Conversation Starter: What to Expect at New Downtown Coffee Shop and Market Dialog

The owners of uptown’s For the People and Kreem Coffee unveiled the “2.0 version” of their business, Dialog, on Roosevelt Row on January 27, and it’s a looker.

Although the new space can be described as a decor store, market, cafe, gallery, and community space devoted to great taste and design, its true purpose, according to co-owner Chad Campbell, is to “dialog with and engage the community.”

Even the QR code on the coffee cups is about having a conversation. Scan it, and it doesn’t open the website, but a secret page that asks a probing question such as, “Tell us something you’re inspired by.” Campbell and Shawn Silberblatt, the other co-owner, plan to post the answers anonymously on social media or perhaps construct an art project around them.

“We wanted an interactive perspective,” Campbell says. “We’ll change the question regularly.”

As for the space itself, architect Wendell Burnett brought the owners’ vision to life in the southeast corner of 1001 North Central Avenue, a building that is also home to restaurants Rough Rider and Teddy's Preserve, and stores Bunky Boutique and Now or Never.

Dialog oozes an eye-popping minimalist chic aesthetic, with stark, glossy white floors, white shelving, a jet-black U-shaped coffee bar with pale wood stools, and floor-to-ceiling windows on two walls. White stools line a counter facing Roosevelt Street.

Like For the People, Dialog functions as a community living room or office, where patrons tap on laptops. But contrary to its uptown sibling, it has more of a social vibe. The space — including a lobby shared with Teddy’s Preserve — can seat 30, and on a recent visit, a group including Chadwick Price of Valentine chatted near the coffee bar while shoppers perused the merchandise.

“This might be the coolest coffee shop I’ve ever been in, and I’m from Brooklyn,” customer Lori Hren says. “Everything in here is unique and interesting.”

Dialog uses Stereoscope Coffee from Los Angeles, and coffee manager Mary Rauhause created a list of drinks that aren’t the usual suspects, like a grapefruit espresso tonic. She says the Honey Bee, a double shot with honey, vanilla, and milk, is a “crowd pleaser.”

Silberblatt says grab-and-go lunches — possibly bento boxes, an Italian plate, or sandwiches — are in the works, but so far, the only food is a selection of tempting pastries crafted by local bakery The Loopy Whisk. They include scones, muffins, and cinnamon rolls, the latter of which are made with Japanese milk bread, a white bread that’s slightly sweet and dense, yet soft and moist.

Dialog also sells loaves of the bread, which are square or rectangular — fitting with the modern aesthetic — and would make a killer French toast or bread pudding, Silberblatt notes.

He adds, “We’ll have a whole Japanese milk bread toast menu coming” served with options including butter, jam, and other spreads.

An extensive menu of organic, ceremonial-grade matcha imported from Japan is planned, too, including types that aren’t typically seen in the U.S., and an assortment of loose-leaf teas.

Currently, a concise collection of locally made goods that appeal to the eye as well as the palate are on the shelves, including Culture Clash Greek yogurt, Shrubwell mocktail mixers, and Workhorse Rye cocktail bitters.

Other local and imported goods and snacks, including crackers, popcorn, salami, nuts, olives, sardines, and olive oil are on hand, too, along with “everyday essentials” like laundry soap and toothpaste. They also sell non-alcoholic drinks like Kimino sparkling juices and Big Marble organic ginger beer and tonic water. Campbell and Silberblatt say they plan to bring in local chocolates, kombucha, and chips and salsa.

Along with the food and drinks, Dialog, like its sister shop, includes a Taschen architecture bookstore, furniture brands like Blu Dot and Tom Dixon, and finds like Stelton coffee pour-overs, Render dish towels, and local art. It’ll join in on First Fridays, too, with March 3 featuring ceramics by Andrew “Augusta” Smith.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, but the coffee bar closes at 3 p.m. for now. The space will stay open later for events like art openings, fashion shows, and performance art. Look for announcements on Dialog’s website or Instagram account.

As Dialog continues to flesh out its food and drink selections, decor brands, and happenings, this new and unique concept in downtown Phoenix will surely give everyone something to talk about.

Dialog

1001 North Central Avenue
602-760-6911
dialogphx.com