Coffee culture has taken on a life of its own.
Even here on the East End, where in nearly every Hamptons hamlet there are almost at least a dozen places one can grab a coffee, with options and styles ranging from the extra fancy and uber chic to the regular ol’ cup of joe we’re all accustomed to.
At Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee, the Manhattan-based coffeehouse chain that also boasts two locations on the East End (one in Amagansett and one in Sag Harbor), a coffee culture firmly brewed in community — an integral characteristic routinely reflected in the 21-year-old company — is the name of the game.
It was the objective of owner Jack Mazzola from the beginning. Initially inspired by his grandmother’s home-cooking (particularly the ritualistic stirring of her tomato sauce), he quickly discovered that to achieve the most full-flavored coffee he had to stir the grinds in the hot water. Thus, his “stir brew” method was born. Mazzola founded his first coffee shop in 2003 in Greenwich Village on 10th Street, with a deeply ingrained, central focus on fair-trade, shade-grown organic coffee. In addition to myriad coffee options, Jack’s also sells an increasing assortment of vegan and organic baked goods.
The first location established a sort of hyper-local, micro-local outreach within the community, even from a visual standpoint. “When you walk into the very first shop that Jack opened on 10th Street, between Waverly and Greenwich, there’s this wall that has a bunch of photographs of people in the neighborhood,” says Rakesh Chandiramani, president of Jack’s since 2020. “That’s what drew people together.”
This community connectedness is the exact thing that gives Jack’s a special edge over the past 21 years, Chandiramani notes. It also has made it a good fit in tight-knit spots like Sag Harbor and Amagansett.
Jack’s Coffee in Sag Harbor (left) opened its Main Street location about a year and a half ago, while the Amagansett location has been opened since 2010. (L: Photo courtesy of Jack’s Coffee, R: Photo credit: Emily Toy)
“It’s very easy to resonate with the brand because it envelopes community. It has a good story,” he says.
Case in point is the Little Zoë, a delightfully decadent little treat of a beverage and a mainstay among the Jack’s “Local Favorites” lineup available at all eight locations. The drink itself isn’t a coffee drink at all, but rather a chocolate drink. An iced hot cocoa, to be precise. Yeah, you read that right. And it could be the best thing you’ve ever drank.
“The Little Zoë is the hidden gem of the menu,” Chandiramani says. “Origination of that drink came about from an artist friend of Jack’s whose daughter was battling cancer. During and after her treatment it brought her a lot of joy, so he decided to name the drink after her.”
Most recently, the Little Zoë was made from Sweet Justice hot cocoa, a 100% certified organic, fair-trade product from Dean’s Bean’s Organic Coffee Company, which works with farmer cooperatives toward direct development projects and ecological responsibility. The cocoa is then mixed with hot milk (you can choose a non-dairy alternative here, but if you’re not allergic go with whole milk and get the full sweet treat experience!) and then poured over ice. It’s rich, it’s luxurious, it’s a dessert in a glass that you didn’t know you needed in your life.
“Our coffee doesn’t always come from a single origin,” Chandiramani says. “The requirement for us is that it’s organic and fair-trade,” which includes utilizing shade grown, ethically sourced beans from South and Central America along with Indonesia.
“It takes a lot to make it on that list,” he says, noting the eight other specialty coffee drinks have equally impressive and interesting origins. The Dirty Harry is named after the famous hair stylist Harry Josh whose impressive portfolio includes shoots for Rolling Stone, Vogue, Marie Claire and GQ, according to Chandiramani. The Farmer Dan is their riff on an Americano, named after chef Dan Barber who owns Blue Hill/Stone Barns and is a close friend of Mazzola.
Another important facet of the Jack’s brand, according to Chandiramani, is the creation of this sort of “track record of being available, both in the stores and outside of the store,” which included partnerships and collaborations with different types of organizations and brands.
“For instance, right now we’re doing a partnership with No Dogs Left Behind at our Sag Harbor location (117 Main St.),” he says. “For us, it makes a lot of sense because we’re a bunch of dog lovers ourselves. We’re trying to find unique ways to kind of make some sense out of the fact that you have a brand like Jack’s and a brand like No Dogs Left Behind, a pop-up collaboration seemed natural and we’re hoping to sponsor some adoptions.”
No Dogs Left Behind is an international animal rescue nonprofit organization that extends beyond borders worldwide advocating for the creation and enforcement of animal welfare laws as well as raising awareness, providing medical care, shelter and adoption services.
Its Amagansett location (146 Montauk Highway), has been opened since 2010. It’s where Mazzola launched the Happy Jack clothing line as well as the company’s marketplace concept, according to their website.
“There are multiple reasons why Jack’s has that edge. It exists for the community, yes, but it’s important to include some purpose in what you’re doing. For us, we try to maintain our consistency with quality and then obviously ensuring we contribute back to the community as well. You have to continually challenge yourself to take it a step further.”
It’s all in a day’s work for Jack’s. Good thing they’re properly caffeinated.
