The new store at King and John Streets — in Toronto's theatre district — is part of the specialty coffee chain's attempt to inject new life into a Canadian brand that has languished in recent years.
It has also collaborated with Canadian artists to design special paper cups: "Optimism" by Matt Andres of British Columbia, "Creativity" from Adrian Forrow of Ontario and "Collaboration" by Zela Lobb from Quebec.
"This café is an important step in our revolution and reflects our passion for coffee in creative and collaborative ways," Box says.
"For me, the Steampunk embodies our new essence because it is a high-end artful machine that is famous with coffee connoisseurs and trendsetters around the world."
To fund its growth initiatives, Second Cup recently issued 2.9 million common shares at $2.75 each, for gross proceeds of about $8 million including overallotment options.
Second Cup has been faced with increased competition in recent years from both high-end coffee retailers such as Starbucks and major restaurant chains such as Tim Hortons (TSX:THI) and McDonald's.
In the third quarter, it reported a $26.2 million loss — mostly due to a writedown of its trademarks' value. Second Cup previously suspended dividend payments to shareholders and reduced its management structure.
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