Rendering of proposed Blank Street Coffee.
The Zoning Board of Appeal today approved plans by a Brooklyn-based coffeehouse chain that specializes in cold brews to turn a former real-estate office at 489 East Broadway in South Boston into a place where baristas can ply their trade - right around the corner from the more old-school PS Gourmet, which sells giant-sized "buckets" of flavored iced coffee.
Blank Street Coffee, still needs the approval of the Boston Licensing Board before it can open its proposed 18-seat coffeehouse. It's plans for the 1,000-square-foot space call for 18 seats - and for locally sourced baked goods to go with the coffee.
The coffeehouse needed a variance because a "large" restaurant with takeout is normally forbidden in the block's zoning. Nobody spoke against the proposal, which the board approved unanimously.