Why 787 Coffee decided to close its 14th Street outpost

Deteriorating quality-of-life issues along 14th Street have prompted 787 Coffee to shut its doors here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

In an Instagram message, 787 management called the move "very sad." At the same time, the shop has suffered five break-ins in the past four weeks, and they also cited an increasing number of unhoused people along the corridor, a longtime area of concern for residents (here and here).

In addition, management said some customers sitting outside were assaulted last week. 

"We make coffee as an excuse to connect, to collaborate, to create… but when we are afraid to even go to work, it defeats our values, our DNA," they said.

The shop opened at 319 E. 14th St. in late February 2021 and brought some welcome daytime activity to this north side of the block. 

The growing coffee brand has three other EV locations — 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A, 101 Second Ave. at Sixth Street and 159 E. 10th St. at Second Avenue.

Top photo is by Pinch, and the other two are by Joe

Former Los Tacos space now a 787 Coffee training facility on 7th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

If you glance inside 117 E. Seventh St., you might get the idea that a new coffee shop is opening here between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

And it's understandable why you might think that with the setup...

Turns out that this is a barista training site for 787 Coffee, which has a shop down the street as well as on Second Avenue, 14th Street and several other NYC locations. 

It's not open to the public, but they did let EVG contributor Stacie Joy in for a photo.

The previous tenant here, Los Tacos NYC, closed in June. The taqueria, operated by Brandon Pena and Sam Sepulveda, the owners of 787 Coffee, debuted in October 2020 to positive reviews.

787 Coffee debuts on 10th Street

787 Coffee debuted yesterday on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and 10th Street (officially 159 Second Ave.) ... a nice retail spot right across the street from St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery.

As we first noted on June 2, 787 signed a lease for both storefronts — the one on the left (in the top pic) is serving as an office for the coffee shop 

With this opening, 787 has four East Village locations, joining 131 E. Seventh St., 101 Second Ave. and 319. E. 14th St. 

The Seventh Street store, which opened in October 2018, was the first for co-owners Brandon Pena and Sam Sepulveda, who wanted to bring Puerto Rican coffee to NYC. Their coffee is grown and roasted from a mountain-top farm in Maricao. (And 787 takes its names from Puerto Rico's area code.)

No. 159 was previously home to Third Rail Coffee, which did not reopen here following the PAUSE of March 2020. Next door, Danny's Cleaners merged their business with Lois Cleaners on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Third Avenue.

787 Coffee makes it official at 159 2nd Ave.

A quick follow-up to our post last Wednesday about 787 Coffee signing a lease for two storefronts on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and 10th Street (officially 159 Second Ave.). 

The 787 signage is now up on the space to the west ... the former Third Rail Coffee will serve as 787's retail space, while the former dry cleaners next door will be an office for the company. 

With this opening later this summer, 787 will have four East Village locations, joining 131 E. Seventh St., 101 Second Ave. and 319. E. 14th St. (The company currently has eight coffee shops citywide.) 

The Seventh Street store, which opened in October 2018, was the first for co-owners Brandon Pena and Sam Sepulveda, who wanted to bring Puerto Rican coffee to NYC. (And 787 takes its names from Puerto Rico's area code.)

Third Rail Coffee did not reopen here following the PAUSE of March 2020. Next door, Danny's Cleaners merged their business with Lois Cleaners on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Third Avenue.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

787 Coffee is opening a new location (and office) on 10th Street at 2nd Avenue

787 Coffee is continuing its East Village expansion, having signed a lease for two storefronts on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and 10th Street (officially 159 Second Ave.). 

A tipster told us about this pending arrival, and 787 Coffee confirmed the news. 

The space that was previously Third Rail Coffee (on the right in the above photo) will serve as 787's retail space, while the former dry cleaners next door will be an office for the company. 

With this opening, 787 will have four East Village locations, joining 131 E. Seventh St., 101 Second Ave. and 319. E. 14th St. (The company currently has eight coffee shops citywide.) 

The Seventh Street store, which opened in October 2018, was the first for co-owners Brandon Pena and Sam Sepulveda, who wanted to bring Puerto Rican coffee to NYC. Their coffee is grown and roasted from a mountain-top farm in Maricao. (And 787 takes its names from Puerto Rico's area code.)

Third Rail Coffee did not reopen here following the PAUSE of March 2020. Next door, Danny's Cleaners merged their business with Lois Cleaners on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Third Avenue.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

787 Coffee opens an outpost on 14th Street

787 Coffee has opened another location in the East Village — 319 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... in the space previously leased by Champion Coffee, who never reopened here after the PAUSE went into effect last March. (And the Champion signage remains up for the moment.) 

Friday was there first day in business here. (Thanks to Pinch for the tip and photos!) 

This is the third East Village outpost for 787, which grows and roasts their coffee in Puerto Rico... overall, 787 has eight NYC stores and one in Puerto Rico...

787 Coffee debuted in October 2018 at 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A... and at 101 Second Ave. at Sixth Street in July 2019.

Reopenings: Muzzarella Pizza, 787 Coffee

The latest establishments back open for takeout and delivery: Muzzarella Pizza at 221 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street with to-go service at the front door ... and 787 Coffee at 113 Seventh St. just west of Avenue A is back with take-out carry and pastries...



Other recent reopenings from the tipline: M & J Asian Cuisine at 600 E. 14th St. at Avenue B is available for takeout from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. ... and the Starbucks at Astor Place returned back on Monday.

For more on what's open, including laundromats. check out this interactive East Village map.

787 Coffee and Calexico now open on 2nd Avenue

As a follow up to Tuesday's post... both the Calexico outpost and 787 Coffee cafe have opened on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. (The previous post has more background detail.)

And thanks to everyone who passed the news about the openings here!

Coffee and Calexico for 2nd Avenue

Get ready for a Coffee and Calexico combo on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. (To be clear, these are separate businesses who are just new neighbors.)

The new outpost for the Calexico chainlet that we've been writing about this past year (here and here) at No. 99 is ready to open. Signs on the front note that the Cal-Mex restaurant is closed for private parties at the moment...



Updated: A reader says that Calexico is now in soft-open mode.

Meanwhile next door, the 787 Coffee shop is coming together... the Coffee signage just arrived (H/T Steven!) ...

UPDATE 7/26: 787 is now open



As reported on July 8, this marks the second 787 outpost for the East Village. The shop, which grows and roasts its coffee in Puerto Rico, arrived on Seventh Street near Avenue A last October.

787 Coffee for 101 2nd Ave.

Looks like an outpost of 787 Coffee is coming to Second Avenue.

Signage is up on the former Block's Vision Care storefront here at Sixth Street (this new location is also confirmed via 787's Instagram account) ...



This will be the second East Village outpost for 787, which grows and roasts their coffee in Puerto Rico. The 787 opened on Seventh Street near Avenue A last October.

This is a coffee-rich zone already with several nearby choices, including the Coffee Project and Southern Cross on Fifth Street just off the Avenue... not to mention Cafe Mocha on Second Avenue and Seventh Street, the Bean on Second Avenue and Third Street, and Kona Coffee and Company on Second Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street.

As for Block's Vision Care, they merged that business into Block Drugs next door back in the spring.

787 Coffee now open on 7th Street

View this post on Instagram

Ready! We are OPEN for business! 131 E. 7th st. East Village, NYC.

A post shared by 787 Coffee Co. (@787coffee) on Oct 2, 2018 at 7:06am PDT

787 Coffee debuted yesterday at 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A.

Here's what to expect from their beans, via a preview at Bedford and Bowery:

787 grows, processes, and roasts their coffee, all on a chemical-free farm atop a mountain in Puerto Rico, with the goal of restoring the island’s coffee crop to the level of success it previously enjoyed.

787 previously had an outpost in the now-closed Market NYC on Houston at Mulberry. The Seventh Street cafe will now serve as 787's flagship location.

Read more about 787 here.

No. 131 was previously home to Shervin's Cafe for several years.

Previously on EV Grieve:
787 Coffee for 7th Street

787 Coffee for 7th Street

You may have noticed the recent work going on inside 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A. It looks as if a cafe is going into the space.

There's now a "barista wanted" sign on the front door... with 787 Coffee in the address...



The Puerto Rican-based coffee company currently has an outpost at 290 Mulberry St.

The space was previously home to Shervin's Cafe for several years.