In March 2013, cafe operators Oliver Mckay and Chrissie Trabucco opened Assembly, a gallery-like store specialising in filter coffee, tea and brewing equipment off Lygon Street in Carlton. During what Trabucco describes as the long process of negotiation, they were able to secure the building next door to Assembly. This narrow space has become Espresso at Assembly, a brewed-coffee counterpart to Assembly’s filter and tea offering.

Although small, Espresso at Assembly is airy and fresh – fairy-floss and gun-metal-grey concrete walls are lined with rows of Assembly’s take-home coffee. There are tables inside and out the front, and a hole in the wall if you’re after a takeaway. No blends are available here, only considered single-estate beans. It’s also not quite a lunch destination, there’s just a small selection of pastries on offer.

Trabucco is aware that although some customers are interested in being informed about their beans, others just want to sit and enjoy a coffee in peace. Now, with Espresso at Assembly, both bases are covered. While the new space is somewhere customers can read or meet friends, the original Assembly will become more dedicated to educating people.