The rival brother's name is really it's you know it's kind of a tongue-in-cheek on Damien
and I.
We're not really rivals but it's just a twist in our relationship you know we just kind
of grew up together we explored all the different kind of ideas for brand names.
We were able to kick a lot of stuff around and settle on something that we felt represented
us you know and have a little fun with it and not take it too seriously.
Damien and I met in high school we played soccer together we grew up you know through
those high school years.
We were friends in high school but it wasn't really until after we graduated high school
that that's where we started to spend a lot of time together.
I ended up moving to the city living with him in Philadelphia and we worked in the same
restaurants and we would always talk about opening our own place whether it be like
a restaurant or a bar or a cafe.
There was a bar that we used to go to this little Irish place on Walnut Street and just
hang out and just dream big it was just dreaming talking.
And we would draw like flooring plans as far as like flow of the restaurant to the kitchen
all this crazy stuff and then it just happened to be that we both had an interest at you
know a certain point in our lives in coffee.
Damien took it upon himself to learn about roasting after he had traveled a lot through
the West Coast really opened his eyes and you know he would get really excited about
sharing with me like dude you're not going to leave this coffee ahead today.
You know I can make coffee taste the way I want it to taste and I was like I could roast
you know so when John and I started coming up with different blends it just made sense
that you know this is what we want to do.
Well the truck originally was started because it was easier to run with just one or two
people at the time and we weren't in the position to hire like a whole staff of the
overhead you would assume would be less.
We felt like it was a perfect way for us to launch the business.
You know we thought this would be great we can drive around make coffee for people and
it's something different it was something new at the time and you know we really saw
an opportunity to just stand out a little bit.
And it was a learning experience and just to challenge yourself of how much you own
the work.
On days that I roast Jonathan's opening the cafe.
I get to the cafe early around 6.30 and you know I get to be a barista until about two
o'clock in the afternoon and it's it's great you know and just making making coffee for
people talking to people engaging listening to stories it's not so unlike being a bartender.
We have a set amount that we'll roast for the day we have all our orders for that day
that are going to go out on the Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday and then after everything's
packed roasted and blended we'll weigh it out bag it seal it you know label it box it
up and then ship it out.
It's a pleasure to walk into a shop and be able to sit down and you know have a coffee
which living on a truck for the past year and a half you know I really took for granted
things like you know running water or whatever you know you it's a hustle.
Where we're located in Fittler Square we want we felt it was a really good demographic for
us was just a mix of students there's doctors there's lawyers there's artists there's that's
you know our community.
It's not work it's not home it's not school it's it's us somewhere where you go to socialize
you know which is why we love going to cafes when we were younger and somewhere to drink
really good coffee and that's our goal our intent is to make really excellent coffee
that is considered and being nice to people and showing them a good time.
Future of Rival Brothers is just to continue to make great coffee the approach that we're
taking is is always going to be artisanal and boutique our goal is to to keep that passion
alive and to stay approachable to stay humbled and to just share it and share it and share
it.
The other day after I was closing up I was like I just remember not thinking we would
get to that point let alone finding a location building the location and completing it and
then being able to close the door after a really good busy day it was like wow you know
really come a long way.
At the end of the day man it feels awesome to just go home and be like you know I worked
hard today it doesn't matter if it was good or if it was bad if it was busy if it was
slow it just feels great to do it you know for yourself.
If it's a big company and it's wildly successful that's great but if not and we still have
a good company and it's local and it's fine too I mean I'm happy to be working with my
best friend and and be able to support the family that's where it comes down to.
