama “Breaking Bad,” is now open for business very soon, Kosan has his eye on the LES and California, and would particularly like to hone in on college towns. Photo: Cristin Noonan/Bushwick Daily “We don’t want to be just one shop,” Kosan said. Sinkhole closes brand-new Ridgewood playground By Maria Gotay editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com @RidgewoodTimes Ridgewood isn’t known for its abundance of parks so the construction to build a new playground at P.S. 305 was an exciting prospect for the community. Unfortunately, the new playground remains closed to the public due to what CBS first reported a mysterious “sinkhole” collapsing the ground under the jungle gym. The playground, located across from Associated Market at Stockholm and Seneca avenues received a warm welcome from neighbors upon opening this week. By Aug. 10, however, the plot was deemed unsafe for play. Upon investigation on Aug. 11, construction workers at the site were gathered in the sweltering heat assessing the issues, including gaping holes in the turf. A manager onsite dodged questions about why the damage was occurring, saying simply, “We are fixing a few problems with the playground.” He asked this reporter not to take photos of the space, then padlocked the gate to keep questions out. The Department of Education spokesperson said, “The playground is temporarily closed while repairs are being made. We are working diligently to complete the repairs and expect to have the space ready for public use next week.” But they gave no explanation as to why the problems arose. We hope the matter clears up before school starts on Sept. 8. in Bushwick. RIDGEWOOD TIMES /Photo by Maria Gotay
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