Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii opens first Sarasota location

Bad Ass Coffee recently opened its first location in Sarasota County. The Hawaiian-inspired coffee shop welcomed its first customers Jan. 14 on University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch.

Local entrepreneur Michael Miller owns and operates Bad Ass Coffee in Center Point at Waterside.

"Opening Bad Ass Coffee in Sarasota is a dream come true," Miller says in a statement. "From our convenient location to the signature coffee ice cubes we use in our products, there’s truly nothing else like Bad Ass Coffee Lakewood Ranch right now.”

In addition to coffee made from beans sourced in the Kona region of Hawaii, the store sells beverages including teas and smoothies plus breakfast, lunch and bakery items. It also sells Bad Ass merchandise in a setting reminiscent of Hawaii, thanks to decor like surf boards and natural woods.

Designed to serve as a gathering spot for the community, Bad Ass Coffee in Lakewood Ranch is renting out its new space for free from 6-8 p.m. on weekdays to community organizations, businesses and social groups, according to a statement. It will also provide free delivery or curbside pickup to local businesses.

“We're ready to give back,” Miller says in the statement. “This is our way of saying thank you and strengthening the bonds within our community."

The Lakewood Ranch location is the first of three stores Miller will open in the Sarasota-Bradenton area in the coming years. Franchisees are required to open at least three locations as part of their agreement with the Colorado-based company, according to Bad Ass Coffee CEO Scott Snyder, who told the Business Observer in a previous interview this helps with economies of scale, brand awareness and employee retention.

The Sarasota store is one of dozens of openings projected as the company expands its footprint nationwide. In total, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii expects to add about 20 to 30 locations in 2025 across the country, according to Snyder. Stores already open in the Sunshine State are in Clearwater Beach, Lutz, Miramar Beach, Naples, Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Santa Rosa Beach.

“We are thrilled to see the continued expansion of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii along the Florida Gulf Coast with the opening of our first cafe in Sarasota,” Snyder says in a statement. “Throughout the planning process to open their first cafe, the Miller family has continuously sought out opportunities to make an impact in their community through sponsorship and give-back efforts. That strong sense of community is what aloha and ohana is all about, and it's what we believe the Millers are already bringing to Sarasota.”

Bad Ass Coffee is at 6588 University Parkway. It is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.