It wasn’t widely or loudly reported locally, but Strategic Hospitality sold their stake in SoBro “third space” Pinewood Social back in 2023. The current owners include Anthony Sanfilippo, Carlos Ruisanchez and Florence Sudduth of Sorelle Hospitality, and from what I’ve experienced, the all-day restaurant operates pretty much as it always has.
One aspect about the transition I worried about was whether the team would maintain their relationship with beloved local roastery Crema to run the coffee program at Pinewood. To their credit, Sorelle made no changes in that part of the business.
But when I first heard news of a venture named Pinewood Coffee Co., my ears perked up again — I figured this must definitely be the end for Crema at Pinewood. So I reached out to ask and learn more about this new roaster.
Again, Sorelle assuaged my concerns by assuring that Crema would still be their coffee partner at Pinewood. They responded to my inquiry, promising that “Pinewood Social is still working with Crema. The team believe there's room in Nashville’s vibrant coffee scene for both longtime partners and new entrants, and Pinewood Coffee Co. is focused on building its place thoughtfully.”
So what is Pinewood Coffee? The face of the operation is Robbie Melton, a longtime coffee veteran with more than 15 years of experience working at local specialty coffee operations including Barista Parlor, Good Citizen Coffee Company and Steadfast Coffee. Melton has led sourcing efforts to acquire beans from socially responsible estates around the world, including the company’s first major relationship with Costa Rica’s Hacienda La Minita.
Melton and his team are actually roasting the beans in an unexpected location in Franklin. Monarch Showroom is a high-end used car dealership and another business holding of Sanfilippo and Jake Sudduth. Pinewood Coffee Co. has their roasting, shipping and wholesale operation working out of the same building, which I imagine makes shopping for cars an even better experience.
Currently, Pinewood offers 11 different varieties of coffee, including one decaf option. They are selling directly to consumers through the company website, while also targeting wholesale partnerships. Future plans include expanding into hotel and restaurant sales, as well as the possibility of opening their own retail locations in the next year or so. Until then, you can shop online if you want to try something new.
