Waterbean Cofee Exquisite – Gastonia

The former industrial shell on Gastonia’s Franklin Boulevard was transformed into an immersive café destination for Waterbean Coffee’s most elevated U.S. storefront to date. The client’s vision was to bring their internationally inspired “Exquisite” concept — first executed in Vietnam — to Gaston County, introducing a hospitality experience that feels globally sophisticated yet locally welcoming.

Design priorities centered on celebrating transparency, light, and material richness. HELT Design re-imagined the volume of the existing building with soaring interiors, polished stone surfaces, gold accents, layered lighting strategies, and curated seating environments that transition from social bar settings to quieter lounge zones. Natural elements including live olive trees and organic landscaping were integrated to soften the high-contrast modern palette while reinforcing Waterbean’s emphasis on craft and origin.

To support both daily coffee service and specialty event programming, the interior planning blends European café culture with flexible gathering space. The result is an iconic flagship environment — one that advances Waterbean’s brand on a global level while establishing a new design benchmark for experiential hospitality in the Carolinas.