Gimme Coffee, a Third Wave Trailblazer, Permanently Closes NYC Shops

After more than 16 years, Ithaca-based coffee roaster Gimme Coffee is permanently closing its two NYC shops, the company announced on Instagram.

The cafe in Williamsburg was among the first third-wave coffee shops in New York, helping to set the stage for a boom in serious espresso drinking and indie coffee culture. The Brooklyn one at 495 Lorimer Street opened in 2003, while a Nolita location at 221 Mott Street followed in 2008. Years later, the narrow premises of both locations remained go-to’s for the city’s coffee nerds.

Both locations closed temporarily in March in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but weeks later, the company says it no longer plans to reopen the spaces due to “the same challenges that many small businesses in the hospitality industry are facing,” the post says. If outposts reopen in the neighborhoods, they will be “in different locations and under new circumstances.”

Gimme is still shipping beans and other goods from its Ithaca headquarters; $1 from each bag of the Rally blend goes to a relief fund for baristas. It also still has locations upstate, though those are temporarily closed due to the new coronavirus shutdown.

Eater has reached out to the company’s ownership for more info.