At the time, company founder James Freeman had high hopes for his company's success in the Magic City. In an interview with New Times, he said, "Miami is a mirage-inducing, exuberant kind of place. It makes me think of the guilty pleasures of reading Carl Hiaasen novels and drinking
Now, the company is closing both its Miami area locations.
At the end of March, Blue Bottle will shutter its cafés in the Aventura Mall and the Design District.
In a statement, Blue Bottle CEO Bryan Meehan said of the coffee company's time in South Florida, "We are immensely grateful to our teams, guests, and community for our wonderful year in Miami."
Meehan said the decision to close the Miami-area shops was due to the company's focus in the U.S. on the Northeast and California: "Closing our Miami cafés will allow us to focus on quality growth and give us the resources we need to invest back in other regions."
Currently, Blue Bottle has 18 locations in the San Francisco Bay area, 14 in the Los Angeles area, 13 in New York City, six in Washington, D.C., and three in Boston.
Additionally, Blue Bottle, with 11 locations in Asia, plans to grow its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
What will happen to Blue Bottle's Miami employees? Meehan says, "We are especially thankful for our talented team members. We want to retain as many of them as possible."
The company is offering relocation benefits to those who are "in good standing and continue on with the company." Workers who choose not to relocate will be offered a severance package, according to the company.
Blue Bottle Coffee. 3800 NE First Ave., Miami, and at Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura; bluebottlecoffee.com.
