The independent New York coffee brand has built a city-wide following on community and craft — and is now scaling with technology to match.
Birch Coffee, one of New York City’s most beloved independent coffee brands, has opened its twelfth location, powered by Square’s unified commerce platform. Built on a hospitality-first ethos and a commitment to neighborhood connection, the brand is steadily scaling by using Square to simplify operations, support frontline teams, and deliver a consistent customer experience across every location.
Birch Coffee’s origin story is one of humility and hustle. Founded in 2009 by two bartenders new to the industry, the brand has grown from a neighborhood newcomer into a name recognized city-wide for its warmth, craft, and community. Believing that every cup of coffee has its own story and soul, the founders early on established relationships with South American farmers behind their beans, with a commitment to discovering the best processing methods and flavor profiles. As they embarked on ambitious expansion, the team needed technology that would evolve alongside them, upholding their high product standards without adding operational complexity.
“We really immersed ourselves in the industry, learning as much as we could and becoming more confident in our point of view,” said Jeremy Lyman, co-founder of Birch Coffee. “What started as a small, uncertain venture has grown into a more established and intentional brand. We’ve become much clearer about who we are and how we operate, and we need systems that support that as we grow.”
That intentionality has paid off. In 2025, Birch Coffee posted 16 percent year-over-year growth — a testament to the brand’s local reputation and the commerce infrastructure supporting it. Before Square, Birch Coffee ran on a legacy point-of-sale system that was struggling to keep pace with rapidly advancing customer expectations. When word spread that other local coffee operators were making the switch to Square, the founders took notice.
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“It’s easy to use, easy to train on, and easy to scale with,” said Lyman. “Being able to run so much of the business through one ecosystem while still integrating with best-in-class partners is a big advantage. The overall simplicity and flexibility would be hard to replace.”
Birch Coffee’s portfolio runs entirely on Square, combining hardware, software, and integrations that support both frontline operations and back-office management. The business uses Square Register and Square for Restaurants to power its service operations, while Square’s email marketing tools and gift cards help drive community connection and repeat visits from loyal regulars. Square also powers the brand’s coffee subscription service. Birch Coffee additionally uses a custom-built API alongside an integration with workforce scheduling platform 7shifts — an example of how Square’s open platform can be tailored to a brand’s specific needs.
Running a coffee brand in New York City poses distinct challenges. The pace is fast, real estate is tight, and with local competition fierce, customers expect standout experiences every time they walk through the door. Square is designed to meet those demands, offering the reliability to handle dense urban footprints, tools to manage large and rotating teams, and the mobility to take commerce anywhere.
“Cafés have some of the most demanding commerce needs, with high transaction volumes, complex shift work, tip income, and customers who expect excellence with every visit,” said Nick Molnar, global head of sales and marketing at Block. “Square is purpose-built to meet those demands, and what Birch Coffee has achieved across its locations in New York City is a testament to what’s possible when capability scales. The same platform that powers a single neighborhood café can run a multi-location enterprise without adding complexity. That’s the promise we deliver for operators like Birch Coffee.”
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With its twelfth location now open and further expansion on the horizon, Birch Coffee shows no signs of slowing down. The company remains focused on deepening its presence in New York City’s coffee community, and with Square as its unified commerce provider, it is positioned to keep growing without losing the hospitality-driven character that defined it from the start.