Blind Tiger Cafe co-work space targets creative entrepreneurs
By Richard Mullins
Tampa Tribune
Published: Nov 6, 2014

Perhaps the best way to understand the new Blind Tiger Cafe space in Ybor City is to envision it as a creative-type entrepreneur's dream of where to work for the day, or the month.

The site at 1901 E. Seventh Ave. opens today and is one part Americana-themed denim apparel shop, one part hip coffee and tea bar, and one part collaborative workspace.

First, the denim shop.

The Black & Denim Apparel Co. began in Tampa as an all American-designed and manufactured jeans company with a James Dean ethos of tough denim and Americana-themed printed T-shirts celebrating things like Detroit, Gibson guitars and the American flag. The company moved several times around Tampa as it grew, and then settled on this new space in Ybor City.

Along the way, founder Roberto Torres crossed paths with Christopher Devitt, who has worked with co-work networks among small, independent churches in Tampa, and was looking for the next step in his career. Devitt also is a leather-worker who hand-crafts items like wallets and pouches under the brand name Fortenberry.

"We want to make this a creative space for creative people,” Devitt said. "When you're starting out as an entrepreneur, you might be stuck at home on the kitchen table, with kids around, and Starbucks is just not a conducive space to meet people and work. This space is for teams, creators, lifestyle brand companies, photographers - anyone who makes something for a living.”

Officially called "CoWork Ybor,” there's a small lounge to gather and trade ideas, plus a set of cubicles where people can park themselves, put on headphones and work on their own. For the rest of 2014, they're offering free memberships to the space, but will then likely sell monthly slots at about $75 to $100 a month. That includes free coffee and snacks.

And there is a coffee and tea bar, stocked with products from Buddy Brew Coffee and TeBella Tea Co., and likely pastries from the Piquant in Hyde Park Village.

Since going public with the project earlier this year, Devitt said a slew of companies have jumped in to help out. Verizon Communications Inc. is donating ultra-high-speed Internet service, while the Tricycle Studios company on the second floor above helped with marketing and exposure, and the Schiller's Architectural and Design Salvage helped design the space.

As for the name "Blind Tiger,” it's an homage to the days of Prohibition, when many speakeasies that sold alcohol were called "Blind,” such as Blind Barber or Blind Hardware. That was a legal loophole, because a location could not "sell” alcohol, but they could sell tickets to see some oddity behind closed doors, like a blind tiger (which didn't exist) but the ticket came with a free drink.

The coffee shop and denim store is officially open to the public tonight, while the co-work space will likely open next week.

rmullins@tampatrib.com
(813) 259-7919
Twitter: @DailyDeadline