Roughly six months after Brix departed the building as it ceased operations, the Carriage House at 413 N. San Francisco St. opened its doors once again.
Following a soft opening, Caleb Schiff and James Worden officially debuted their newest concept, Sosta, on March 21 by offering breakfast, lunch, gelato and coffee. The owners of Flagstaff鈥檚 Pizzicletta and Indian Gardens in Sedona spent roughly four and a half months preparing the space as they look聽to offer their own unique style of cafe.
鈥淚 think if you would have asked us then, we would have liked to have done it faster and thought we could do it faster,鈥� said Schiff, adding the asset purchase with Brix closed on Oct. 31, 2024. 鈥淏ut this was fast enough.鈥�
In fact, Sosta鈥檚 opening came so quickly that it actually beat out the approval of its liquor license. Though it was forwarded to the state with a recommendation for approval by the Flagstaff City Council on April 1, 2025, Schiff and Worden elected to move forward with their opening, first debuting the breakfast and lunch menus before dinner options and hours are added in the future.
Breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, and biscuits and gravy join other options served from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., while soups, salads and a variety of fettuccine options take over from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Naturally, gelato and numerous coffee options are on the menu as well with the new space intended to welcome visitors to enjoy a piece of Flagstaff鈥檚 history -- which was constructed in 1909.
鈥淟ife鈥檚 too short to just keep moving and moving,鈥� Schiff said. 鈥淲e recognize that going out is still more expensive than eating at home, but since COVID, I think there鈥檚 just been a desire for people to find more community. That鈥檚 something that鈥檚 kind of been in our veins of the company for a long time.鈥�
Acknowledging that their restaurants are on the smaller side and are possibly harder to visit regularly, Schiff said once the Carriage House space became available, the group felt there was an ability to offer a simple food menu that allows for a wider range of people to be able to enjoy.
Residing a few blocks north from the center of downtown Flagstaff, Schiff said it was too hard to pass up the space鈥檚 historic qualities, parking and the neighborhood vibe while still remaining in close proximity to the hub of the city鈥檚 excitement.
鈥淲e were not necessarily looking at the space before it went up for sale,鈥� Schiff said. 鈥淲hen it went up for sale, I was scratching my head like, 鈥極h, man, another one? You really want to do this?鈥� But when we took a step back, we realized we were ready as a company to grow a little more.鈥�
Having invested back into the company with a commissary kitchen in Southside and other company roles such as a regular human resources position, Schiff said they realized they could pull it off.
For Worden, the unique space within the Carriage House matched Sosta鈥檚 intention to provide people with a place to share where memories can be created.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not so much about the food or coffee in particular; it鈥檚 all the conversations you get to have around those tables,鈥� Worden said, noting an appreciation for the space Tim Macy created with Macy鈥檚 European Coffeehouse and Bakery. 鈥淵ou just create a space that isn鈥檛 about you, or specifically your vision, but rather the opportunity for the community to share it, and they create their own memories. Obviously, we curate that experience, but it鈥檚 more about creating that space.鈥�
Aided by the history of the building Sosta now occupies, Worden said simply sitting and taking in what the Carriage House has to offer as a representation of Flagstaff is something to enjoy.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a time capsule from here, a 1909 time capsule,鈥� Worden said. 鈥淎t Indian Gardens, we say the architecture of the experience is the garden. Here, the architecture of the experience is the architecture. While it has beautiful patios, and I think that the understory patio with the trees will be lovely, highlighting what was already here in terms of architecture and just providing a beautiful place to enjoy was the goal.鈥�
Worden鈥檚 appreciation for the Sosta鈥檚 environment is something he hopes others will feel as they visit moving forward.
Noting the saw marks along some of the wooden rafters on the second floor, the exposed bricks layered together to create the walls and the fingerprints and mortar marks within the layers, Worden said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the layering of human intention that makes the best things.鈥�
The variety of seating options within Sosta was also a very deliberate choice made by the new cafe鈥檚 ownership, with the upper floor alone offering a space for a larger group to dine, a bar looking down to the ground floor and out toward downtown and even more relaxed seating alongside a record player for customers to enjoy.
鈥淚t鈥檚 super strategic, because if you think about the places people go to dine, they are going to go to different places for different experiences,鈥� Schiff said. 鈥淵ou could come in one day or one night, and be on a date with your partner, and it would feel absolutely cozy and intimate. Or you could come in with all your in-laws and a big family, and we have space for that, too."
The inviting atmosphere of Sosta is aimed at a wide range of potential customers. Repurposing an old mail locker as a phone locker and offering free sparkling water to customers, Sosta hopes to provide a place to take a break and unwind for a bit should customers be looking for such an option. Similarly, those who might work remotely are welcome to spend a few hours of their day being productive while enjoying a cup of coffee.
鈥淩eturn visits are the best compliment, and if we can create an infrastructure that encourages you to do that in multiple ways, then that鈥檚 good for us and it鈥檚 also a great experience for our guests,鈥� Schiff said. 鈥淗ow do you create a space where people want to pause, hang out and just chill? I think it鈥檚 about the environment as much as your goals.鈥�
Sosta is open Thursday to Monday, closing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. blending a bit of Indian Gardens breakfast options in Oak Creek Canyon and the Italian cuisine experience of Pizzicletta, albeit in a slightly different presentation, for lunch.