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Coffee house bringing its fair-trade beans to The Gateway

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune A coffee house, La Barba Coffee, will be opening in The Gateway next spring near the Olympic fountain, part of the shopping district's attempt to become an arts and entertainment center.

  | Dec. 13, 2017, 12:39 a.m.

The list of businesses coming to The Gateway shopping district next spring now includes a coffee shop.

La Barba Coffee, which serves a mix of fair-trade, direct-trade and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees, will move into a space near the Olympic fountain, which is between South Temple and 100 South.

“We started in 2012 with a mission to bring specialty-grade coffee roasting to Salt Lake City,” said company CEO Josh Rosenthal. La Barba Coffee currently has two locations — at 13811 Sprague Lane in Draper, and at 327 W. 200 South in Salt Lake City.

“Our Gateway location is going to be targeted at existing and new businesses in the Gateway, as well as the events they’re looking to do,” Rosenthal said, noting its menu will feature bowls of homemade yogurt. “Our operation on 200 South will become even more of a coffee geek haven.”

Vestar, the Phoenix-based company that owns part of the mall, previously said three other companies will move into The Gateway as part of its revival as an arts and entertainment district. Those companies are MidiCi Neopolitan Pizza, Dave & Buster’s restaurant and Recursion Pharmaceuticals.

“From dynamic office tenants to a range of local and national dining and entertainment options, now we get to offer employees and guests a place to get a cup of the best coffee around,” said Jenny Cushing, Vestar’s vice president of leasing.

In addition, the Internal Revenue Service is moving its taxpayer assistance office to The Gateway’s southern end, 175 S. Rio Grande St. That office has been located at 50 S. 200 East.