In a country littered with corporate coffee shops, brew connoisseurs in locally minded S.F. (and beyond) often seek caffeinated refuge in the quaint, mom-and-pop-like java joints. And boy, do we have a handful of artisanal places we’ve come to cherish — like the Oakland-based Blue Bottle Coffee Co., which has spawned eleven locations in the Bay Area and New York. The company has quickly become a marker of well-made, handcrafted (and yes, even sometimes pretentious — gasp!), smoother-than-smooth sips.
But, in a somewhat interesting turn of events, the lauded company is going big by closing a mind-splitting $20 million, VC-funded deal. This obviously means that Blue Bottles are bound to multiply like Gremlins all over the dang place, and — hopefully — it doesn't mean that the quality we've come to know will change.
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According to
Wired, however, this cash infusion, which follows in the steps of similar moves made by beloved indies Stumptown and Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea, signals a "third wave roasting movement," in which investors are looking to beef up these quality spots so that they can compete with the biggest boy out there: Starbucks.
Obviously, only time will tell, but we can only imagine jaws dropping and (presumably Blue Bottle) coffee cups plummeting to the floor this very second with the thought of the brand getting too huge. What do you think? Did ol’ Blue sell out or is this a swift business move? Please spill the beans (sorry, we had to!) below.
Photo: Via Blue Bottle/Facebook