Saxbys Coffee

Saxbys Coffee is an independent hospitality company based in Philadelphia, known for its distinctive approach to operating coffee shops within university campuses and select urban neighborhoods. The company was founded in 2005 by Nick Bayer, who opened the first Saxbys café with the goal of creating a welcoming space for community and conversation. Over the years, Saxbys has become recognized for its innovative partnership model with colleges and universities, where students manage and operate campus cafés as part of their academic experience.

As of November 2025, Saxbys operates 27 locations, primarily concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. The brand’s footprint includes partnerships with major institutions such as Drexel University, Temple University, and Purdue University, with recent openings at Purdue highlighting its ongoing expansion. Saxbys has steadily grown its presence by focusing on experiential learning cafés, which offer students real-world business management opportunities while serving the needs of campus communities.

In the past five years, Saxbys has accelerated its growth through new university partnerships and select urban projects, maintaining a pipeline of additional campus-based cafés. The company remains privately held and does not franchise; all locations are either company-operated or run in collaboration with university partners. Saxbys is recognized for its flexible café formats, which range from traditional street-facing shops to high-traffic campus hubs. This adaptability allows Saxbys to activate underutilized spaces and deliver consistent foot traffic, making it an attractive tenant for mixed-use and higher education environments.

Saxbys’ reputation for credibility among students and institutional partners, combined with its proven student-run operating model, positions the brand as a dynamic and reliable choice for landlords, brokers, and developers seeking to enhance campus and urban settings. The company’s continued focus on growth markets such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, and other Mid-Atlantic and Midwest cities reflects its commitment to expanding its reach while maintaining its core values of experiential learning and community engagement.