EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Peet’s Coffee & Tea, a specialty coffee and tea company that started the artisan coffee movement back in 1966, today announced its first major retail launch in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. The company will open 23 new stores in a phased rollout across the market this year, employing approximately 350 people. A flagship store at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps from the White House, opens today. Peet’s entry into D.C. will become the company’s second largest retail market outside of California and its biggest East Coast retail footprint.
In an effort to support the local community, Peet’s is partnering with local non-profit 826DC to provide dedicated store space for student tutoring sessions and writing workshops. Also, Peet’s is now the new, official coffee of the Washington Nationals, D.C.’s Major League Baseball franchise, and will be served at Nationals Park.
“This is an exciting time in Peet’s history as Washington D.C. will officially become our second biggest home outside of California,” said Dave Burwick, president and CEO of Peet’s Coffee and Tea. “We have a strong following of loyal fans, known as “Peetniks,” in the Washington D.C. community that know and love us. We couldn’t be more pleased to bring the Peet’s brand to life for them, and also introduce more fans to our premium coffee experience.”
Peet’s 48-year heritage is rooted in its commitment to premium coffee quality. The company sources the world’s best beans from around the world, hand roasts in small batches, and maintains a superior standard of freshness through its direct store delivery network. The new D.C. stores will be uniquely designed to take the coffee shop experience to a higher standard, similar to the way Peet’s crafts its premium coffee. In particular, the 1701 Penn flagship will reflect a contemporary environment, using locally specific design elements that celebrate the spirit of the neighborhood along with imagery adorning the walls that chronicles Peet’s history.
In addition, given Peet’s long-standing commitment to being a neighborhood coffee shop and supporting the local community, the company is partnering with important D.C. area businesses and non-profits, including the following:
Peet’s & 826DC Partnership
- Peet’s is partnering with 826DC, a local non-profit dedicated to improving the writing skills of students ages 6-18 in the area. In addition to monetary support, Peet’s will provide dedicated space in its D.C. area stores to host student tutoring sessions and writing workshops, and will also serve as an awareness hub to help recruit 826DC volunteers.
Peet’s Partnership with Washington Nationals
- As of Opening Day on April 4th, Peet’s is now the new, official coffee of the Washington Nationals, D.C.’s Major League Baseball franchise, and will be served at Nationals Park in Nats Dog stands and on premium club levels.
- Peet’s will also be served during all non-game catered events at the ballpark.
- In addition, Peet’s will provide free samples and coupons from its mobile barista truck outside the stadium on the following game days: April 19, May 7, May 16 and May 17.
Peet’s Local Business Partnerships
- Peet’s is also partnering with two locally renowned bakeries, Baguette Republic and Hawthorne Fine Breakfast Pastry, to provide freshly baked items every day in its stores. Peet’s will also serve fresh food items, including salads, sandwiches and fruit/cheese plates, made locally and delivered fresh daily.
This announcement ushers in the next phase of the company’s biggest retail expansion in its 48-year history that began in summer 2013. Last year, Peet’s opened 29 new stores in four key markets including: Cleveland and Columbus, OH; Detroit, MI; and Pittsburgh, PA. This year, the company will open 23 stores in Washington D.C. and nearly 20 stores in Chicago that will bring its total to nearly 300 stores by the end of this year.
ABOUT PEET’S COFFEE & TEA
Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. is the premier specialty coffee and tea company in the United States. The company was founded in 1966 in Berkeley, Calif. by Alfred Peet. Peet was an early tea authority who later became widely recognized as the grandfather of specialty coffee in the U.S. Today, Peet's Coffee & Tea offers superior quality coffees and teas in multiple forms, by sourcing the best quality coffee beans and tea leaves in the world, adhering to strict high-quality and taste standards, and controlling product quality through its unique direct store delivery selling and merchandising system. Peet's is committed to strategically growing its business through many channels while maintaining the extraordinary quality of its coffees and teas.
For more information about Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc., visit www.peets.com. Connect with Peet's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peets, on Twitter at twitter.com/peets_tweets and on Instagram at instagram.com/peetscoffee.
