Today we are celebrating Caroline Bell as our Entrepreneur of the Day! Caroline is the co-founder of Café Grumpy. 

In the heart of Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood in 2005, Caroline Bell opened the first Café Grumpy, not with a grand plan or a flashy concept, but with a simple question: Why is it so hard to find a great cup of coffee?

Born in Germany and raised in New Jersey, Caroline had a long-standing relationship with coffee. Her earliest memories include hours spent in diners with friends in high school, lingering over bottomless mugs of diner coffee. But it wasn’t until years later, after working in restaurants, galleries, and offices, that her casual love for coffee turned into a career. She and her husband would ride their bikes around New York City looking for good coffee, often coming up short. That shared frustration became the spark for something much bigger.

What began as one small coffee shop with a few seats quickly turned into a beloved local staple. Café Grumpy’s name might suggest a bad mood, but the spirit behind the brand is anything but. From day one, Caroline and her team have taken coffee seriously, but not themselves. Their goal was to create a welcoming, no-attitude space where people could learn about and enjoy great coffee without pretension. “If you come in grumpy, you leave happy,” became an unofficial motto.

In 2009, the company took a major step forward by building out its own in-house roasting operation, giving them full control over quality and enabling direct, transparent relationships with producers at origin. Caroline, who became a certified Q Grader, a rigorous coffee quality certification, immersed herself in the technical side of coffee sourcing and roasting, setting Café Grumpy apart in a city full of competitors.

Under her leadership, Café Grumpy has grown to 11 locations across New York City, New Jersey, and Florida, developed a grocery and ready-to-drink beverage line, and remained proudly independent and founder-led throughout.

Despite challenges, including managing supply chains, supporting staff, and navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Caroline has never compromised on her core values: sustainability, transparency, community, and quality. Café Grumpy is also a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise in NYC, a designation that reflects Caroline’s commitment to creating a company built on equity and inclusion.

Café Grumpy earned national attention not only for its coffee but for its pop culture cameo as the workplace of Lena Dunham’s character in HBO’s Girls. That visibility helped introduce the brand to new audiences, but the real loyalty came from those who appreciated its consistency, warmth, and well-prepared brews.

For Caroline, coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a daily ritual. She typically starts her morning with a cappuccino when she has time to sit, or a black brewed coffee if she’s heading to the subway. She drinks at least three cups a day but tastes many more as part of her work. Sometimes she’ll even go to sleep looking forward to the coffee she’ll drink in the morning, a feeling any true coffee lover can understand.

When asked if she had any advice for women who wanted to start their own business, Caroline said, “Go for it! Reach out to friends and family for help where you can – my brother designed our logo and friends helped build our first coffee bar. Running a business can be all-encompassing and overwhelming, and it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. Find small things that make your day a little easier. Taking a break helps you gain perspective and reconnect with why you started in the first place. Go see that afternoon movie or catch that Broadway show!” 

Today, Café Grumpy continues to thrive, not because it chases trends, but because it sticks to what matters: thoughtful sourcing, great coffee, and a culture of curiosity and kindness. In an industry often dominated by massive corporations and slick branding, Café Grumpy stands out by staying genuine, grounded, and grumpily cheerful.

So if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of New York, Florida, or New Jersey in search of a great cup, there’s a good chance you’ll find one at Café Grumpy, served by a team that believes coffee should be accessible, ethical, and just plain delicious.

And if you come in grumpy? Don’t worry. You’ll leave happy.