Get Caffeinated at Yinz Coffee

By Layla Joseph

Yinz Coffee has been serving Pittsburghers caffeinated drinks for three years with eight locations around the ‘Burgh.

The owner of the independent chain is Ken Zeff, a local entrepreneur born and raised in the Steel City.

With one Downtown location at 11 Stanwix St. and another at 420 Fort Duquesne Blvd., there are two places Downtown for Yinz to fill up your cup.

Both Downtown shops offer views of the city, flooded with natural light, seating with, what Zeff said, is an escape from the hustle and bustle that engulfs Downtown.

Before Zeff created his business in the coffee industry, he worked as a buyer at a major department store, where he had to navigate his way through corporate sales. He explained that, at his previous job, he would have to leave Pittsburgh, and that wasn’t something he wanted to do.

Zeff started looking for a business he could start and quickly scale, and he found that a coffee shop would serve him and the people of Pittsburgh. With all the expertise Zeff holds, something he surprisingly lacks is a craving for coffee.

For 18 years, Zeff was better known for owning and operating Mocha House, a coffee shop with over 30 locations, before he sold the business in 2018.

After selling Mocha House, he took a three-year hiatus from selling cups of jo and founded Fancypants Popcorn. In addition to his promising career in gourmet popcorn, Zeff bought Penn Fixture and Supply, a restaurant supply store in the Strip District.

Once he became comfortable juggling his two new businesses, Zeff said he missed the coffee business, and in 2021, Yinz Coffee was born.

“I really missed the business and what it was all about,” he said. “It was about community. I missed seeing the same faces every day.”

But how does someone who doesn’t like the taste of coffee own and operate so many successful coffee shops? Zeff said other factors of the business drive his passion to succeed. Even though coffee is not his cup of tea, Pittsburgh is part of his passion.

“I like Pittsburgh's history, people and neighborhoods,” he said. “I could keep going.”

Due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fast-paced evolution of the coffee industry, starting a brand from scratch has held its challenges, according to Zeff.

“25 years ago, you found the cheapest espresso machine you could find and a couple of mismatched chairs and you are in business,” he said. “Today is completely different.”

Zeff said that the lack of foot traffic hit the shop on Stanwix Street hard during the pandemic. But now that people frequent the mixed-use building more often, sales have been on the rise.

While the Stanwix location had a few potholes to get past, Zeff said the Downtown location at Gateway Center has taken off quite nicely, and he is hoping to add a third shop in the mix Downtown as early as October.

Since opening Yinz Coffee, Zeff said the goal has been to build the brand to a sustainable size that allows his staff to grow with the brand.

As well as nurturing baristas and employees at Yinz Coffee, Zeff supports local businesses by utilizing products and services to help his stores evolve.

By using local business to remodel new stores, source products for day-to-day operations, and roast the coffee beans, Zeff said supporting the local economy is essential for the city and its residents.

“We source everything we possibly can locally,” he said. “If we can get it from Pittsburgh, we will get it from Pittsburgh. That’s sort of our purpose: to support Pittsburgh.”

Zeff said Yinz Coffee allows patrons to support small and local businesses while getting a cup of coffee and a moment of relaxation no matter who you are.

“There are no preconceived notions when you walk into Yinz,” he said. “It’s one of those safe places where you can hang out, be yourself and not fear about fitting in.”

"We hope that (customers) get a good quality product and a good, low-pressure experience. It's a quick five-minute snapshot of someone's day where they don't have to worry about anything."