A Different Kind of Bar Exam

Gregory Zamfotis was a second-year student at Brooklyn Law School when he realized his future wasn't in a courtroom. He'd grown up in the food business — his father operated multiple concepts across New York City — and while finishing his degree, he was effectively running his father's sandwich shop.

When a real estate law firm offered him a full-time position, he turned it down. He wanted to build something of his own.

Spotting a Gap in New York Coffee

The idea came from a simple observation: if you worked in Midtown or the Financial District, your coffee options were limited to Starbucks or Dunkin'. There was a gap between fast, convenient service and genuine specialty coffee.

Zamfotis saw an opportunity to deliver quality at speed — without forcing customers to sacrifice time, taste, or personalization.

Starting Small on Park Avenue

In 2006, at age 24, he opened the first Gregorys Coffee location on Park Avenue. The early days were far from glamorous. He spent 70 to 80 hours a week in the store, doing everything from pulling espresso to managing operations.

It took 12 to 18 months just to find consistency, and roughly two to three years before the location hit $1 million in annual sales. But the foundation was being built — one customer at a time.

Mastering the Craft

One of the biggest surprises was just how complex doing coffee well actually was. Zamfotis realized early that the only way to stand out was to become a true expert. He attended coffee conferences, visited shops across the country, traveled to study the industry, and poured himself into learning everything about sourcing, roasting, and preparation.

That commitment led to one of the brand's defining decisions: roasting all coffee in-house at their own facility in Long Island City, and baking fresh pastries daily. Quality wasn't just a talking point — it was baked into the operation.

Growing Through People

When the second location opened roughly two and a half years later, it was immediately successful. But Zamfotis was deliberate about growth. His philosophy was simple: you can only grow as fast as the people you have to execute.

For over 12 years, every person in a leadership position at Gregorys Coffee was promoted from within — starting as a barista. That culture of internal development became one of the brand's greatest strengths and a key reason for its consistency across locations.

53 Locations and $40 Million Later

Today, Gregorys Coffee operates 53 locations across New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Florida, California, Arizona, and Tennessee. Last year, the company brought in approximately $40 million in revenue, with projections of $45 million this year.

A typical store generates over $1 million annually, with high-performing locations reaching around $1.6 million.

The Franchise Chapter

In 2025, Craveworthy Brands — a multi-brand franchise platform — partnered with Gregorys Coffee as managing partner and corporate operator. Franchising launched in 2026, with a target of 50 to 75 new franchise locations in the first year.

The reasoning was clear: a brand that had proven itself across multiple markets over nearly two decades — built in one of the hardest cities in the world to operate in — was ready for franchise-level replication.

What Future Franchise Owners Can Learn

Zamfotis's story isn't about shortcuts. It's about spending years mastering a craft, building culture from within, and growing at the speed your team can support. The overnight success took nearly 20 years — and that patience is exactly what made it franchise-ready.