Get Bold & Gritty in Rochester and beyond

When David Paul launched Bold & Gritty in 2020, his goal was to tell stories centered around Black men who were achieving their wildest dreams, and he wanted to use something familiar — coffee — as the vehicle to reach his audience.

With Bold & Gritty, Paul, a senior neurosurgery resident and neuro critical care fellow at The University of Rochester Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital, intended to not only inspire his own son, but also reach a generation of young men trying to figure out what they are capable of.

“It started with featuring a close group of friends and it has expanded to featuring some awesome people from around the country,” Paul said.

It’s through his exceptional coffee, roasted locally, that he’s able to tell the stories of men who

are actively making an impact in their community through their work in nonprofits, community activism, entrepreneurship and outreach. These stories, and the coffee, are for everyone to appreciate and enjoy.

Bold & Gritty is committed to building on strong relationships, creating partnerships from bean to cup, while introducing their coffee to consumers throughout Rochester and beyond. Roasted in collaboration with New City Café and available on the shelves at their location at 441 Parsells Avenue in the Beechwood Neighborhood, together the brands work to make coffee more accessible.

“This is more than just coffee and storytelling, but community impact,” Paul said.

At New City you can find a welcoming community, in addition to delicious locally baked goods. New City hosts weekly pop-ups during the summer, including Foodlink and the Rochester Public Library’s Free Youth Library program. For Paul, what makes their partnership extra special is New City’s commitment to rebuilding the neighborhood and their emphasis on hiring teens from the community, all of which aligns with Bold & Gritty’s mission.

“Having a retail presence in New City is where Bold & Gritty can start to live out its vision and tell stories in more unique and creative ways,” Paul said.

Through New City, Paul said they’ve also been fortunate to develop a great relationship at Mizar Coffee that allows them to source green coffee beans directly from Ethiopian coffee farmers.

“Not only are we thinking about this from the actual space of the coffee shop,” Paul said, “we think about the taste profile of the demographic that we are serving.”

Bold & Gritty is also available at Lori’s Natural Foods, Voula’s Greek Sweets, Carnegie Cellars, The Store at the Memorial Art Gallery and the Honey B Store. Like what you taste and want more? Paul recommends a coffee subscription as one of the best ways to continue to experience Bold & Gritty. All subscriptions are renewed monthly, include free shipping and as a bonus there are occasional gifts throughout the year, as well.

“With the roaster’s choice option, you will be able to sample our line of coffees and will be the first to taste new products as they are developed,” Paul said.

For more information about Bold & Gritty or an updated list on where to purchase locally, visit boldandgritty.com.

Quajay Donnell is a Rochester-area freelance writer.