{"id":431,"date":"2014-03-19T23:15:24","date_gmt":"2014-03-20T06:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test.synecoretech.com\/?p=431"},"modified":"2015-01-06T12:36:32","modified_gmt":"2015-01-06T20:36:32","slug":"ninth-street-espresso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/ninth-street-espresso\/","title":{"rendered":"Ninth Street Espresso"},"content":{"rendered":"

[I]n an industry driven by invention and ingenuity, we don\u2019t often examine our roots. Specialty coffee remains relatively young, and it\u2019s easy to focus on the palpable present and exciting future of third-wave culture, rather than the era that preceded its explosive debut. While dynamic coffee craft reigns in New York City, less than two decades ago baristas primarily wore green aprons, batch-brewing set the standard, and the flat white had yet to make its regional debut.<\/p>\n

It was into this sparse market, populated by deli coffee and national chains, that Ninth Street Espresso<\/a> presented its original Alphabet City shop, an out-of-the-way storefront offering carefully prepared espresso, single-origin beans, bagels and bialys, and a chance to watch a mythic Faema E61 in action. Food and drink writers lauded the shop\u2019s progressive approach to coffee, and coffee lovers made pilgrimages from Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. But the concept of an independent caf\u00e9 focused on coffee\u2019s culinary mystique was new for many, and owner Ken Nye\u2014who entered the coffee realm after years tending bar\u2014recalls that despite positive reception, the shop\u2019s success was slow to form. \u201cThe first couple of years were really difficult,\u201d he says. \u201cIt was painful to get people in mass to be receptive to our approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The approach Nye refers to\u2014characterized by a dedication to purity and coffee fundamentals\u2014has defined the Ninth Street name for thirteen years. It has drawn industry criticism, negative press, and riled coffee drinkers enough to lose their cool in Nye\u2019s shops. His refusal to serve half-decaf, for example, his distaste for syrups, and his strict policies concerning to-go espresso have all contributed to the reputation of a no-nonsense entity driven by unwavering coffee ideals.<\/p>\n

Nye takes the good with the bad. His staunch approach to coffee has also contributed to Ninth Street\u2019s reputation for quality and\u00a0consistency. The company, which began roasting all its own beans last summer via Brooklyn\u2019s Pulley Collective<\/a>, has slowly grown into one of the city\u2019s most respected caf\u00e9 brands, recognizable by its \u201cfloating cup and flag\u201d logo. Ninth Street\u2019s shops are characterized by comfortable, modern design that intones a laser-like focus on coffee. \u201cThere is little confusion about what we are there to do,\u201d Nye says. \u201cForm follows function.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2005, when Ninth Street first pared down its menu by doing away with larger sizes, many shook their heads, and the caf\u00e9 lost long-time customers. \u201cCustomers literally looked me in the face and said, \u2018That\u2019s it,\u2019\u201d Nye says calmly. \u201cAnd having to dance your way out of an argument every ten minutes is hard. But I love that we did it.\u201d Forward-thinking industry members applauded Nye\u2019s chutzpah, and today, the same menu style is the norm in third-wave shops across the city, and around the world.<\/p>\n

\"Bags<\/a>
Bags of coffee at Ninth Street Espresso.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNinth Street set a lot of trends,\u201d says Bob Peyton, who was general manger from 2005 to 2007, oversaw the company\u2019s expansion from one shop to four, and later took his expertise to Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland. \u201cIt was the punk rock child and still is to this day.\u201d Peyton chocks up Ninth Street\u2019s success to Nye\u2019s \u201cinfatuation with good product\u201d and the company\u2019s rogue business model, consistently unafraid to go against the grain.<\/p>\n

In 2012, Ninth Street made further menu eliminations, and not without incurring the frustrations of some customers. On that menu, which stands today, drinks were simplified into four categories: coffee, iced coffee, espresso, and espresso with milk. No pour-overs, nothing steampunk, nothing sugary sweet. Words like cappuccino, macchiato, and latte are implicit. And customers still flock to Ninth Street\u2019s espresso bars to enjoy what the shop does best: no-frills espresso and quality brewed coffee.<\/p>\n

Despite Ninth Street\u2019s success and Nye\u2019s notoriously strict attitude towards coffee preparation, Nye speaks humbly about the company\u2019s respected niche. A native New Yorker, he draws inspiration from the city\u2019s legacy eateries, mom-and-pop dynasties built through hard work and generational torch-passing. He attributes Ninth Street\u2019s steady growth to his own passion for coffee, and his refusal to sell off the brand (despite receiving numerous offers). Nye makes a point of visiting each location every day to ensure things are dialed in. While he occasionally roasts, and has a hand in all aspects of the business, he says quality control will always remain his biggest concern. \u201cThe day I can\u2019t do that,\u201d he says, \u201cis the day I quit the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014Regan Crisp is\u00a0<\/em>Fresh Cup’s\u00a0associate editor. Photos courtesy Ninth Street Espresso.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ken Nye’s dedication to purity and fundamentals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"limit_modified_date":"","last_modified_date":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}},"beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[18,17],"tags":[265,90],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNinth Street Espresso - 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