April Coffee Roasters on New Shop, Coffee & Design

For many, quarantine was a period of creative stagnation, but Copenhagen-based coffee roastery april used this slower time to venture into a new project. We visited april’s founder Patrik Rolf last week at their newly opened Østebro coffee shop to discuss various design aspects of the place and why it was created.

“We’ve been toying with the idea of creating a physical space for our customers for a while. The intention was to open a destination shop, where people could experience our coffee the way it was intended, and now we finally had the opportunity to do that,” begins Patrik, as we sit down behind the canvas partition, which separates the coffee shop floor from the office side of things.

We are served gorgeous cups of coffee – resembling what you would call a cortado, but the widely used coffee shop nomenclature doesn’t really exist here. You will not see a menu as you walk in; instead, you can choose from having filter coffee, espresso or espresso with milk. There’s also a batch brew, mostly for sampling purposes. “We only serve coffee and water, focusing on what we know and do best,” explains Patrik, as my eyes wander seeking the usual pastry counter. At april, however, coffee takes centre stage.

The other significant step in creating the shop was the interior design, which has been executed with great attention to detail, bringing together Danish and Japanese influences. The main feature was the collaboration with House of Finn Juhl, who manufacture the iconic pieces of furniture designed by Finn Juhl. By making the Finn Juhl pieces the basis of the space, april wanted to emphasise the Copenhagen heritage and unchangeable respect for quality, also evident in their products. “Finn Juhl represents Denmark, and since we’re a Copenhagen-based business, we wanted to enhance that and give Danes someone they relate to,” explains Patrik, as we chat about admiration for Finn Juhl and the impeccable pieces that have been featured in the shop. “The furniture goes with our top value – uncompromising quality,” he adds.

We loved how such strongly Danish design has been reinterpreted in a modern, yet cosy way, which remains fresh without the “Scandi minimalism” feel that isn’t always necessary. As Finn Juhl’s designs cannot be customised in any way, it was particularly impressive to see the pieces reinterpreted for coffee shop use. Dark, wooden surfaces and the shelving panel contrast well against the light grey flooring, while touches of mustard, pastel yellow and blue brighten up the space and make it appear more homely. “It looks a bit like a living room,” says Patrik. The cupboards, used as the coffee counter, are also quite low, making the whole process more transparent and the baristas more approachable.

As we delve into further details, it’s obvious that everything at April conveys a story and is somehow related to the company. The Japanese elements have found their way into april through Patrik’s travels and relationships with various craftsmen. In collaboration with Japanese illustrator Ryuto Miyake, who also designs april’s labels, the shop has been adorned with hand-drawn paintings of birds – one of them has also find its way onto the takeaway cups, how beautiful are they?

Keeping with the Japanese theme, and what is possibly the first feature of the room that will catch your eye, a curtain (or Japanese “Norem”) has been designed and hand dyed at one of the last remaining indigo farms in Japan. Slightly translucent, the curtain divides the space in a very subtle way, which ensures privacy but doesn’t close off the space.

““We like to believe the stories behind our shop’s many features correlate with our approach to coffee. It’s important to us that everything in this room, represents what we believe in – quality.”
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The shop’s location goes perfectly with the idea of remaining accessible, but staying off the beaten track. It gives the locals a place where they can sample and buy really good coffee, but as the borders reopen it’s also expected to attract international coffee tourists. Everyone is welcome to visit april’s stylish interiors, share good coffee and learn more if they want to – the team is always there to guide you.

You will find april coffee store on Ryesgade 86A in Copenhagen. It’s open from Wednesday to Saturday, with freshly stocked up shelves and amazing coffee ready for you to try! Stay in touch with april via Instagram.

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