Anthem Coffee and Tea is no ordinary coffee shop. This all-local chain has populated the South Sound with eight chic and modern locations that are sure to make every coffee snob swoon. In spring of 2019, Anthem Coffee and Tea expanded with two new Puyallup locations — one new spot in Sunrise Village and one in the Sunrise Medical Plaza.

Anthem Coffee and Tea was founded in November 2011 by Bryan Reynolds, his wife Alicia, and parents Larry and Janie Reynolds. Although Anthem was born in 2011, their coffee story actually began a few years prior when they bought into Forza and opened a location in downtown Puyallup in 2006. When they decided to remove themselves from the Forza network and brand their shop as their own, they also created their second location on Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. Both their downtown Puyallup location and the location across from the University of Washington Tacoma opened on the same day in 2011 — the day that Anthem Coffee and Tea was born!

Bryan Reynolds
Co-owner Bryan Reynolds is the face of Anthem Coffee and Tea. He works alongside his family to grow their brand and business. Photo courtesy: Anthem Coffee and Tea

Their mission statement is simple — two words, but two words that speak volumes: “Heroic hospitality.” This is what can be read as their mission statement on their website, but also felt when entering any of their now eight establishments. Although they now employee 125 community members throughout their eight locations, the culture at Anthem is still one of a family-operated store.

“At the end of every shift we ask our team how they’ve shown Heroic Hospitality to people they’ve served that day,” Bryan Reynolds explained. “That could be anything that goes above and beyond in service, making the customer feel valued and more important than anyone in that moment. It could be anticipating their arrival after seeing them park across the street and then opening the door for them as they come in, serving them their coffee and treats table side, engaging in authentic conversation and storytelling with someone at the register, or creating any other type of unique experience that makes the customer want to come back.”

This mission statement was created after witnessing his parents show hospitality in the most genuine form. Larry and Janie Reynolds were driven to make a difference in the community and give a forever home to children in the community that were in the foster care system. They made it their mission to give a last name and a home to as many children as they could after adopting a daughter, who by the age of five had already been if 12 different foster homes.

Reynolds wants to show the same hospitality his parents had when bringing people into their home to customers who enter any Anthem establishment. The ownership also works alongside Olive Crest, a non-profit that works to bring safe homes to children in the community. Last year, Anthem hosted a ping pong tournament as a joint effort with Theory Real Estate where they raised over $5,000 for the organization. They hope to continue to raise funds and awareness of this organization as they grow.

From two locations in 2011 to eight locations in 2019, Anthem Coffee and Tea only has plans to continue to grow in the South Sound. By 2025, they hope to have 15 locations open for business in the community.

“I moved to South Hill when I was eight and graduated from Rogers High School, so South Hill is my old stomping grounds,” Reynolds shared. “We’ve always wanted to have locations here and have been working on that for three-plus years and finally the timing was right for not just one, but two locations to be opened within a week of each other. We now have eight locations strategically spaced out within Pierce County so far, and more to come.”

Anthem Coffee sunrise village
Anthem typically finds failed coffee shop locations and “Anthemise” them to bring the spots back to life! Their new Sunrise Village location replaced a Big Foot Java in a matter of weeks. Photo courtesy: Anthem Coffee and Tea

The Anthem Coffee and Tea menu is unique when compared to many local coffee shops in the South Sound. “We are so much more than just coffee,” Reynolds said. Although he feels that coffee is their number one driver of customer interest, their extensive menu makes them more than just a place for your morning pick me up. They sell not only coffee and tea, but beer and wine on tap, Lotus Energy, homemade food items, and now fresh bakery treats from The Vintage Baker.

Anthem teamed up with Jessica Dougan of The Vintage Baker to have freshly baked sweet treats delivered to all eight locations daily. Community members know Dougans delectable treats from the former Tattered Apron in Puyallup. After closing their bakery, she has now partnered with Anthem, and customers couldn’t be more thrilled to get their hands on these items. Kacie Solar of Puyallup has been a long-time customer and supporter of Dougan.

“After initially devouring Jessica’s treats at the Broadway Tacoma Farmers Market we were so happy when her storefronts opened,” Solar shared. “After they closed up shop, we visited several of her pop-up sales at the Puyallup Market so we could keep getting her goodies. When the Anthem partnership was made, my daughter and I were so excited and stopped by on the very first day the pastries were available, and lots of days since.”

Anthem also has six craft local rotating beers on tap at every location. Two wine options can also be found — a white and a red! Besides having various baked goods on the menu from The Vintage Baker, they also have a food menu that is made in house — their naan bread pizza menu is a worthy try. Check out Anthem’s website for more information.