Coffee Shop & Bar Bada Bean Bada Booze Opens in Italian Village

Offering coffee by day, booze by night, Bada Bean Bada Booze is now open at 231 E. First Ave. in Italian Village.

The coffee shop slash bar is a new vertical for developer Thrive Companies, and just the first of a planned four locations in Central Ohio.

It’s an idea a few years in the making. CEO Kevin Zeppernick says about five years ago as the company started rebranding from Wagenbrenner Development, they started incorporating new facets of business.

“We really pushed hard into an experience division,” Zeppernick says. “A lot of it was born out of the thought that we have such large sites with scale that for us to really execute the way we wanted, to execute and to serve not only our residents but the neighborhood, we thought we should internalize at least some of the core elements that our residents are looking for.”

The two things residents wanted most? Wellness and coffee.

Wellness is accomplished through Thrive’s in-house gym, The Athletic Cos., which it launched about a year ago at Jeffrey Park, and now Bada checks the box for coffee.

However, Zeppernick says they didn’t want to create a space that would fade in relevance as the day went on. Enter booze.

Morgan Galvin, director of experience – food & beverage, says Bada will source from other local businesses for many of its food and beverage options.

Bada has partnered with local roaster Florin for its coffee. The menu includes drip coffee, cold brew and espresso drinks, along with signatures like the Holy Molé, a mix of cold brew, vanilla, cinnamon, cacao and oat milk, or the Bada Bee with blackberry lavender honey, espresso and steamed milk.

And yes, there will be booze in the daytime. Brunch cocktails include classics like a mimosa, bloody mary or espresso martini.

The evening hours booze menu offers an expanded selection – signature cocktails, a handful of local, craft beers on tap plus domestic bottles and cans, and white, red and bubbly wines by the glass or bottle.

Each side of the day will have a limited food menu as well. In the mornings, it’s pastries from Kittie’s Cakes and Happy Little Treats (meaning there are vegan options). Snacks are the afternoon fare – pub mix, popcorn, soft pretzels and more.

Sourcing many of its offerings from other local companies, why didn’t Thrive do the same for Bada – partnering with a local brand, instead of bringing things in-house?

Zeppernick has two reasons. They wanted to be able to control the experience, but also speed.

Bada will house the community management operations for Jeffry Park, something they likely couldn’t have dropped in the middle of another coffee shop.

“So if people are coming here to live, the first interaction they’ll have with us is basically being injected into this really energized space,” Zeppernick says.

While Bada was born out of a desire to provide its residents with additional amenities, Zeppernick wants the space to be viewed as part of the wider community and be a compliment for the neighborhoods where they’re situated.

“I don’t think we’re going to take any business away from others,” he says. “The goal is, we’re big believers in if you can create, again, greater energy, greater movement, greater foot traffic, that everybody will benefit.”

Thrive has already selected the communities for its next three Bada locations. Work is underway at Founders in Harrison West. Quarry Trails will also have a location, and Bada will have a stall at The Collective Market at Grandview Crossing.

In addition to Bada, Thrive has plans to add six to seven more Athletic Cos. in its developments over the next couple of years. It’s just the beginning of the vertical integration that Thrive is exploring. Zeppernick says they have a few other concepts they are considering that would make great neighborhood anchors.

“As we continue to take on these really large, mixed-use sites, it’s going to be a staple in everything we do,” he says.

Bada is open from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. – 12 a.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. – 12 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit badabeanbadabooze.com.

Photos by Walker Evans.