CAFE GRUMPY= HAPPINESS Caroline Bell

RAINE: Why did you decide to open a cafe?

CAROLINE BELL: We decided to open Café Grumpy to create a place where people could come in and get a great cup of coffee in a welcoming environment.

RAINE: How was the transition from working in an office to owning a business?

BELL: Out of the various restaurant and office jobs I had over the years leading up to opening Café Grumpy, it was actually my role as an Executive Assistant that prepared me the most for owning a business. Staying organized and solving problems creatively and usually on the fly are some of the skills that help me the most to this day.

RAINE: How did yo u get the idea for the concept of the cafe?

BELL: We realized that the thing we looked forward to the most in the day was going out to get coffee and that the experience at the coffee shop could really change the trajectory of your day.

RAINE: How was the transition from working in an office to owning a business?

BELL: Out of the various restaurant and office jobs I had over the years leading up to opening Café Grumpy, it was actually my role as an Executive Assistant that prepared me the most for owning a business. Staying organized and solving problems creatively and usually on the fly are some of the skills that help me the most to this day.

RAINE: What are five things that your fans don’t know about you?

BELL: -Our fans might not realize that we have been hand-stamping our coffee cups with our logo since day one which means every grumpy face you get has its own personality!

-Our Greenpoint cafe has made cameos in many different TV shows including FBI, Blue Bloods, Lipstick Jungle, The Good Wife, and Girls.

-Our cold brew takes eighteen hours to steep and is made by hand at our Greenpoint, Brooklyn roastery.

-We are coffee professionals that drink coffee each day for quality control! Our baristas go through coffee training classes. Some have even competed in coffee competitions and we have a certified Coffee Q Grader on our team (me).

-Some people don’t realize that our grumpy logo is based on a coffee bean and was drawn by my brother Andrew.

RAINE: What was the biggest surprise you have experienced in building your business or career?

BELL: We are always surprised by how much community forms around a coffee shop and how our team is made up of such creative and inspiring individuals. We have watched our baristas in plays, music performances, book readings, art exhibitions and even boxing matches!

RAINE: What words of wisdom can you share with others on a similar journey?

BELL: Take time for eating and exercising, and extra phone and laptop chargers are worth the expense!

RAINE: Do you have any exciting plans coming up?

BELL: We are excited about the coffees we will be bringing back in over the next few months including some customer favorites like Las Flores and Las Mariposas from Honduras.