National Coffee Day In Sarasota: Where To Get Your Joe Fix

SARASOTA, FL — For many on the go in Sarasota, drinking coffee is celebrated seven mornings a week.

But there’s a specific date that is specifically set to highlight one of the world’s most consumed beverages. National Coffee Day is Sept. 29 across the United States and falls on a Wednesday in 2021.

National Coffee Day gives java lovers in Sarasota another reason to visit one of their local coffee shops.

Local coffee shops include:

• Kahwa Coffee, 1487 2nd St., Sarasota
• Perq Coffee Bar, 1821 Hillview St., Sarasota
• Buddy Brew Coffee, 1289 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota
• Breaking Wave Coffee, 1310 Main St., Sarasota
• Project Coffee, 538 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
• O&A Coffee and Supply, 1316 Main St., Sarasota
• Pastry Art Bakery Cafe, 1512 Main St., Sarasota
• WFM Coffee Bar, 1451 1st St., Sarasota
• Postal 98 Cafe, 1240 Yoder Ave., Sarasota
• Coffee & Bagels, 3800 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
• Rise & Nye’s, 1534 State St., Sarasota
• Coffee Carrousel, 1644 Main St., Sarasota
• Blue Dolphin Cafe, 470 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
• Sorrento Sweets, 1473 Main St., Sarasota

The exact origin of how Sept. 29 (or Oct. 1 in other countries) became National Coffee Day is cloudy, according to a NationalToday.com summary of the country’s long connection with the drink. It points to the 1773 Boston Tea Party as a key moment in U.S. history for when the country, quite literally, dumped tea for coffee.

When the people of the 13 colonies revolted against King George III’s hefty tea tax, “tea was out, and coffee was in,” the summary states.

The United States’ connection with coffee only became stronger in the years to follow. Brothers John and Charles Arbuckle started selling coffee to cowboys in the American West during the mid-1800s, and James Folger introduced the drink to gold miners in California before creating the J.A. Folger & Co. in 1872, according to NationalToday.com.

Other brands still around today, such as Maxwell House and Hills Brothers, eventually entered the coffee market. And Starbucks “changed everything” when it formed in Seattle in 1971, according to the summary.

The U.S. coffee shop market has now grown into a $45.4 billion industry, according to an account that cites the Allegra World Coffee Portal’s 2019 Project Café USA report.

A number of chain coffee shops are expected to offer deals for National Coffee Day, TheSpruceEats.com says.

Among them, Krispy Kreme will offer a free coffee and doughnut on the day, Dunkin’ Donuts a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase, and LaMar’s Donuts a free small cup of coffee.

Local 7-Eleven stores have also offered National Coffee Day deals, with any size coffees going for $1 while using the store’s smartphone app.

Starbucks also typically offers free samples or cups of coffee on Sept. 29, Coffeeaffection.com reported this year.

Here are some local Starbucks locations in Sarasota:

• 1375 S. Tamiami Trail
• 1401 1st St.
• 4972 S. Tamiami Trail
• 443 John Ringling Blvd.
• 2455 N. Tamiami Trail
• 6024 Airport Circle
• 4972 S. Tamiami Trail
• 3604 84th Ave. Cir. E.
• 3571 Bee Ridge Rd.
• 2875 University Pkwy.
• 5825 Derek Ave.
• 5329 Fruitville Rd.
• 3700 Cattlemen Rd.
• 5350 Fruitville Rd.
• 101 N. Cattlemen Rd.
• 5485 University Pkwy.
• 8401 S. Tamiami Trail
• 8394 S. Tamiami Trail
• 140 University Town Center Dr.