Specialty coffee pioneer setting up shop in Las Vegas
Blue Bottle Coffee, the chain that began in a Bay Area potting shed, expanded in the U.S. and Asia, then sold a majority stake to food and drink giant Nestlé, is opening a location in the UnCommons development in southwest Las Vegas.
A “Coming Soon” sign and the famous blue bottle logo are up in the windows of the space on Tom Rodriguez Street, next door to Teaspoon boba shop. The company has also listed a senior cafe leader position for Vegas on LinkedIn.
Blue Bottle developed a following for the freshness and flavor of its single-origin coffees, and long before precise water temperatures and brew times were concerns of average coffee consumers, the company was a leader in emphasizing lighter roasts and sustainable sourcing.
James Freeman, a coffee obsessive and former professional clarinetist, set up his first commercial roasting operation in 2002 in a rented potting shed in Oakland, California. He sold his roasts from a coffee cart at area farmers markets. The first bricks-and-mortar Blue Bottle opened in 2005 in a converted garage across the bay in San Francisco.
The company’s 2017 deal with Nestlé was valued at around $700 million.
Today, Blue Bottle offers specialty-grade coffees (single-origin and blends) at its shops across the U.S. and Asia. Blue Bottle also offers an online store with coffees (including coffee subscriptions), matcha, drinkware, brew tools and more. Visit bluebottlecoffee.com.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.