We had been toying with the idea of serving coffee at the shop for quite a long time. It just seemed like we were too small of a team to add yet another layer of work and responsibility to our already overwhelming to-do list.

But, there was no coffee shop in our neighborhood. I know what you’re probably thinking: “Dude, what are you talking about? Your store is in Brooklyn; there’s a coffee shop on every corner.” Well, my friend, you would be wrong. In fact, the closest place to get good coffee was literally over the highway, and honestly, it was not an easy trip—certainly not one that I was willing to make, I can tell you that much.

We still didn’t start selling coffee, despite having two friends who roast coffee right here in Brooklyn. One is in Red Hook (Pipe and Tabor) and the other in Williamsburg (Caffe Vita).

Actually, it wasn’t until another coffee shop/bakery opened a block away that I thought, “Well, now it looks like people might actually come over here for coffee. What if there’s a long line at the fancy coffee shop/bakery? What if someone in the group doesn’t like the coffee they serve? What if someone wants coffee later in the day? We should be another option. I mean, why not? There’s a reason Burger King opens right next to McDonald’s, right?