Popular Brunswick Cafe For Sale, But Owner Wants The Flat White To Remain

Brunswick Cafe owner Alex Hall has a string of successful cafe businesses throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. But this founder of a quintet of Australian-style coffee shops will be heading to the Midwest.

Hall will be relocating to Des Moines, Iowa. “My wife is originally from there, and we’re expecting our first child.”

Hall has already sold his Manhattan-based Bluebird Coffee (72 East 1st Street) and one of his Brunswick Cafes, also located in Manhattan at 23 Clinton Street.

And now, his three Brooklyn cafe locations are up for sale as well, including the popular Brunswick Cafe location in Windsor Terrace (240 Prospect Park West between between Windsor Place and Prospect Avenue). In addition, Hall is selling Brunswick BedSty (114 Decatur Street) and Milk Bar (620 Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights).

But while he may be leaving, he intends the cafes to have the same quality of coffee, food, and environment. The Flat White coffee will be staying put.

Hall tells us he’s been working very hard to sell the stores to the right buyer. “We’re hoping to make the transfer to a new buyer a seamless experience from the customer’s perspective,” he says.

Hall wants to make it clear that the businesses are all in very good shape. “There’s a perception in the U.S. that if you’re selling a business, it’s because something has gone bad. That’s not the case at all,” says Hall. “I’m from Australia, and it’s common there to build a business and then sell it.”

Hall hopes to open a series of cafes in the Des Moines area when he and his family settle there. “It’s a great area out there. This is an opportunity to get a cash payment, and honestly, to live happily every after when we leave New York,” he says.

But for now, Hall is working hard on the sales and transition. “We think we may have found the right buyer,” says Hall. And he’s happy that the buyer would potentially purchase all three Brooklyn cafes.

“It’s a big project,” he says. “We wanted to get the proper lease extensions in place. And really, it’s about finding the right match for the cafes.”

Hall explains that in addition to the quality of the food and atmosphere, he wants the service to remain strong. “We want to make sure all the employees can stay.”

Brunswick isn’t the only local cafe up for sale. Last Thursday, the owner of ELK and LARK announced that she will be selling both cafes. Owner Kari Browne announced the news via Facebook:

“I write with some very exciting news to share. I will be moving to Australia with my family at the end of the year. As many of you know, my husband, Mark, is Australian, and we have decided to pursue a new adventure overseas.”

“We arrived at this difficult decision based on some exciting new opportunities in Sydney coupled with our desire to be closer to our Australian family (the wonderful climate and quality of life aren’t bad either!).”

Perhaps most significant is Browne’s desire to sell the cafes to someone within the community:

“…I also know that this transition represents an incredible opportunity for someone else (perhaps, I hope, another local family like ours) to experience the joys of owning a thriving neighborhood café that has, gratefully, placed me and my family within the heart of our diverse community. In fact, it is my hope that I am able to pass on the torch of business ownership to another ‘neighbor-entrepreneur’ who values owning an anchoring and vibrant gathering place in our community. I believe that there is an exciting opportunity for a thoughtful neighbor to add their own creative voice to these cafes as they continue to grow and flourish.”

ELK (154 Prospect Park Southwest, between Vanderbilt and Seeley Streets) quickly became a staple of the Windsor Terrace neighborhood. And LARK (1007 Church Avenue at East 10th Street) has played a similar role in the Ditmas Park community.

According to Hill, the potential buyer for Brunswick also has a strong connection to the neighborhood. “Their kids go to school in Windsor Terrace,” he says.

Hill hopes that new owners will come on in the middle of July. “I’m committed to staying on until the end of the year,” says Hall. “This is all a positive thing. I’ll get to be closer to my family.”