Building a specialty coffee business from the ground up – A conversation with Parlor Coffee

5THWAVE - The Business of Coffee and Hospitality

In today's "Coffee Entrepreneur" episode, we're speaking with Dillon Edwards and AJ Walzer, the team behind one of New York City’s favourite specialty coffee brands - Parlor Coffee.

Dillon founded Parlor Coffee in 2012, originally as a pop up espresso bar in a Williamsburg barber’s shop. AJ joined in 2014 and since then, Parlor has grown to a formidable and globally revered roasting business, driven by a passion for origin, community and innovation.

In this conversation, Dillon and AJ discuss the evolution of the New York specialty coffee scene over the last 15 years, and their decision to prioritise wholesale expansion. They also highlight the need for innovation, elevating the customer experience, and the importance of empathy and shared values when building a business together.

Credits music: "Burn" by Grammy-winning artist Nicole Zuraitis in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective

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