Tampa Bay is exploding with expanding independent coffee shops—Buddy Brew, Black Crow Coffee, Blind Tiger and, of course, Kahwa, which boasts 15 locations and over 800 wholesale customers (including Publix and Whole Foods). Since founding the first location, in St. Petersburg in 2006, husband-and-wife duo Raphael and Sarah Perrier, have been consistently growing their brand throughout Tampa Bay for the last 14 years.

In an interview with Tampa Bay Times, the couple shared that new coffee shops in St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Casey Key and Dunedin are in the works. Before you start plotting your next espresso pickup, know that the two were unable to share the exact locations until leases and building permits are finalized. The move to expand in the Bay area comes after Kahwa failed to take hold in Miami back in 2018.

“We didn’t have the brand recognition we needed,” Sarah Perrier told the publication.

Although it isn't nowhere near as big as Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, Kahwa's cult following is strong, and it looks like other independent shops aren't shying away from the competition.

Newbies in town include King State (with a flagship in Tampa Heights and another location in Lakeland), The Blend (one shop with another on the way), Elevation (one shop in Carrollwood), two new Blind Tiger locations (Westshore Plaza and Sparkman Wharf) and Endeavr (also owned, in part, by Blind Tiger's Roberto Torres). That's a lot of caffeine.

Until Kahwa launches the four new locations, you can get your Kahwa signature sips at any of the six shops in St. Pete, three in Tampa, two in Sarasota or the solo joint in Clearwater. Don't forget, you can be on the lookout for the Kahwa coffee truck that makes its rounds at pop-up events around town, or grab a bag of beans from your local grocery store. Damn, Kahwa really is everywhere.

More details to come as official locations and debut dates are announced.

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