Five Fits With: Greg Zamfotis of Gregorys Coffee
If you live in or frequent New York City, you’ve probably had a cup of coffee at Gregorys Coffee. To many people’s surprise, Greg (or, as my mom calls him, “Mr. Coffee”) is in fact a real person, and he’s been a dear friend of mine for the better part of a decade, ever since he invited me to his shop for a cup of coffee. He was a fan of clothes, #menswear, and my street style, and I was honored to be treated to a cup of coffee and a chat with a successful CEO. I didn’t know I was also getting a lifelong friend out of the deal.
Greg’s style has shifted a bit over the years, which we address below, but what has remained constant is his love of family and his passion for Gregorys. You can still see him working behind the counter, making coffees and taking orders. He’s not above any task, even to this day, while maintaining focus on 32 stores, a wife, three children, and two dogs. I’m personally in awe of his work ethic, but I’m also impressed with his sense of style. If I had days as busy as his, I would be wearing denim and a T-shirt daily, but the man still gets properly Dressed.
Greg was one of my original subjects for a similar series I did eight years ago on my blog, so I’m excited to bring him on to this series almost a decade later, as both he and his style have matured even further. Below, we discuss juggling a fruitful business and meaningful home life, shopping for new clothes as an entrepreneur, making espresso in Thom Browne suiting, and dressing for 32-store success.
Let’s talk about Gregorys Coffee. I know you’ve been asked this a ton, but for the purposes of informing readers who aren’t familiar with you and your story, what made you want to open your own coffee shop? And what was your path to opening your first location?
My bro, you can always ask me about Gregorys! I grew up in the food business; my father was a serial entrepreneur who owned and operated numerous fast casual concepts in NYC throughout my childhood. Being the son of an immigrant, I saw how hard my father worked and always wanted to be right there with him. I really got my 10,000 hours in early. That being said, I went to undergraduate business school, and then law school, thinking I would pursue a legal career.
Turns out, I couldn't stand being behind a desk and really kept coming back to my entrepreneurial roots. I approached my father about helping me launch a concept of my own and he was surprised at first, but then became incredibly excited about helping me develop Gregorys Coffee. He helped me find my first location on 24th Street and Park Avenue South in Manhattan back in 2006, and we were off to the races.
You’re a man constantly on the move. How do you get dressed daily?
The answer to this question has certainly evolved over the years. When I first started Gregorys, I was pretty young and was trying to be taken seriously as a business owner. This time coincided with the height of the Mad Men era, as well as the famed Tumblr #menswear 1.0 movement, so you know I was making coffee in double monks and Thom Browne thornproof suiting.
As the brand grew and gained more respect, I felt like I could pump the breaks a bit on trying to look suited and booted every day. I probably took it too far at one point, channeling my inner Sith Lord and draping myself in Rick Owens and Boris Bidjan Saberi. These days, I can tell if I've hit it right if my wife and kids give me the thumbs up on the way to work in the morning. I'm usually in some sort of business casual with a twist, or in a garment that is elevated without screaming "look at me." I am now 39 years old, a father of three beautiful kids, and the CEO of a national specialty coffee company, so a clean, comfortable, and professional look with no more than one flex at a time sounds about right.
How do you shop for new clothes? Are there any specific qualifications a new garment has to have for you to consider buying it? What is the last clothing item you purchased?
I'd like to say out of need, but to be honest, I don't need anything even though I can convince myself otherwise. I'm probably 90 percent emotion when I shop. I get a sick little pleasure out of finding a garment that looks good and more importantly fits exactly how I want it to. When the drape hits just right, it is like sipping that first cup of coffee of the day—just exhilarating. Last jawn I purchased was a made-to-measure navy cashmere overcoat using a Loro Piana Storm System fabric, made by the legend Jonathan Sigmon, the new proprietor over at Alan Flusser Customs. It was a birthday present to myself, but I received it a bit late in the season so it will get put to real use this coming fall.
Has your love of style impacted the way you do business? The intersection of the fashion industry with other industries isn’t new, but its intersecting with coffee isn’t something you hear about every day.
Yes, absolutely. How you do the little things is how you do everything. Taking care and paying attention to detail with how you present yourself speaks volumes to how you conduct yourself in business. If I looked like a total slob, what would lead people to believe I am accounting for every gram of coffee that goes into making our drinks every day? Because I do.
Did you have intentions for Gregorys to grow as much as it has? What sort of advice do you have for someone looking to scale a business beyond its first location?
Short answer: no. I was thrilled to be in business for myself, no desk, just getting after it and watching the fruits of my labor play out every day in the cafe. It didn't take long for me to discover that I had developed something rather unique, and when more and more guests came along for the ride, it was my nature to start growing the business and join more amazing communities in different neighborhoods, fueling their hustle every day.
My advice is pretty simple: Have a vision and work your ass off to make that vision come true. I'll always be the hardest-working guy in the room, and it has served me well as I have taken Gregorys from one shop to where we are today.
Like my other friend and previous Five Fits subject Andrew Chen, you’re also a huge family man. I’m curious as to how you juggle such a successful career, a marriage, three kids, and two dogs.
This has been the most challenging chapter of my career so far. I am addicted to work and simply can't get enough of being in and around my business. We are constantly tweaking and innovating our program. I've always got my ears to the ground and eyes wide open, so staying plugged in is crucial for me. Balancing my addiction to Gregorys with my obsession with my family is a daily struggle.
I wish I could say it was easy, but to be honest, I just wish I was with my family at all times. Spending a ton of time with the kids brings me an insane amount of joy, but I just can't do it all the time with my obligations at work and my passion for being the founder and CEO of Gregorys. I do the best I can, and my wife understands and appreciates it, but she is the real MVP. Raising three amazing kids and two dogs is not easy, but she is incredible. I am just fortunate to have landed where I am today, leading a company I am so proud of, as well as being a part of a family that I cherish.
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