Exclusive: Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii details NJ growth plans

The basics:

• Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii franchisees plan 3rd NJ café for Ocean Township
• Wall location will celebrate its grand opening July 18
• East Brunswick site also under negotiation
• Father-son owners plan 6 NJ locations overall

Premium café concept Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is setting down roots in New Jersey.

After signing a deal to open six locations statewide, father-son franchisee team Jim Bowman and Tyler Bowman launched a shop last year in Madison (14 Lincoln Place) and this month in Wall Township (1825 Route 35).

NJBIZ has learned the duo’s third outpost will be at 2105 Route 35 in Ocean Township.

According to Tyler Bowman, construction will begin later this summer to transform an old furniture store into their newest café. The property is also home to casual dining chain Outback Steakhouse and upscale food hall Wonder.

They Bowmans are also in the process of finalizing negotiations for a lease in East Brunswick, he said.

Bringing it home

Jim Bowman, a retired entrepreneur with a background in technology and franchising, and Tyler Bowman, a 20-year veteran of the hospitality and entertainment industry, discovered the chain in Florida and wanted to bring it closer to home.

During a visit to see his father in the Sunshine State, Tyler Bowman said they popped into Bad Ass Coffee in Naples. “And we were sitting there and I looked at him, I said, ‘I got this weird idea.’ And he goes, ‘What?’ and I said, ‘Why don’t we bring this to New Jersey?’” he recalled.

“New Jersey is really a very viable state for Bad Ass, mostly because people are tired of Dunkin’ and Starbucks. A lot more people are moving to smaller coffee shops. While we are a franchise, it doesn’t feel that way,” Tyler Bowman said of the company.

Big Island roots

Founded in 1989 on the Big Island of Hawaii, Bad Ass Coffee serves premium Hawaiian-sourced coffee, handcrafted espresso beverages, signature lattes, cold brews, blended drinks and teas.

Its menu also includes breakfast and lunch sandwiches made with King’s Hawaiian sweet bread, as well as baked goods such as bagels, breakfast breads, scones, malasada doughnuts, cookies and muffins

After relaunching in 2018 under new leadership, the brand is focused on aggressive franchise sales and development. It now has 45-plus locations open across the U.S.

Of the more than 100 shops in development, Bad Ass Coffee expects to open between 25 to 30 locations this year. The brand has earned recognition as one of the nation’s fastest-growing coffee franchises from publications such as Inc. and QSR Magazine.

Bad Ass Coffee also recently expanded franchise opportunities beyond single-unit cafes into non-traditional locations, like food trucks, shopping malls, travel plazas, airports, grocery stores and sporting arenas, as a way to “meet people where they are.”

Good neighbors

After signing their development deal in fall 2024 with Bad Ass Coffee, the Bowmans have focused on finding the perfect markets in North and Central Jersey.

Just a few of the towns they’re exploring include exploring Red Bank, Princeton, Middletown, Freehold and Howell, according to Tyler Bowman.

“It starts with running numbers. We look at demographics of average household income. We look at what the traffic is on a single street. But more importantly, we look at co-tenants … if there’s a Starbucks down the street, we’re not going to turn it down if the property has really good co-tenants and drives traffic,” Tyler Bowman said.

Dunkin, Starbucks and Rook [Coffee] are down the street and we’re still having high-quality performance.
– Tyler Bowman, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii franchisee

At the Plaza 35 shopping center in Wall, he pointed to Crunch Fitness, Target, Prime IV Hydration & Wellness and Attilio’s pizzeria.

“Dunkin, Starbucks and Rook [Coffee] are down the street and we’re still having high-quality performance,” he said, adding that the team he works with at JLL are “the best Realtors in the world” and “really understand the retail space.”

‘Building places for the community’

“It’s not about every property that comes on. It’s what’s the right property. It’s important for us to find that, whether it’s a standalone, at the bottom of a building, being a co-tenant in a huge plaza or in a small plaza with a great location,” he explained. “… We’re trying to find what provides best for our customers and the community as a whole. That determines where we put it and what makes the best location for us.”

He went on to say, “I think the brand and the coffee speaks for itself. Kona coffee is almost unlike anything in the world, but from a Bowman Hospitality Group standpoint … I think that is what’s at the heart of our DNA is building places for the community and supporting the communities that we’re in.”

“Before we even opened in Madison, we sponsored an entire slate of Chamber of Commerce events … We’re also working on athlete of the week programs and school programs to benefit student athletes and performing students in those communities to spotlight them and give them some recognition,” he said. “We’re here to make places that are supporting the community.”

A celebration for Shore

To celebrate its inaugural Jersey Shore location in Wall, Bad Ass Coffee will give free coffee to the first 200 guests in line at 10 a.m. July 18.

Festivities will also include a Hawaiian-style lei cutting, as well as live music, giveaways, family-friendly activities, and raffles of limited-edition Bad Ass Coffee t-shirts and towels.

Additionally, guests can make donations in support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County. Representatives from the nonprofit will be onsite as part of the café’s commitment to community outreach. Bad Ass Coffee noted that a portion of proceeds from opening day will also be given to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County.

Following the grand opening, the Wall location will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for dine-in and pickup.

‘A gathering place’

Besides made-to-order drinks and food, the café offers retail coffee products, such as 100% Kona coffee, Hawaiian blends, single-serve pods and branded merchandise.

Customers who enroll in the chain’s loyalty program will receive $5 off and 89 points after their first purchase.

In a statement, Jim Bowman said, “Wall represents an exciting next chapter for our family and our partnership with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. We believe great coffee has the power to bring people together, and that’s exactly what we hope to create here – a welcoming gathering place for the community.

“We’re proud to be expanding the brand’s presence in New Jersey and look forward to sharing a taste of Hawaii with guests throughout the Jersey Shore.”

Bad Ass Coffee CEO Scott Snyder added, “Following the success of our Madison location, we’re excited to continue building our presence in New Jersey with the opening of our first Jersey Shore café in Wall.”

“Jim and Tyler have been exceptional partners who share our commitment to delivering a memorable guest experience and becoming part of the communities they serve. Wall represents an important step in our growth throughout the Garden State, and we look forward to supporting the Bowmans as they introduce the Bad Ass Coffee brand to even more New Jersey communities,” he said.