September 28, 2023 – Char & Stave, the local roastery and full-service café-by-day, cocktail bar-by-night helmed by Jared Adkins of Bluebird Distilling, is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated launch of its new location in historic Chestnut Hill (located at 8441 Germantown Avenue). Adkins and team will celebrate the official Grand Opening on Friday, September 29, which aptly falls on National Coffee Day. The grand opening will kick off with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at 8 am, with complimentary 12 oz. hot drip coffee, made with Char & Stave’s Everyday roast, served all day.
The bar and coffee shop boasts an inviting and airy design, with long bar and coffee counter, an intimate gathering space adorned with custom art, plus a robust retail area with specialty beans, merch, and a bevy of Bluebird Distilling spirits. While the new location will hearken similarities to the flagship Ardmore location, Adkins worked with the design team at True Hand Society to lean into an upscale cocktail bar ambiance, embracing the community’s need for a late-night cocktail destination. The Char & Stave Chestnut Hill location will be open Monday through Thursday from 7am – 11pm, Friday from 7am – 12am, Saturday from 8am – 12am, and Sunday from 8am – 11pm, and will offer on-premise events that mirror those of the flagship shop including quizzo, live music, open mic poetry nights, and more – plus, happy hour is available Monday through Friday from 4 – 6pm.
“The Chestnut Hill community embraced us at our holiday pop-up and it is a natural fit for our brand expansion,” said Owner and Founder of Char & Stave and Bluebird Distilling, Jared Adkins. “We’re going to bring killer café programming during the day, in addition to being the community’s only late-night cocktail bar.”
On September 29, visitors can stop by both Char & Stave locations, where baristas will be serving up free drip coffee all day. From open to close, guests can walk out with one complimentary 12 oz. serving of medium roast drip coffee per person made with Char & Stave’s Everyday Blend, roasted using beans from Peru and Costa Rica. Cash tips for baristas are highly encouraged. After enjoying a free cup of coffee, visitors can relax at the cozy Char & Stave coffee bar and peruse the robust beverage menu, boasting a selection of classic and nouveau drinks spanning everything from traditionally brewed coffee to Char & Stave’s signature bourbon barrel aged espresso and Whiskey Smash Latte, along with a bevy of pastries and baked goods from local purveyors. A selection of signature cocktails and mocktails are available to enjoy throughout the day and into the evening, as Char & Stave’s transitional lounge seating transforms from a bright and airy coffee bar into a chic and alluring cocktail lounge. After all, it’s coffee made by whiskey people.
“When I saw Char & Stave in Ardmore, I knew immediately that it would be a great fit for Chestnut Hill as well,” commented Ann Nevel, Retail Advocate, Chestnut Hill Business District. “The concept, the look and the mood were just right for us. Last Holiday season, in the period between the signing of their lease and the start of their remodeling of the space, Char & Stave opened on a preview basis for our Holiday shopping nights — there were long lines and happy customers! Now that the renovation is complete, the space is fitted out and looking gorgeous, and the staff is ready to go – it will be clear that Char & Stave has been well worth the wait. We’re grateful to Jared for his foresight, we thank him and his team for their hard work, and we extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to Chestnut Hill.”
See below for highlights from Char & Stave’s menu:
COFFEE ROASTS
- Four Gain Bourbon Barrel ($25) — Medium roast | Dry aged | Milk chocolate, molasses, vanilla, aged oak, bourbon, toffee
- Bluebird Morning ($17) — Whole bean light roast | Citrus, bright, floral, honey
- Everyday ($17) — Whole bean medium roast | Chocolate, candied fruit
- Workout Fuel ($18) — Whole bean medium roast | High caffeine blend
- Dark Voodoo ($17) — Whole bean dark roast | Deep chocolate, dark fruit, molasses
- Adventure Espresso ($17) — Whole bean medium roast | Sweet, chocolate, citrus
SIGNATURE LATTES
- Whiskey Smash Latte ($7) — Barrel-aged espresso with salted whiskey caramel and milk
- Nuts & Berries ($7.25) — Everyday espresso with house made blueberry syrup, black walnut bitters, and milk
- Smoky Maple ($7.50) — Everyday Espresso with maple syrup, chicory-pecan bitters, and milk
- Dirty Little 5-Spice ($7.25) — Everday Espresso with house made 5-spice syrup, thai chili bitters, and milk
- Turmeric in Paradise ($7.75) — Golden latte with turmeric and ginger, notes of apple and magno, and milk
- London is Blue ($7.75) — Earl grey latte with house made blueberry syrup, lavender bitters, and milk
DRIPS (NON-ALCOHOLIC HANDCRAFED CONCOCTIONS)
- Espresso Tonic ($8) — Espresso, citrus, agave, thyme, tonic
- Matcha “Mojito” ($8) — House matcha, mint, sugar, lime, seltzer
- Espresso Y Amaro ($8) — Espresso, bitter Italian soda, strawberry, bitters, orange slice
- Chai Blossom ($8) — House chai, peach blossom, milk, seltzer
- Flora & Fauna ($8) — Espresso, lavender, milk, black pepper
- Barrel-Aged “Old Fashioned” ($8) — Barrel-aged espresso, bitters, sugar, orange peel
DRAMS (CAFE-INSPIRED HOUSE COCKTAILS)
- Ardmore Old Fashioned ($13) — Four Grain Bourbon, Light Roast, Angostura bitters, orange peel
- Char & Stave Espresso Martini ($13) — Bluebird Vodka, espresso, toasted cardamom
- Rittenhouse Manhattan ($13) — Straight Rye Whiskey, Dark Roast, sweet vermouth, Angostura & chocolate bitters, Luxardo cherry
- Chai & Easy ($13) — Straight Rye Whiskey, chai, anisette, Peychauds, orange and black walnut bitters, lemon peel
- Rising Sun ($13) — Sugarcane Rum, mint, lemon, honey, green & chamomile tea
- Caffe Negroni ($13) — Juniperus Gin, nitro cold brew, bitter Italian soda, orange
FAN FAVORITE COCKTAILS FROM BLUEBIRD DISTILLING
- Bluebird ($11) — Bluebird Vodka, blueberry, mint, lime, club soda
- Cool Cool Cool ($12) — Straight Rye Whiskey, strawberry, mint, lemon, ginger beer
- Permanent Holiday ($11) — Dark Rum, cinnamon, vanilla, lime, Tiki Bitters
- Ginchillin’ ($12) — Barrel-Rested Gin, Ginger, Honey, Lemon, Ginger Beer
- Strange Clouds ($12) — Four Grain Bourbon, blueberry, lemon, cinnamon, tiki bitters, egg white
- Blackberry Jawn ($12) — American Wheat Whiskey, blackberries, honey, lemon, orange bitters, thyme
The opening of Char & Stave’s second location comes on the heels of a series of strategic expansions by owner Adkins, who was honored as a recipient of 2023 Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and launched national direct-to-consumer e-commerce for both Bluebird Distilling and Char & Stave’s online sales from being shipped to four to 41 states nationwide. Previously only available in-person at Char & Stave’s Ardmore location, the roastery’s beans will now be sold at both Char & Stave locations, as well as online nationally.
“I’m thrilled to be getting both our booze and beans in more people’s hands with the expansion of our online sales,” commented Adkins. “Fans of our coffee can now come to Ardmore or Chestnut Hill to try our roasts in-person and grab a bag on their way out, or get our beans delivered straight to their doorstep through our website!”
Retail offerings available at Char & Stave include bags of whole/ground coffee beans, Bluebird Distilling spirits, such as the Four Grain Bourbon, Juniperus Gin and Straight Rye Whiskey and branded merchandise (think tote bags and t-shirts). Customers can also purchase Bluebird Distilling spirits online at www.bluebirddistilling.com and Char & Stave’s coffee beans and merchandise on www.charandstave.com.
– Alex Branco