Grand Opening: Kona Coffee Chelsea

You’re invited to our grand opening this week from 8 am - 3 pm, where there will be free coffee, pastries, and giveaways!

• Fri, 1/14: Free plain croissants with any coffee purchase
• Sat, 1/15: Free Hawaiian lattes for the first 50 customers

 Address: 201 West 21st Street, New York, NY, 10011

Please share this event with any friends - we’d love to have you come! Or visit us during our regular hours - we are currently open from 8 am - 2 pm, and starting Sun, 1/16, we will be FULLY open from 7 am - 7 pm.

To celebrate this moment, we took some time to ask Tae, the founder & owner of Kona Coffee, for a few words on what this means for Kona & him.

What made you decide to open a second shop?

I always believed that what we have is solid, and I wanted more New Yorkers to know, taste, and experience our coffee and good vibes. I want to bring the best of Hawaii to New York, and I’m excited that we are moving towards that goal.

What is the vision for this shop, and how is it different from East Village?

From operating in East Village for the past 4 years, I’ve taken away a lot of good learnings on what to truly focus on, and what makes a good coffeeshop. The vision is still the same - to bring a taste of Hawaii to New York, and remind people to make space for moments of rest & relaxation in such a busy city. Chelsea is a very different neighborhood from East Village, being surrounded by more offices and businesses, and so we’ll probably have different clientele. The new opportunity is learning how to best serve coffee (and how to serve the best coffee!) to our new neighbors, and continue to create community and a space where people can experience Aloha in New York City.
In terms of menu, decor, and the little details, I’m doing my best to copy and paste. I want Chelsea location to really show case what Kona Coffee can offer, and I believe that our time in East Village has really specified what we’re all about: good coffee and good people.

How was the process of opening a shop, especially during the winter time?
This was the busiest time for me, making sure everything is ready, testing all equipment and dialing in the coffee to bring out the best flavors. There were a few things out of my control, such as permits and approvals from the city and staffing availability after the holidays, but I’m so excited that things are falling into place. We’re starting off this new year strong, with Kona Coffee Chelsea!

How can we best support Kona Coffee during this time?

Please visit & tell your friends about us! Yelp & Google reviews go a long way, especially as we’re just starting out. Appreciate y’all so much - thanks for all the support and making this possible.