Barroco Owner Bringing New Flavor to Detroit Avenue

The businessman who brought a popular now has another artsy idea up his sleeve. 

Juan Vergara, the co-owner of , has plans to open Helvetica — a design-inspired café — next month on Detroit Avenue.

He’s not giving away too many details, but Vergara said to expect smoothies, South American juices and crepes. There may be room for sandwiches and salads as well, he said.

“It’s all going to be healthy,” Vergara said. “We know what we don’t want. I like to bring new things to the table.”

Helvetica — named after the popular font — is expected to open Aug. 15.

The restaurant is opening its doors in the space previously occupied by , across the street from .

In other words, it's the perfect spot for a design-inspired café, Vergara said.

Himself an artist, Vergara said Helvetica will be “geared toward the design community.”

“This is a dream for me,” he said. “I always wanted a place to go to be inspired.”

Just like Barocco, artists will be encouraged to post their work in the space.

“Many designers in Cleveland don’t have a place in the area to meet and go over their ideas and their concepts,” he said. “We want this to be different. We feel want people to feel comfortable.”

In the 15 months since it opened, demand has been so high at South American-inspired that Vergara — who co-owns the restaurant with his father, Carlos — doubled the space of its Madison Avenue location.

And recently, plans were announced to open a second location on W. 6th Street in downtown Cleveland.