Café Fokus

Florent Vatin

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
We met through skateboarding in Vienna and had both been skating for more than twenty years. But we never really liked being labelled as skaters, and we certainly don’t see Fokus as a “skate café”. Still, skateboarding is part of our history and identity.

What attracted us to skateboarding when we were kids was its diversity. You meet people from every background, profession and walk of life. There’s no discrimination, anyone can participate, and what matters is the shared passion. In many ways, a café works similarly. People from completely different horizons come together in the same place, at the same moment, united by a common interest or simply by the need for a good coffee.

Skateboarding also opened the door to a much larger universe of music, art, photography, magazines and storytelling. We grew up watching skate videos long before social media existed, when full-length films still shaped entire generations. Those influences helped build who we are.

We wanted a place where all those interests could coexist. A place that felt like our own world, but one we could share with others. Somewhere that could become a community hub and a neighbourhood refuge away from the city’s hustle.

We had always loved coffee and eventually reached a point where both of us felt ready for a change. We had some savings, completed barista training and brought different experiences to the table. Florent had studied tourism management, while Jan worked professionally as a photographer.

We had no idea whether the project would succeed. But skateboarding had taught us resilience, risk-taking and patience. Sometimes you try a trick a thousand times only to land it once, and somehow the whole process is still worth it.

After two years of searching and many disappointments, we finally found the right space: a former architecture office near Augarten. A carpenter friend helped us shape it, and the rest is history.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
The people.

Every day we meet an incredible variety of personalities from Vienna and from all over the world. Some stay for a few minutes, others for hours. Those encounters create conversations, friendships and connections that make every day feel different.

We also love the first hour of the morning before opening. The café is quiet, music is playing, we dial in the coffee and prepare for the day ahead. There’s something meditative about that routine. It’s one of the few moments when the space feels entirely ours.

And of course, we enjoy constantly discovering new coffees and working with partners and collaborators who help shape what Fokus becomes.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Naturally, we take pride in the coffee we serve, both espresso and filter.

We work closely with Nomad and appreciate the consistency it offers. Regulars know what kind of flavour profile they can expect, while guest roasters keep things fresh and exciting.

But more than anything, we encourage people to slow down.

The space is small, yet full of details that have accumulated over time. Notice the plants covering the walls, browse through a magazine you’ve never heard of, sit upstairs or outside in the Schanigarten, and listen to one of our playlists.

If you’re lucky, you might even find yourself drawn into a conversation with someone nearby. The intimacy of the space encourages proximity, curiosity and empathy.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The impermanence of things.

That can mean something as simple as the weather and the way it affects people’s moods and habits. Running a café comes with constant highs and lows.

For a long time, it was just the two of us working six days a week. It was rewarding but also exhausting. We’re now supported by two employees we deeply value, which has helped us create a healthier balance.

Being self-employed means constantly switching between what happens on stage and behind the scenes. You are the face people see, while simultaneously carrying all the invisible responsibilities.

Learning how to smile while worries still exist is an ongoing challenge. It probably always will be.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
The simple fact that we were able to materialise a dream.

We never want to take that for granted.

We try to honour the trust people place in us by showing up with passion every day. We want guests to feel welcomed and appreciated because their decision to visit us is never something we assume.

Without the people, Fokus wouldn’t exist.

That’s why community remains at the centre of everything we do. We want to keep evolving, improving and growing, not necessarily in a commercial sense, but through ideas, experiences and constant learning.

As a café and as human beings.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Inspiration is everywhere.

Whenever we travel, we visit cafés we admire and pay close attention to how they operate, how they design their spaces and how they engage with people.

More broadly, we are inspired by the idea that cafés have historically been much more than places to drink coffee. They have always been gathering spaces filled with conversation, debate, friendship and exchange.

And ultimately, we are inspired by everyone who walks through our door and shares a small piece of themselves with us, as well as by all the people who have helped behind the bar throughout the years.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
There are simply too many talented people to name.

Even among our friends, there are artists, designers, musicians and creative people working in fascinating ways that we would love to collaborate with.

We’ve been fortunate to work with many local artists and coffee professionals since opening, and we hope to continue doing so.

Merchandise collaborations are something we’d like to keep developing, but we’re also interested in more events and pop-ups.

Space is often our biggest limitation. The upstairs area would actually be perfect for intimate concerts.

Maybe one day.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
One detail people often enjoy is our “Conciergerie” system for loyalty cards.

We realised customers frequently forgot or lost their stamp cards, so we created a storage system where they can leave them at the café under their name and collect stamps over time. No lost cards and no rewards missed.

Beyond that, Fokus is filled with small objects and gifts accumulated over the years. Some were left behind by regulars who moved away and wanted to leave a piece of themselves in the space.

Even the name has several meanings.

We wanted something short and easy to remember. One of us is French and the other Austrian, and “Fokus” works naturally in both languages.

It refers to focusing on work, to our focus on specialty coffee, to Jan’s band Soft Fokus, and even to skateboarding, where “to focus a board” is slang for breaking it out of frustration.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
As a city, we wouldn’t choose a specific place, but our aesthetic is often compared to Scandinavian and Japanese design: wood, brick, simplicity and warmth.

As a book, it would be Vernon Subutex by Virginie Despentes. The trilogy follows a former record store owner moving through contemporary society while attracting an unexpected community around him. There’s something about that idea of gathering people together that resonates with us.

As for music, choosing a single record would be impossible.

We’ve been curating playlists since the day we opened, and music is woven into the identity of the café.

If we had to mention a few titles, Jazz Report from the Hood by Omasta feels like the soundtrack of a neighbourhood café. Little Vertigoes of Love by Sessa captures some of the emotional ups and downs of being owners. And Gate of Dreams by Claus Ogerman might be the most fitting title of all.