In the competitive landscape of New York City’s specialty coffee scene, maintaining a “neighborhood” feel while scaling to multiple locations is a rare achievement. Birch Coffee has officially opened its twelfth location, supported by a strategic partnership with Square.
By leveraging Square’s unified commerce platform, Birch Coffee demonstrates how hospitality-driven businesses can scale efficiently without losing the personal touch that defines their brand.
The Birch Coffee story: From bartenders to industry pioneers
Founded in 2009 by Jeremy Lyman and Paul Schlader, Birch Coffee began as a single café in New York’s NoMad neighborhood.
With no formal background in the coffee industry, the founders built the brand through hands-on experience learning roasting techniques and establishing direct-trade relationships with South American farmers.
Their goal was simple: to create a product rooted in quality and community. As the business expanded, the founders recognized the need for systems capable of supporting a growing operational footprint.
“What started as a small venture has grown into a more intentional brand. We’ve become clearer about who we are, and we need systems that support that growth.” – Jeremy Lyman, Co-founder
Fueling 16% year-over-year growth
The transition to Square was driven by limitations in legacy point-of-sale systems. Since adopting the platform, Birch Coffee has reported 16% year-over-year growth in 2025, a notable achievement in a highly competitive market.
The integrated ecosystem combines multiple capabilities:
- Unified service operations: Square Register and Square for Restaurants streamline high-volume transactions
- Customer retention tools: Email marketing and digital gift cards strengthen customer relationships
- Subscription economy: eCommerce subscriptions provide recurring revenue beyond physical locations
- Custom flexibility: API integrations and tools like 7shifts support workforce and operational management
The “capital of coffee” challenge
Operating in New York City introduces unique operational pressures, including high real estate costs, dense locations, and complex workforce logistics.
Nick Molnar, Global Head of Sales & Marketing at Block, highlighted the platform’s scalability:
“The same platform that powers a single café can also support a multi-location business without adding complexity.”
By automating back-office operations such as payroll, inventory, and payments, Birch Coffee can focus on delivering a consistent customer experience.
About Square
Square, part of Block, Inc., is a global financial technology platform providing tools for payments, commerce, and business operations. Its solutions enable businesses of all sizes to streamline operations and scale efficiently.
