With great fanfare, Hampton Coffee Company’s second-ever location on Mill Road in Westhampton Beach recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary! The espresso bar & café opened next to what was then Bridgehampton National Bank’s newest branch location in January, 2006. Co-owners Theresa and Jason Belkin are local Westhampton residents, and to commemorate this milestone, Hampton Coffee Company treated all its fans to 20% off everything for the entire anniversary week and asked customers to send in photos of themselves at the Westhampton Beach location.
The results turned into a grand collage of the photos, which was printed and now hangs on the front door.
“It was just amazing to see all the photos that our fans and staff members contributed to our collage,” said company co-owner Theresa Belkin, who worked at the store from opening to closing in the beginning. “We are so touched by how much our café means to people in our community.”
Breakfast and lunch are served all day at the Westhampton Beach location, with fresh bakery items and, of course, a selection of their locally roasted small-batch beans. During the nicer weather, there are patio tables to enjoy. There is free Wi-Fi, and it is pet-friendly. Hampton Coffee Company has since grown to seven locations, from Center Moriches to Montauk, while still maintaining its local roots and commitment to the community.
A little-known fact that only die-hard Fans would remember: There was an original Westhampton Beach outpost of Hampton Coffee Company on Main Street a few years earlier.
Over the years, Hampton coffee has become the coffee of choice for folks in the Hamptons. For many, it has been an oasis to go, get a coffee, and perhaps, since it has a Breakfast & All-Day, pick from fresh bakery items, such as pastries, muffins, or a local favorite, the raspberry crumb coffee cake. They also offer gluten-free and vegan options, as well as “healthy options” like fresh fruit smoothies. Others crave the hearty sandwiches they enjoy, whether indoors or on the outdoor patio.
Theresa and Jason Belkin reflected on the success of the celebration.
“We are so fortunate to have such amazing support from our local community,” said co-owner Theresa Belkin. “We have been active members of our community for more than 20 years now, we live here, and we’re always saying yes to everything we are asked to help out with. Now, when we needed our community back, they all showed up for us, which is so heart-warming.”
“I think our community realizes that it’s local businesses like Hampton Coffee Company that make the East End so special and unique -unlike anywhere else,” said co-owner Jason Belkin. “The big international chains you can find anywhere, and that’s boring. Local shops like ours are what make our region what it is.”
“Whether you choose Hampton Coffee or another local coffee shop, we hope you’ll shop local, it not only helps keep local businesses alive, but it also supports your friends and neighbors who work at local businesses and rely on year-round donations from local businesses to support our schools and non-profit organizations,” said Jason Belkin.
“When Starbucks first opened, it was upsetting,” said Theresa Belkin. “But then we realized that we’d be OK. People will try the other place and then come back to Hampton Coffee. We are so different than Starbucks. We roast all of our coffee daily, just a few miles away. We bake in the store each morning before opening. And we make all our hot breakfast and lunch food ourselves. For the same price, which place would you choose?”
