Blank Street lands on the West Coast

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A New York coffee startup known for its TikTok-friendly matcha drinks is making its West Coast debut.Blank Street, the fast-growing, venture capital-backed coffee chain that launched during the pandemic, plans to open four stores in Los Angeles County this year, starting in Beverly Hills and Studio City.The first two stores will open in June.

Blank Street Chief Executive Issam Freiha told The Times he has long romanticized L.A.— the place where he fell in love with his wife — and hoped to open stores in the region, but held off until the company was fully ready.Blank Street has spent several years refining its menu, sharpening its brand identity and developing a hospitality experience that can be scaled, he said.

The “handoff” step, in which a barista calls a customer’s name and finishes making their drink in front of them, is a key part of that experience.Customers often record the moment and share it on TikTok.The chain has nearly 100 global stores, many in New York City and London.

Blank Streets are expected to open at the Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood and off the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu in late fall.Blank Street wanted to kick off its California expansion in Beverly Hills because of its high profile.The city represents what most people envision when they think of L.A.: Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Hills Hotel and towering palm trees, said Evan Mateen, head of U.S.real estate for Blank Street.

The location, a Tudor Revival-style building on Bedford Drive, was attractive for its visibility, parking spaces and proximity to daily services and salons, he said.Business The Nestlé-owned and Oakland-born specialty coffee company Blue Bottle is reportedly being sold to a Chinese investment firm.Blank Street’s roots trace back to 2020, when co-founders Freiha and Vinay Menda began selling coffee out of a pale-green coffee cart in the Williamsburg neighborhood of ...