Un Caffè, a roastery and espresso bar founded by SoonKack Kook, is opening a second location inside the Union Transfer and Storage Building in downtown Houston. Construction is expected to begin in February, with a planned opening in March 2026. The new spot will bring another specialty-coffee option to the area for office workers and visitors.
According to What Now Houston, a state filing lists the new shop at 1113 Vine Street, Suite 125 in the Union Transfer and Storage Building. The outlet also notes the build-out is planned as a quick turn-and-key job, with work slated to start in February and wrap in March.
Un Caffè's website notes founder SoonKack Kook opened the original roastery on Milam Street in Midtown in 2023, with a focus on Italian-style espresso alongside lighter roasts. Kook credits 2016 Espresso Italiano champion Daehoon Park for helping develop his Italian-roasting methods, and the Midtown spot features an on-site roaster and retail counter.
Local guides have taken notice of the Midtown location's following: Eater Houston lists Un Caffè among the city's standout coffee shops and notes its signature drinks that helped build its reputation. This popularity is part of the reason the brand is now planning a downtown storefront.
Historic Warehouse Scores a New Coffee Bar
The Union Transfer and Storage Building at 1113 Vine Street is a century-old warehouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places, now repurposed as mixed-use office and retail space. Documentation from the Texas Historical Commission and recent leasing notes from Scarlet Capital show the property has been rehabilitated and is attracting new tenants, opening the door for concepts like Un Caffè to move in.
Quick Build, Faster Caffeine
Kook told What Now Houston he is targeting a March 2026 opening for the new location, a timeline that depends on a fast build-out starting in February. The brand's online shop and Midtown roastery lineup suggest the downtown outpost will bring the same selection of espressos, pour-overs and roasted beans to the center-city crowd.
Downtown workers and theater-goers can expect another serious espresso option when the doors open next spring. We'll keep tabs on the project as it moves from filing to build-out and as Kook shares details on hours and any potential soft opening.
