Spokane-based artisan coffee roaster Roast House Coffee plans to open its first coffee shop this spring.

Roast House owner Deborah Di Bernardo says the shop, to be called First Avenue Coffee, will occupy a 3,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of the Music City Building, at 1017 W. First.

The building is owned by developer Jerry Dicker, who Di Bernardo says approached her last year about designing a coffee shop for the space.

“We’ve been asked several times over the years to consider opening a coffee house,” she says. “But in the end, it was customer demand that won me over.”

Di Bernardo says she plans to hire at least 12 employees for the coffee house.

She says the new coffeehouse space is currently undergoing remodeling work and is expected to be ready to open April 1.

Di Bernardo says the space will feature a 40-foot-long coffee bar, as well as a small kiosk space, and mezzanine level space available to be reserved for meetings.