By Paul Schott – Stamford Advocate
September 25, 2020
STAMFORD — Proof Coffee Roasters, a family-owned and organic specialty coffee company, opened up a shop Thursday at 200 Commons Park in the Harbor Point section of the city’s South End.
The new establishment marks Proof’s first in Connecticut, adding to the several locations in New York City. In the pavilion at 200 Commons Park South, it replaces a Walter’s Hot Dogs stand.
Proof will be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“We are incredibly excited to expand Proof’s footprint to the dynamic Harbor Point community, as well as Stamford as a whole,” Proof founder and CEO Jeff Sale said in a statement. “As a company, we are hyper-focused on the neighborhoods where we exist, creating jobs and sourcing goods locally.”
Proof officials said they source their coffee from sustainable farms around the globe and roast in Brooklyn, N.Y. In addition to coffee and espresso drinks, Proof also offers tea, food and merchandise.
Alongside in-person orders, Proof said it will be taking orders through its upcoming mobile app. The company also offers a Coffee Subscription Box for delivery of home-brewed coffee products across the United States.
“We have an exceptionally high-quality product, but ultimately it’s about the friendships and connections made across the counter — everyone is equally welcome and embraced,” Sale said.
As part of its grand-opening event on Saturday, Proof said it will offer free drinks until 1 p.m. Free beverages can be redeemed by following @proofcoffeeroasters on Instagram and tagging a friend and Proof in a post.
“The opening of Proof Coffee Roasters underscores how Connecticut, particularly Stamford, is an attractive and stimulating community for retailers and residents alike,” Ted Ferrarone, co-president of Harbor Point developer Building and Land Technology, said in a statement. “We continue to see opportunity for growth, and we’re happy that Jeff has chosen Harbor Point as his new home for Proof.”
In addition, 5 percent of all Proof’s proceeds are donated through its nonprofit, Proof Positive Fund, which supports mental health-focused organizations including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Alliance of Mental Illness.
“It’s in our DNA that our business exists not only as a fixture of a particular neighborhood, but that we also leverage our voice and our resources to give back to that community and beyond,” Sale said.
pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter; @paulschott
