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Sun Bear Specialty Coffee Roasters opened its first standalone cafe in St. Petersburg, Florida, on July 26. The 1,200-square-foot cafe serves espresso, pour-over and other drinks, with an adjoining 800-square-foot roasting space supporting cafe and wholesale coffee.
Sun Bear Specialty Coffee Roasters opened its first standalone cafe in St. Petersburg, Florida, on July 26, adding a permanent customer-facing location and an adjoining roasting space after about five years of selling coffee through markets, pop-ups and other local businesses. The cafe gives the small roaster a dedicated venue for its coffee program while also supporting wholesale production.
The 1,200-square-foot cafe pairs espresso drinks, cold brew, drip coffee and manual pour-overs with pastries and light bites supplied by outside vendors. Owner Kenny Beers told Daily Coffee News that the business does not prepare food itself, allowing staff to focus on coffee. “We use vendors who can deliver to us frequently, as we don’t make food ourselves,” Beers said. “We want it to be good, and we want to focus on the coffee instead.”
An adjoining 800-square-foot roasting space contains a Yoshan roaster used to supply the cafe and wholesale clients. Beers described the production room as “still small, but so much better than my garage.” At the cafe bar, drinks are prepared on a two-group Rancilio Classe 5 espresso machine. An Ethiopian Guji coffee often serves as the espresso base, while the pour-over menu includes washed coffees and co-fermented offerings.
The menu also includes drinks with house-made syrups and additions such as dragon fruit cold foam. Sun Bear describes its approach as centered on lightly roasted single-origin coffees, including coffees with experimental post-harvest processing. Beers said the roaster sources through importers Unblended, Cafe Imports and Cofinet, as well as direct relationships with producers. “I’m always chasing down the next producer,” he said.
A Permanent Home for Sun Bear
The cafe marks a change in how Sun Bear reaches customers: it has moved from selling at markets, pop-ups and other businesses to operating a dedicated location. That gives local customers a regular place to order its coffees and gives the roaster a setting to present espresso, pour-over and seasonal drink options directly.
The adjoining roasting room links the retail operation with Sun Bear’s wholesale business. The company says it roasts for both the cafe and wholesale clients, though the report does not provide production volumes, wholesale account numbers or sales figures. The opening therefore establishes a new operating base, while the scale of its effect on the business remains unreported.
For St. Petersburg’s coffee scene, the opening adds an independent roaster-led cafe at 1942 1st Ave S. Sun Bear’s menu and sourcing approach distinguish the shop’s stated focus, but there is no comparative information in the source to assess its size or market position alongside other local cafes.
From Cambodia to St. Petersburg
Before starting the coffee business, Beers taught music in Cambodia. There he met Kakada Nub, a roaster and barista who had ranked prominently in Cambodian national barista competitions. Nub taught Beers the basics of roasting. Beers returned to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic and formally established Sun Bear in 2021.
The company later operated a small coffee bar inside St. Petersburg’s Sans Market. Sun Bear closed that bar at the end of May to focus on the standalone cafe. The new space carries through the company’s 1970s-inspired branding, with a butter-yellow tiled bar, red shelving, pendant lights, wood and stainless steel. Beers said the design came from a focused plan: “We were very disciplined with this one thing. We already had a great space, but our Pinterest pinboard was loaded.”
Several bands played at the July 26 grand opening, bringing Beers’ earlier music work into the cafe’s launch. The event marked the opening, while the company’s longer-term plans concern subscriptions and broader roasting distribution.
““We were very disciplined with this one thing. We already had a great space, but our Pinterest pinboard was loaded.””
— Kenny Beers, Sun Bear Coffee owner
Sales and Expansion Details
The source report does not state the cafe’s daily hours, staffing, prices, customer counts or sales. It also does not quantify Sun Bear’s roasting output, current wholesale reach or subscription activity. Beers said the company wants to expand roasting distribution across the United States, but gave no timetable, target markets or production goals.
The report identifies the coffee types and some sourcing partners but does not provide a full rotating menu or say how often selections change. The company’s characterization of the grand opening as a success is Beers’ assessment; attendance and financial results were not reported.
Subscriptions and Wider Distribution
Sun Bear says it has added subscription services through Crema.co and Bottomless and wants to reach more customers across the United States with its roasted coffee. The cafe will continue serving drinks alongside pastries and light bites from outside vendors. The company has not announced dates or milestones for any further expansion.
Customers can visit Sun Bear Coffee Roasters at 1942 1st Ave S in St. Petersburg. The next visible developments will be how its subscription offerings and wholesale roasting grow; the company has not provided specific sales or distribution targets.
Key Questions
When did Sun Bear’s cafe open?
The standalone cafe opened on July 26, 2026, with a grand opening that included performances by several bands.
Where is the cafe?
Sun Bear Coffee Roasters is at 1942 1st Ave S in St. Petersburg, Florida.
What does Sun Bear serve?
The cafe serves espresso drinks, cold brew, drip coffee and manual pour-overs, alongside pastries and light bites from outside vendors. Some drinks feature house-made syrups or additions such as dragon fruit cold foam.
Does Sun Bear roast coffee at the new location?
Yes. An adjoining 800-square-foot space houses a Yoshan roaster used for coffee served at the cafe and for wholesale clients.
What does Sun Bear plan to do next?
Owner Kenny Beers said Sun Bear has added subscription services through Crema.co and Bottomless and wants to expand roasting distribution across the United States. No timeline or distribution targets were reported.
Source: rss
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