Bad Ass Coffee Of Hawaii Debuts In Lutz

LUTZ, FL — Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, a leading coffee franchise known for its premium sourcing of Hawaiian coffees and crafty cafés, has opened its newest location in Lutz.

Located at 25195 State Road 54, the new location offers premium coffees with a kick, branded merchandise, and a food menu inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.

Bad Ass Coffee in Lutz is owned and operated by local entrepreneurs Chris and Jillian Bruckner. Since 2010, the Bruckners have been a part of Tampa Bay’s business community as the owners of four gas stations and three Taco Bus franchises.

As coffee-lovers themselves, the Bruckners discovered Bad Ass Coffee by happenstance after a caffeine craving on the beach at Fort Myers led them to the store in Naples. After sipping the coffee and soaking in the café's Aloha vibes, the husband-wife duo fell in love with Bad Ass Coffee’s unique branding and distinctive flavors and decided to bring the quick service coffee to their community.

The Bruckners signed a development agreement that will bring five locations, tradition and non-traditional, to Tampa Bay. The Lutz opening is the debut of Bad Ass Coffee in the Tampa Bay area. The couple is opening the café in space they own on State Road 54.

“My husband and I are small business people — we want to help employ individuals in our community and use our spaces to highlight the creations of other businesses in the area,” said Jillian Bruckner. “Everyone knows that coffee brings people together, so it’s our hope that Bad Ass Coffee will be a magnet for our community. Bad Ass Coffee in Lutz is not just for our local coffee enthusiasts, but it’s also for tourists filling up with gas and people looking to connect with their neighbors. There’s something here for everyone, both on our menu and in the space we’ve curated that features multiple concepts.”

In addition to premium Hawaiian coffees, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii serves up a full menu of popular blended drinks, signature lattes, cold brews, teas, Hawaiian-inspired food served on Kings Hawaiian sweet bread and branded merchandise.

Guests can enjoy the cafe's decor with a nod to Hawaiian culture along with the aroma of premium coffee. Those looking to take the taste of Hawaii home or to the office can purchase packages of Hawaiian blends and single-origin coffee beans including 100 percent Kona, single-serve pods and flavored coffee, along with other products.

“From our first introduction, the Bruckners impressed us with their knowledge of the market and their enthusiasm for bringing our brand to the greater Tampa market through traditional and non-traditional stores,” said Scott Snyder, CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. “We’re excited to partner with them in exploring a new store design format for the brand in a location that will interact with so many members of the Lutz community."

Guests are invited to try their first drink for free when downloading the Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii app and joining ‘Ohana Rewards. A yet-to-be-announced two-day grand opening celebration will be held in coming weeks where guests can enjoy giveaways, games and donate to community-based charities.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii was founded on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi in 1989. In addition to premium coffee from the famous Kona region of the Big Island, Bad Ass Coffee also sources from Kauai and Maui. Its name pays tribute to an important animal in Hawaiian coffee history: the donkey.

Legend has it that, for generations, donkeys could be heard bellowing as they carried precious loads of coffee beans down the steep mountains of the Big Island. The people of Kona named these hard-working donkeys the “Bad Ass Ones” because of their reliably strong-but-stubborn nature in carrying their precious cargo.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in Lutz will be open Monday through Sunday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information on Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in Lutz, click here or call 813-949-2428.

There are currently more than 30 franchise locations in the U.S. With rapid expansion underway, the brand has set aggressive expansion plans to open 150 new locations over the next five years.