Our Story

Real dogs. Real heartbreak. Real good coffee.

Ivy’s Coffee wasn’t born in a boardroom — it was built in real life, through pandemic pivots, unexpected grief, a situationship gone sideways, and a stubborn belief that even the messiest moments can become something beautiful.

☕ It started with a misunderstanding. And some molasses.

I didn’t plan on getting into coffee. In fact, when a friend pitched me a company called VKNG BREW, I assumed it was a brewery. When I found out it was coffee, I politely passed — I loved drinking coffee, but I didn’t know enough to build a brand around it.

But they had seen what I’d built in fitness and wellness, and asked me to help with the business side. I said yes, and before I knew it, I was in deep: building branding, researching the industry, learning the science, and falling in love with coffee on a whole new level. We co-founded a company called PWR BRU — a wellness-forward café using nutrient-dense ingredients and syrups made with molasses instead of sugar. It worked. And when I sold my shares after a year to take a role with Peloton, I knew I wasn’t done with coffee.

That’s how Ivy’s was born — the second cup I couldn’t walk away from.

🐾 The goodest boy.

Not long before Ivy’s took shape, I adopted Loki — a lab-shepherd mix with boundless energy and absolutely no chill. He came into my life at the perfect time: full of joy, total chaos, and unconditional love. I’d bring my coffee on our morning walks, and without realizing it, the two became linked — the ritual of my cup and the rhythm of his paws.

He was supposed to be the one I leaned on when my older dog Hammer passed. But life had other plans. Loki was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer at just three years old, and we lost him six months later. I wasn’t ready. And honestly, I’m still not.

I don’t have a traditional relationship with my family. My dogs are my family. They’ve been with me through heartbreaks, career highs, cross-country moves, and everything in between. Ivy’s became a way to honor that — to turn loss into legacy. That’s why The Goodest Boy Roast exists, and why a portion of every bag goes to support rescue dogs.

💔 And then there was Ivy.

Like many questionable life choices, this one started on a dating app.

We lived a block and a half apart. We hit it off instantly. We stayed up late talking about life, work, coffee — and one night, he told me he’d always dreamed of opening a coffee shop. He even had the name picked out: Ivy’s Coffee.

At the time, I was building my next business and hadn’t landed on a name yet. My hopeless romantic brain spiraled. I imagined doing it together — the coffee, the life, the story. It was a little unhinged, but in New York, everyone’s a little unhinged.

There was just one thing: we always hung out at my place. So one day, I suggested we meet at his. That’s when he gave me the half-truth — said he was still living with his ex, which, in NYC, isn’t that weird. Rent is brutal. I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Spoiler: it wasn’t just a weird living arrangement.

Turns out, they were still together. He’d been cheating on his boyfriend — with me — the whole time.

Once I found out, I ended it. Fast.

But when I sat down to file the legal paperwork for my new business, I still hadn’t chosen a name. And then I thought... why not?

So I took it.
Ivy’s Coffee.
His dream. My business.

Was it petty? Absolutely. Was it maybe a little wrong? Also yes.
But in the moment, it felt right — and over time, the name stuck. I liked the visual of ivy vines growing through cracks in the sidewalk. Taking root. Refusing to die.

And while I ultimately built the brand around something much more real than revenge, I still laugh every time I see that name on the bag.

✨ Why Ivy’s?

Because I’ve started businesses that made money. This time, I wanted to build something that made meaning.

I wanted Ivy’s to be personal. Not a faceless coffee brand with plastic packaging and bland storytelling — but something rooted in love, loss, connection, and care. Something that women, gay men, dog lovers, romantics, and anyone who's ever gone through something could see themselves in.

Every roast is organic. Every batch is small. Every detail matters — from the ethical sourcing to the fact that our beans are third-party tested for mold and microplastics. (Yes, seriously. Because you deserve better than mystery beans and “natural flavoring.”)

I’m proud of this company — and more importantly, I’m proud of what it stands for.

Whether you’re here for the goodest boys, the revenge body, or the cold brew, just know this: I see you. I’ve been there. And I made this coffee for us.

– Bradford