How would you like your coffee?Just tell the Bot and Brew robotic barista
by Mark Jahne
Editor
Photos by Mark Jahne
Step up to the counter at the new Bot and Brew in Cromwell and you will be greeted and invited to place an order. That’s not unusual for a coffee shop.
But what is unusual is that the barista is not a person, but a robot. Businessman Kyle Sosa came up with the idea for what he said is the only robotic barista shop in Connecticut and he is enjoying a growing customer base since opening in July.
“Business is amazing. I also have an exotic car rental business” that operates in Florida, Texas and New York, he said.
Sosa and his wife Crystal are the co-owners of the shop. One of them is there every day. It’s usually Kyle because her primary job is as a neurosurgeon at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.
“We’re originally from New York,” he said.
He grew up in Queens and is a New York Mets fan. She grew up in The Bronx. They bought a house in town and live within walking distance of the 328 Main St. shop. He gives Crystal credit for sparking his interest in this undertaking.
“My wife is a coffee enthusiast. She used to take me on coffee dates,” he recalled.
She saw a coffee robot on social media and thought that would be a great idea. A lot of their business is thanks to exposure on Instagram and TikTok. A post on Taste CT brought 680 people through the door over the next four days.
“Our son is really into transformers and iRobot,” he added.
That would explain the robot murals on the wall of the cozy shop. It provides an additional attraction for customers and there is a small kid’s corner with games, too. Remember Ms. Pac-Man?
The space previously housed a tattoo business called Warpath Studios. The Sosas know owner Kelvin Ruiz and when he moved to larger quarters in Newington, he encouraged them to take over his former space.
After being greeted, guests can scroll through an iPod to see the variety of hot and cold beverages and make their selections. Then they can watch the robot perform the functions to make their drink, filled exactly to the top of the cup.
Hot drinks come in 10-ounce and 12-ounce servings. Cold drinks are 12 ounces or 16 ounces. He said their chai and matcha drinks use top-quality ingredients.
“We have about 35 drinks that it makes,” Sosa added. “It typically takes about two minutes. We have food options, too.”
They include bagels, empañadas and cakes. Cash and credit cards are accepted. If one orders a latte, the robot can create a decorative heart or tulip to top off the beverage. The machine automatically cleans itself after every cup.
“Everything is precise. The functions were programmed by a world-renowned barista,” he said. “We have a 24-hour technical support team.”
Bot and Brew serves Ovelle Coffee, a premium Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee that is certified 100 percent organic and provided by a small businesswoman in Hartford.
“You get a five-star experience when you come here,” Sosa said.
He was asked if he has received any pushback because a robot, and not a person, is making and serving the coffee. The answer is yes, but he pointed out that this is a one-person shop and someone is there all the time to greet customers and accept payment.
No one is losing a job or being prevented from getting a job at Bot and Brew. The Sosas could make the coffee themselves if they wanted to, but believe that the unique attraction of a robotic barista makes the experience more interesting and attracts more customers. CL
Bot and Brew does not have a website but it can be found on Facebook and Instagram. The shop is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.