A Coffee Shop Slash Members Club? Inside A Curious New West Village Spot

Certainly the concept of a hybrid coffee shop is nothing new, but a coffee shop slash membership club? 

Intrigued much?

Last week the West Village welcomed Bedford Studio, the latest laidback, charming neighborhood spot to that's sure to lure passersby. Anyone off the street is welcome to stop in - to kickstart their morning with freshly baked Balthazar pastries, or energize their afternoon with Brooklyn-roasted Parlor Coffee - but card-carrying members are the one's with the extra perks.

The Bedford Studio membership, available on a monthly ($30) or annual ($300) basis comes with benefits like access to their after-hours events, unlimited wifi, product discounts and more.

So what inspired this semi-exclusive model? We chatted with founder Lawrence Helfant to find out!

How did you find yourself opening a coffee shop in the West Village?
I live nearby in the West Village and on my daily walk to my office in Soho I’d always pass this vacant space. It was in a beautiful location; tree-lined, townhome filled street, but it needed a lot of work. I started to brainstorm, thinking about what business would succeed here, and what the neighborhood needed. I truly believe that every street in New York City needs a coffee shop, but I wanted to do it differently. I wanted to provide a more inviting space that’s unique, where people can come to relax, be productive, and meet other people in the neighborhood. So i called, signed, and received the keys to begin this journey, 

Where did you get the idea to start a community-based Membership program?
I wanted to provide the neighborhood with something different. Understanding the structure and ethos of membership clubs from being a part of a few, I believed I could mirror those values on a micro-level through Bedford Studio. With so many people still working from home, especially in the West Village, the creation of a relaxing space to come to, order a coffee, sit down to get some work done for a couple of hours a day, a couple of days a week, seemed necessary to me. People are anxious to get out of the house and the office and be somewhere new and exciting, meeting new people, while still getting done what they need to. That is why the parent company of Bedford Studio is called Third Workplace, a company that is aiming to take you out of the usual and into something new. Our membership will provide so much more than coffee and co-working, it’ll provide member events, and the ability to meet someone you may have never crossed paths with before. 

Will you be accepting everyone into the program, or are there certain criteria you're looking for in new members?
Right now, the only requirement we have is that members have to be 21+ and be respectful of the space, and the people in the space. Other than that, we’re excited to begin to curate a community of like-minded individuals from different backgrounds. 

Our plan is to scale our Studios throughout New York City, permeating new neighborhoods and creating communities all around the city! We believe that it’s important to have a place that feels like home, away from home.

What kind of exclusive events are you looking to host?
We have a few exciting ideas in mind such as after-hours networking events, however we’re really excited to learn more about our members, and what their interests are, so we can better cater these events to their needs.

What's your personal go-to drink on the menu?
Personally, I’m ordering an Espresso, and grabbing a Pellegrino and a Green Juice (we sell Raw Generation), but we serve everything! 

[Photos courtesy Bedford Studio]