DISTRIBUTED LOCATION/OAKLAND, Calif., April 10 — 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 driving neighborhood connection, Birch Coffee is steadily scaling by leveraging Square to simplify operations, empower frontline teams, and deliver a consistent customer experience at 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 the 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 Birch Coffee co-founder, Jeremy Lyman. “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.”
Their intentionality has paid off. In 2025, Birch Coffee saw 16% year-over-year growth – a testament to the brand’s local reputation, performance, and the commerce foundation supporting it. Before Square, Birch Coffee ran on a legacy point-of-sale (POS) system that wasn’t keeping up with rapidly advancing customer expectations. When word spread that local coffee giants were making the switch to Square, the Birch Coffee founders took notice.
“It’s easy to use, easy to train on, and easy to scale with,” continued 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 on Square, combining hardware, software, and integrations that support frontline operations and back-office management. The business uses Square Register and Square for Restaurants to power its service operations, with functionality like Square email marketing and gift cards driving community connection and repeat visits from loyal regulars. As part of their eCommerce offering, Square powers the brand’s thriving coffee subscription service. The business also leverages a custom-built API alongside an integration with 7shifts for workforce scheduling, demonstrating the flexibility of Square’s open platform to tailor-meet a brand’s needs.
