Onyx Coffee Lab’s new café in Springdale, Arkansas, is built on a foundation of both preservation and presence. Housed in a former 1950s bank on the town square, the 6,000-square-foot, three-story space is the result of two years of restoration and careful restraint. Instead of imposing a new identity onto the building, the design process began with what was already there—uncovering layers of flooring to reveal original butter-yellow terrazzo, reestablishing a sense of clarity and light that had long been hidden.
From the beginning, light served as a guide. The palette was kept deliberately minimal: terrazzo, walnut, and doric glass blocks form the core of the material story. This limited set of finishes creates continuity throughout the space—from the custom walnut bar to structural additions made entirely of softly lit glass block with a convex wave texture. Wherever possible, design choices were made to protect the flow of light and maintain openness, allowing the natural character of the building to re-emerge.
A local artisan contributed to the fabrication of the bar and extensive walnut paneling, bringing a tactile warmth that contrasts subtly with the building’s more industrial bones. The glass blocks—lit from underneath—add a glow that’s both architectural and atmospheric, resembling the softness of Japanese paper screens. This is Onyx’s brightest café to date, and perhaps its most quietly expressive.
Even the tableware participates in the dialogue—KINTO mugs and dishes, influenced by the same Japanese aesthetic that shaped the café’s design, feel right at home. Their quiet forms and tactile presence echo the space’s values of restraint, clarity, and craft.
Below the main floor, a walnut staircase leads to an open-view chocolate workshop, where Onyx’s bean-to-bar production is now housed. Visitors can see the cacao roasting process firsthand, offering a glimpse into a slower, more tactile side of craft preparation. The space is designed to unfold gradually—there’s a subtlety in the descent, with aroma often guiding guests before they ever see the chocolate below.
Elsewhere, thoughtful details extend the narrative: an engraved horse motif ties into the surrounding rural culture and honors the co-founder’s personal connection to barrel racing, offering a nod to the nearby Rodeo of the Ozarks. The theme isn’t decorative—it’s a thread that acknowledges the cadence of the community and the quiet patience that exists in both Western tradition and slow-crafted beverages.
