After numerous permitting delays, Joel and Leticia Pollock opened Panther Coffee in the middle of Wynwood's art district last June, . Though the couple is more interested in the art of the bean than in art by brush stroke, the outside of their building is decorated in a modern cubist motif of red, white, and green -- in keeping with the arty vibe of the neighborhood. It seems as though someone doesn't like the colors ... or the painting.
The incident happened overnight, says co-owner Joel Pollock, who said he was sleeping at the time. The substance is likely an oil-based paint that was thrown or splashed onto the building. (The vandalism was first reported by Beached Miami.) Pollock says a similar incident occurred last year, when vandals brushed black paint all over the exterior walls of the coffee roasting house he owns with wife Leticia.
When asked if he was angry, Pollock, a new dad, had a very zen-like
attitude. "Having a new baby puts things in perspective. There's nothing
you can do about something like this except to clean up and put it
behind you."
Pollock is most concerned about cleaning the oil-based paint off the sidewalk and parking lot in front of of the coffee house. "How am I going to clean this sticky stuff up in the parking lot?" he mused.
Pollock said that although Panther Coffee is located
in the heart of Miami's art district, he's not that concerned about the
exterior of the building, "We don't base our business on the way the
outside of our building looks. We're all about the coffee we make.
That's our contribution to the neighborhood."
Panther is open for business as usual, as the inside of the coffee house was untouched. This week's featured coffee is Sertao Fazenda from Carmo de Minas, Brazil.
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