If you are looking for a great cup of coffee, lot’s of natural light, and a front row seat to some green stormwater infrastructure, have I got a coffee shop recommendation for you!
Background
Fiction Coffee is on the ground floor of the new Crabtree Terrace office building near the northwest corner of Creedmoor Road and Glenwood Avenue. The shop is on the ground floor, below Spaces, tucked away from the street.
Originating from Texas, Fiction Coffee opened their first location away from the “Lone Star State” here in Raleigh in April of 2022.
Space
The space is just the right size, not too big and not too small. You can tell a lot of thought was put into seating variety with tables, a bar, a soft seating area, and even a small “conference room” for a bit more privacy.
Given the floor-to-ceiling curtain wall glass that covers the facade of Crabtree Terrace, the shop is awash in natural light. The shop is in the corner of the building and also faces a courtyards, so it gets light from three sides. If you step outside there is additional seating on the courtyard and ground floor patio.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
One additional feature that you won’t get at most coffee shops is the direct views of a bioretention feature (rain garden). I have not seen the designs, but it seems that at least a portion of the rainwater that hits the site (likely from the roof) enters the planted bioretention swale in the courtyard for retention and treatment.
This feature allows mother nature the time to do her magic instead of the rainwater rushing straight into the storm drains.
The plantings are also quite beautiful.
For more information about Fiction Coffee, visit their website at https://www.fictioncoffee.com/raleigh-crabtree-terrace-coffee.
For more information about Crabtree Terrace, visit: https://www.ewpnc.com/project/crabtree-terrace/.
