A solid reputation, good conversation and a great flat white.
That’s how James Orlando, owner of Downtown’s Copper Moon coffee shop at the Statler, caught the eye of Craig Hassall, president of Playhouse Square. Only, at the time, Orlando didn’t know with whom he was talking.
“I never ask what anyone does. Who cares?” says Orlando, who is famous for holding court with customers at his small-but-mighty shop in the Statler Building. “One day this Australian man came in and said, ‘This is the best flat white I’ve had in Cleveland. Do you have any interest in expanding?’ I didn’t realize the president of Playhouse Square. I said, ‘I’ve thought about it.’ He said, ‘Can I show you something?’ And he took me here.”
Here was the lobby of the Bulkley Building, a nine-story office building built in 1921 with intricate art deco decoration and the future home of Orlando’s new coffee shop and bar. The side-by-side concept — The Brasserie and The Bulkley Bar — straddles an entrance to the Playhouse Square theaters, a popular route for those parking in the attached Playhouse Square garage. The Brasserie, which shares a kitchen with the bar, offers pan-European lifestyle fare with fine Italian coffees and simple dishes, and the bar offers barista-inspired craft cocktails with a lengthy list of Ohio-made liquors.
Orlando’s contribution to the decor expertly matches the old-school vibe. With green curtains, checkered white and black tile, an ornate tin ceiling and hanging tulip lights, The Brasserie has about 15 seats, including a bar. The Bar matches with floral wallpaper, an elegant cylinder fixture, a white marble bar top and another 15 or so seats.
“I fell in love with [the building],” Orlando says. “It’s art. It’s a vibe.”
Some might find Orlando’s opening of a second coffee shop less than two blocks from his flagship location odd, and with offers as diverse as the NASA building, Tremont and Little Italy, even he had considered other locations. But Copper Moon’s rapid growth over the past six years, especially since moving streetside six years ago, has created a need for more room that makes Orlando unafraid of cannibalizing his flagship location. It’s also helped create more upward mobility for loyal staffers, such as Brett Maverick Wheeler — whose official title is conciliary.
“The biggest critique from both employees and customers is that the place is way too small, and if you’re in a rush, no one has time,” he says. “A lot of people enjoy my coffee, but coffee is a convenience.”
A high-end espresso machine from Nuova Simonelli anchors the coffee program, which blends French and Italian influences. The approach here is slightly more refined than Copper Moon, though Orlando is still willing to build you something fun based on your preferences — another signature of Copper Moon.
The food menu centers around house-made baguettes. Bread is in Orlando’s blood. His grandparents own Orlando Baking Co., and Truffles Pastry Shop on Clifton Boulevard and 112th Street, which he opened at 22, was the now 41-year-old’s first food endeavor. In the Bulkley Building, Orlando’s ambitious — some might say foolish — approach shows up in specials like French dip with sous-vide flank steak, meatball subs with in-house mozzarella and other Italian and European dishes.
“Anybody that runs a large-scale successful restaurant will think I’m absolutely insane,” he says. “We make slow-rise baguettes, and they take, like, two days to make a loaf of f—---- bread on a sandwich. Why would you do that? Because I want to. It matters to me. I can’t cut corners.”
Finally, the cocktail menu at The Bar takes from Orlando’s time as a barista. Offerings include a smoked maple syrup glazed old-fashioned and a lemon meringue martini with tempered egg whites with a toasted top. Dozens of Ohio liquors fill the bar, including the small-batch Cleveland Distillery.
“I’ve been a barista for 20 years,” says Orlando. “Learning about alcohol, I think I have a lot to contribute.”
Both spaces are open, with the bar hosting its soft opening on Oct. 7 and the coffee shop quietly opening two weeks ago. They will be open seven days a week, with The Bar opening at 4 p.m. and The Brasserie staying open from early morning through showtime.
“I’ll be open more and longer than all these places [in this neighborhood],” says Orlando. “I don’t think this will be designated just for people going to the theater. I’m totally on board with the idea of bringing life into this building. I think that’s already started.”
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