Strange Matter Coffee opens Friday in downtown Lansing
Alexander AlusheffLANSING - Craft-brewed coffee is coming to downtown.
Strange Matter Coffee Co, a staple in the east side neighborhood, opens 7 a.m. Friday at 337 S. Washington Square in the space formerly occupied by the Crafty Palate.
The shop will have Strange Matter's full coffee menu as well as Zingerman's pastries delivered fresh every day. To accommodate people on-the-go, the shop will feature an auto-drip brewer, which makes coffee readily available upon ordering. It also has an outdoor patio.
Owner Cara Nader said she wanted to expand to downtown to help make it more vibrant.
"I think coffee shops are great on corners," Nader said. "It's a good section of downtown because there's more parking on this end. And it's pretty accessible if you live in REO Town."
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Nader prides her business for its focus on craft coffee.
"We're not here for a caffeine fix but to educate people on coffee and get people excited about coffee," Nader said. "
Strange Matter features a seasonal coffee cocktail, called "covfefe" after President Donald Trump's confusing post on Twitter in May. It's a non-alcoholic white Russian with espresso, cold-brew coffee, heavy cream, cinnamon and vanilla.
"We are very excited to officially welcome Strange Matter Coffee Co. to downtown Lansing’s Washington Square district," said Mindy Biladeau, executive director of Downtown Lansing Inc., in an email.
Biladeau said Strange Matter and its hand-painted signs on the building add character to downtown.
Strange Matter will be open seven days a week in downtown Lansing. It will also move its original location across the street into Scott Gillespie's Venue at East Town on the 2000 block of Michigan Avenue in October. That space will include a bakery, which will supply the downtown location as well.
Contact Alexander Alusheff at (517) 388-5973 or aalusheff@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexalusheff.
Downtown hours
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m. -7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.