Former Investment Banker, Briston Tutwiler Pioneers a Growing Coffee Chain: Town Center Cold Pressed

By Chance Wilson Have you ever heard of a secret society? Or what about a fraternity or sorority? If not, I know you’ve heard of Mensa, you know, the high IQ society open to individuals who score in the top 2% of the population on an intelligence test. Even though most of us probably wouldn’t make it through the practice exam, we know private groups exist in some form or fashion.

But what about the Caffeine Group? This group might be the largest in the world. You might be thinking, who is part of the Caffeine Group? Let me tell you, it’s over a billion people. Yes, over a billion coffee drinkers are in this elite army. This translates to more than 500 billion cups consumed annually. Coffee drinkers are one of the largest consumer groups in the world. So, let’s say you already know someone in this group, if you’re not already a member yourself.

I started drinking coffee as a youngster just because it looked so good when adults drank it. For me, it was about the sugar cubes and adding crème until someone said, “When.” Back then, it tasted more like a sophisticated hot chocolate, which made me feel important as a kid. I could imagine yelling across bedrooms, “Where are my numbers? The deadline is tonight, people! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Yes, it was a real vibe, but not like those night wanderers known as the Black Coffee Lovers. These folks are either masters of the universe or part of an intense morning crew who drink it without a drop of sugar or crème. But I digress.

I had the opportunity to sit down with the mastermind behind a growing coffee empire with multiple locations and a sleek interior design. His name is Briston Tutwiler, founder and CEO of the wildly popular coffee chain, Town Center Cold Pressed. I must admit, his name sounds like a European coffee blend all on its own.

Most people would want to know how he started a coffee shop and how he grew it to so many locations. But Briston’s story is far from typical. He spent most of his career as an investment banker and was also involved in real estate. His entrepreneurial journey into coffee began when he noticed the rising popularity of cold-pressed juices while consulting for a juice bar. Disagreements over his ideas for moving the business forward led him to take a leap and create his own juice brand. One that eventually evolved into a full-scale coffee concept.

Briston says the growth felt natural. The people he works with today came together organically, not through force. I can agree that when you surround yourself with people who share your energy and vision, things come together more quickly than expected.

He likens it to the classic Saturday morning cartoon, Voltron. If you’re unfamiliar with the show, here’s a trivia question that may reveal your age: which cartoon phenomenon came out first, Voltron or Transformers? I’ll wait. And the answer is — Voltron. It debuted on September 10, 1984, while Transformers premiered on September 17, 1984. A seven-day difference. Talk about a close race!

Briston describes his team as individual abilities, like the robotic lions coming together to make one big impact, just like the fully formed robot, Voltron. He credits his success to market timing: being in the right place at the right time, and not launching too early. He says it’s not just about passion; it’s about doing your demographic research and building a brand strong enough to be remembered much like Nike, Adidas, or Gucci.

If you’re not a business owner, let me share that building a brand is not for the faint of heart. It requires constant reinvestment in your marketing and clarity around what sets you apart from the competition. You may think you’re different, but how different is different enough? These are the kinds of questions Briston wrestled with. He shared, “Large companies can lose their effect in areas where small businesses can succeed, but small businesses often don’t see the long-term vision that large companies have, so you have to mix the two.”

Once the business started gaining momentum, Briston no longer saw it as a small business, and their focus turned to growth. This led to countless meetings and a strong business plan that carried them through the pandemic and helped them rise above the many skeptics. He faced doubt from family, friends, and local banks, especially since he was trying to build a business model in a place not traditionally known for coffee. On top of that, he was entering an industry where African Americans are rarely seen. That kind of intimidation could frighten most newcomers, but for Briston, it was exhilarating. It fueled his discipline to prove a point, and I believe he has.

That point includes creating a wide range of coffee blends and developing custom blends for other coffee houses. Another unique feature is having multiple single-origin beans from places like Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Single-origin coffee comes from one specific location, rather than being a blend of beans from various regions. So, if you want to experience another country, what better way to start than with the coffee it produces?

His focus on variety reflects the ongoing creative search that drives Briston, his partners, and his team. They are always looking for ways to elevate the customer experience, which has led to consistent online reviews of more than 4 out of 5 stars. His business savvy also led to developing additional revenue streams, including e-commerce and supplying brewed coffee to other establishments.

For a business that started in 2015, self-financed, and now heading toward its seventh location, the progress is impressive. That’s almost one new location every one and a half years. With that kind of growth, I was curious about what’s next. His answer, “Franchising.”

With that, I’ll continue sipping my coffee and enjoy watching someone live out a very tasty dream.