Rook employee Jenny O’Connell enthusiastically served customers who came out to celebrate Rook’s new home in Red Bank, its sixth location. PHOTOS BY JEREMY GROSSMAN For its devoted customers, Rook Coffee is more than just a place to buy a cup of joe — it’s an entire culture.
“When you come inside, you can just feel the atmosphere,” Rook Coffee fan Matt Erickson said. “The employees and all the customers are really passionate about it.”
Erickson is one of the many Red Bank residents who came out on Jan. 9 to celebrate Rook’s grand opening at 10 White St.
Despite being a tiny shop with no seating, the store was packed with customers either trying the coffee for the first time — such as Mayor Pasquale Menna, a self-described caffeine addict — or people like Erickson, who already knew they love it.
“I think Rook coffee is some of the best coffee that you can get,” Erickson said. “The fact that every cup is poured over, made-to-order and the beans are ground right beforehand, you can’t get a fresher cup of coffee. I think it’s outstanding.”
Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna joined Rook co-owners Shawn Kingsley and Holly Migliaccio to celebrate Rook’s opening on White Street. The local coffee company has attracted a passionate following since co-founders Shawn Kingsley and Holly Migliaccio opened their first store in Oakhurst in January 2010.
“We put a lot of love into the cup,” Kingsley said. “I source the coffee. … We bring it in. We roast it ourselves, bring it into our shops, grind it fresh and brew it fresh — every single cup.
“Our employees are servicing our customers in such an exceptional way, you add up all of that — the product, the service and the experience — and I think that our customers are really enjoying it.”
Rook Coffee celebrated the official opening of its Red Bank coffee shop on Jan. 9 with fans and Rook newbies stopping by for a brew. Now Kingsley and Migliaccio are hoping their newest location in Red Bank — the company’s sixth — will continue the success that Rook has had year after year.
“Red Bank — they collect so many great culinary businesses here,” Kingsley said. “You see it all across Broad Street and all around town. The food here is fantastic, and there’s more and more artisan restaurants coming into town. We think that there’s a demand in the Two River area for a higherquality product such as ours, and we’re really excited to showcase our product to Red Bank.”
He admitted that he was “somewhat hesitant” when he first started looking at opening a branch in the borough.
“We were worried about parking being a problem,” Kingsley said. “But after seeing the amount of businesses that have come to Red Bank and the amount of traffic on the streets, it’s kind of become a nobrainer. So far, so good.”
Kingsley said that out of Rook’s six branches, the Red Bank location, which had a soft opening in December, grew the fastest.
He also acknowledged the issue that Rook is located directly next to Starbucks, but said he isn’t worried.
“I think there’s a big market for Rook and a big market for Starbucks in Red Bank,” he said. “If Starbucks was getting the entire demand of coffee in Red Bank, it would be the busiest Starbucks in the United States. … This just gives people a little bit of a choice, and I think that we’re both going to flourish.”
Red Bank RiverCenter Executive Director James Scavone said he believes Rook is going to bring a “great” vibe to town.
“It’s a start-up, mom-and-pop organization. Two people who have really built it into an awesome business, and so just those types of role models and those types of businesses in Red Bank are really helpful,” he said.
Scavone mentioned other new businesses in the borough — the Red Bank Design Center and Pinot’s Palette on Broad Street, as well as new restaurants Gotham, Robinson Ale House and Catch — as openings in Red Bank that he is really excited about.
“We’re really bustling,” Scavone said. “It’s awesome.”