As you settle into a cozy leather chair beneath a black-and-white American flag with a mounted white deer watching from afar, the third wave of coffee (a movement to produce high-quality coffee) flows before you — cold brew slowly dripping through a glass apparatus reminiscent of a laboratory, nitrogen-infused coffee cascading like draft beer from a tap, and espresso shots pulling from a state-of-the-art machine.
The kicker? You’re in the lobby of Roger’s Academy of Hair Design, 105 N. Green River Road.
Noah Hayden, the 21-year-old grandson of Roger Hayden and lead vocalist of Christian contemporary band Mission Six, is the owner of Barber Bistro Coffee and the craftsman behind much of the ambiance. He drew the shop’s inspiration from a decade of touring with his band.
“My favorite thing to do would always be to hit up the best local spots,” says Hayden. “In the biggest cities in the world, I’d see what they’re doing the best. I noticed there was a different way to prepare coffee.”
While coffee’s first wave of Folgers and second wave of Starbucks paved the way, Barber Bistro Coffee takes the third wave and elevates the art of coffee to the highest possible altitude. The third wave movement involves three sets of hands — tireless farmer, careful roaster, and passionate barista.
“From our coffee to all of our furniture, pretty much everything in here is made by hand,” says Hayden. “We want to go back to where everything was done by hand and was cared for with every detail.”
A similar movement has taken the barbering world, prompting a trend of barber-and-coffee-shop combos on the coasts. Hayden saw his first in San Diego, California.
“But it’s not common here,” he says. “Not yet. We want to change the way people drink coffee, totally dramatically change what they expect from coffee.”
For more information on Barber Bistro Coffee, visit barberbistro.com or check them out on social media.