While working in cafés is not a new concept, it’s not all that common to find a space specifically designed for this purpose. Café Underwood is pitched to folks who work from home, but want to collaborate with others, have a meal or drink, or just get away from piles of laundry and other chores.
When Dominick Scala, an east-coast transplant who had been bartending at Dogwood, decided to pursue the venture, he had in mind a kind of New Orleans-style writers’ grotto, an escape from the world, complete with absinthe.
As a longtime freelance writer himself, Scala had some specs for what his ideal setup would be. But as he partnered with blacksmith Mark Ruddy from San Rafael to work on the interior, the space dictated something more akin to a Brooklyn loft space. They chose benches and tables made of redwood, reinforced with industrial steel. The bar is a complementary zebrawood, and adds warmth to the high-ceilinged room.
There’s also a pretty wood deck with several tables for outside workspace.
The upstairs loft space will be open soon, with rentable chair space for individuals or for large meetings of up to 20 people.
