Partnership perks | Winter Swan Coffee + Stacy K Floral 

click to enlarge From left, Stacy K Floral owner Stacy Ercan and Winter Swan Coffee owner Quynh Bui. - MIKE MARTINEZ.
  • MIKE MARTINEZ.
  • From left, Stacy K Floral owner Stacy Ercan and Winter Swan Coffee owner Quynh Bui.
When a bride-to-be walks into a florist shop for a wedding consultation, being able to order a latte on site is an added perk. Similarly, meeting a colleague for an out-of-office coffee while surrounded by greenery and bathed in natural light when it’s icy outside is just the ticket.

However visitors arrive at the counter of Winter Swan Coffee, housed within Stacy K Floral at 43 Russell St., the ‘Swan Cloud’ — their version of a Vietnamese coffee — is a must-try. The decadent drink — a hot or iced, dark roast coffee made velvety and sweet with condensed milk and topped with a biscoff cookie crumble — pairs well with a conversation or book while relaxing in the central oasis of the 1910 brick building that’s also home to Nosh, Scratch Bakeshop and Old Pueblo Grill.

Winter Swan owner Quynh Bui was born in Vietnam and at age 16, moved to America. After graduating from college and working in the business analytics world, she decided to open a coffee shop that reflected the quality of life she remembered from back home. Americans’ habit of constantly rushing around was one of the most intense culture shocks for Bui. In Vietnam, coffee culture isn’t about fueling a whirlwind day.

“We have a slow-pace of living, and coffee for us is really about the connection with friends,” Bui said. “Even at night, we go out to grab a cup of coffee and just touch base with friends.”

The airy, exposed-beamed, skylight-laden space on Russell St. is ideal for settling in for a sense-bath that also includes potted plants, elegant home goods, sweet treats, and extraordinary beverages that are so pretty they beg to be ‘grammed — particularly the dreamy blue-hued Butterfly Pea Latte or the lime green Pandan Latte, made with a tropical plant that has rose and almond flavor notes.

click to enlarge MIKE MARTINEZ.
  • MIKE MARTINEZ.

The environment is courtesy of Stacy Ercan, owner of Stacy K Floral, and Bui says they’ve had glowing feedback from visitors.

“People are just really enjoying the space,” she said. “They appreciate that it feels like an experience versus just going to a coffee shop to get a coffee, because immediately when you walk in, the store is filled with flowers and greenery and plants.”
click to enlarge MIKE MARTINEZ.
  • MIKE MARTINEZ.

Ercan founded her flower business in 2006, first from her home, then to a shop on Park Avenue before expanding into the current storefront on Russell St. in 2016. Stacy K Floral expanded further into the same space in 2023; an additional 4,500-square-feet became the collaborative Design Lab, which also houses custom candle boutique The Fleurish Co. Studio owned by Lainey Schmidt. Bui came onboard last August after launching her business as a pop-up hosted at different venues in 2022.

Ever since she visited a flower shop-and-cafe model on a trip to San Francisco in 2017, Ercan knew she wanted a coffee shop in the space. She met Bui through mutual friends, and Winter Swan joined the women-owned businesses; a cohort that is supportive by design. Winter Swan and Fleurish not only gain exposure to Stacy K’s walk-in customers (and vice versa), but their services are also available for hire by folks who book the florist for weddings and other special events.

“It's really neat to see them skip some steps to get ahead faster in this situation that we've cultivated,” Ercan said.

The Eden-like layout of the shop is periodically refreshed, as is the drink menu at Winter Swan — Bui said to look out for a Pink Rose Latte in February.

winterswancoffee.com | stacykfloral.com

Rebecca Rafferty is an arts writer for CITY. She can be reached at [email protected].
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