PHOTOS: Inside Kickstand Cafe

With Arlington’s newest cafe, Kickstand Cafe, opening Friday, Nov. 15, we thought we’d sit down with one of its co-owners, Emily Shea, to learn more about what to expect.

Shea, of Arlington, will be at the cafe almost every day. Her business partner, Mark Ostow, also owns Cafe Zing, which is located within Porter Square Books in Cambridge. More on the owners >>

Kickstand Cafe, at 594 Mass. Ave. in Arlington Center, replaces Jam’n Java.

After looking at the photos above, what do you think of the renovations?

Kickstand Cafe’s Facebook page >>

11 Question with Emily Shea

1.) How have you changed the space?

We opened it up a lot, and it really makes the concrete cornice stand out. People come in all the time and say, “Oh my gosh, you put in a tin ceiling,” and I have to say, “No, it was there all along.”

(Also: There is now a bar with stools across the length of the front windows and a “community table,” which used to be a library table in MIT’s engineering department at the end of the 19th century.)

2.) What menu item should people try first?

If people have never had the Vietnamese fresh rolls that my partner Mark sells at Cafe Zing in Porter Square, they are delicious.

3.) Is Cafe Zing going to remain open?

Yes.

4.) What attracted you to Arlington, this location specifically?

I’ve lived in Arlington for almost 20 years and raised three kids here … I realized a couple years ago this was a location waiting to be turned into something really fantastic, and it all fell into place.

5.) What are your hours?

We’re going to be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to begin, except for Friday nights (see below).

6.) Will there be free wifi?

Yes.

7.) Are you still going to have designated parking spots out front?

Yes.

8.) How do you take your coffee?

I take it lot of different ways. I think deep down I’m a red eye person – I like my coffee with a couple shots of espresso in it and a little milk.

9.) Do you plan on having live music or other at exhibits here?

We’re definitely going to continue with the open mic night on Friday nights. I’d like to have some event every Friday night – maybe a trivia night.

10.) With your proximity to the Minuteman bike path, how are you going to cater to bicyclists?

In the summer, we’ll have water outside, so people can fill up their water bottles. We hope to maybe partner up with one of the local bike shops and put a little repair kit out there. We know we’re going to have food and coffee that bicyclists are going to love.

(Also: There is a new custom-made bike rack out front.)

11.) Are you hiring?

We’re pretty well set for an opening staff, but it’s a little bit of a mystery what’s going to happen when we open the doors on Friday. I’m really excited about the staff – it’s a great bunch of unique and interesting people, and we’re going to really make sure that customer service is right up there at the forefront.