We stumbled across BREW Coffee Bar a few years back while passing through the Raleigh area in desperate need of a cup of coffee. The Downtown Raleigh location was compact but still light and airy. There were lots of windows, well placed art on the walls, good music on the speakers, and most importantly, a well-equipped specialty coffee set-up behind the bar. The menu featured several different roasters, and the coffee we ordered was very well prepared.
Never a fan of missed opportunities, we reached out to BREW shortly thereafter, sent them a few of our favorite coffees, and asked for a spot on their roaster schedule. Since then, we've enjoyed placement on the BREW menu a number of times over the years. They've always treated our coffees with the utmost respect and represented our brand well to their customers.
As we prepare to send members of our team down to Raleigh for a Bar Takeover event at both BREW locations October 18th - 19th, we asked our friends at BREW a few questions to help you get to know them better.
How long has BREW been in business?
We opened our doors September 2014, so just over 4 years now!
How did you guys get into coffee?
This is a bit of a story but the short version is we started a local coffee tasting club that led us down the path to starting our own cafe to help bring coffee in from all over to try and boost the coffee scene in Raleigh.
What are your thoughts on the local coffee scene and how does BREW fit in?
I think that coffee in NC is just starting to take off. There are so many new roasters and cafes opening every year and the community continues to embrace specialty coffee. BREW has always been a place that sits at the crossroads of community, customer service, and coffee. We've always set out to be a small stage that can be used to highlight the amazing work being done around us. If that's coffee, bagels, art, or music we want people to come into BREW and experience something they haven't before.
What is the BREW coffee philosophy?
Connections first. We want every experience to be memorable. We want the coffee novice to gain knowledge and understanding about our products as much as we want the coffee geeks to come and nerd our with us. We want people to feel at home in each cafe and to invite their friends back to experience something they love.
Are there new BREW locations in the works or is two enough?
We are actually building our 3rd location! We hope to open early 2019 and it will be our biggest cafe yet!
Favorite places to get a bite to eat in the area if we're coming drink coffee at BREW?
My #1 place is Bida Manda in Raleigh. The level of service and attention to detail is unmatched and the food is absolutely amazing. There are so many spaces that are doing amazing food and the list changes almost weekly! Each barista has their own list of favorites and can definitely point you in the right direction.
We hope to see you 10/18 and 10/19 when a Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Co. team joins BREW for a bar take-over featuring some exciting new coffees and building the coffee community. If not, make sure to add BREW to your list of shops to visit in the Raleigh, North Carolina area.
