Ground Floor Coffee reopens as a brick-and-mortar store in East Village

What’s new at Ground Floor Coffee

Coffee aficionados will be intrigued to hear that Ground Floor Coffee has also introduced filter coffees and a single-origin blend that a local roastery has specially customised for Ground Floor Coffee. To keep the menu fresh, Hasif will serve up a new blend once the old one runs out. 

While Ground Floor Coffee now sees more niche, specialty coffees, Hasif will still be serving his signature flavoured coffees, in line with consumer demand. 

“I think we’re known for interesting flavours such as our Chinese New Year drinks,” he says. “Some people might argue that you are disrupting the profile of the beans, but I don’t care. To me, it’s just exploring and having fun. Why restrict yourself to this sort of mindset?” 

This is a philosophy that has served Hasif well and differentiates Ground Floor Coffee from other specialty coffee houses. 

The lavender latte, a staple on its old menu, was a top-seller during its home-based -business days, despite not following traditional brewing methods. The fan-favourite drink hasn’t found its place on the new menu just yet, though. 

“A lot of people are waiting for that but it’s not ready, yet,” he adds. “I want the aftertaste to be more smooth, so I’m experimenting with different brewing methods to achieve that finishing.” 

The transition into a physical space brings new opportunities for Hasif to experiment with different flavours. Besides introducing new beans and brewing techniques, Ground Floor Coffee has also added new drinks such as Spanish white (S$7.50) and coconut mint (S$7.80) coffees. The dirty matcha (S$7.50), previously a crowd favourite, also makes a return on the East Village menu. 

Hasif has also partnered with local bake shop Suka Cookies and Cakes, to bring some treats to Ground Floor Coffee on Fridays and weekends. 

(Hasif’s mother-in-law used to make bakes for Ground Floor, when it was a home-based business, but now spends her days taking care of the children.)

You’ll be able to find banana bread (S$4) and assorted tarts (S$3.50) on display. While options are limited at the moment, Hasif plans to introduce brownies eventually.  

These humble bakes have a special place to Hasif, who has been a patron of the shop for a long time. With the new space, he hoped to share the bakes with a wider audience. 

“When we buy [bakes] for the shop, we also buy it for ourselves,” he jokes. 

From home-based to brick-and-mortar

While Hasif knew that transitioning to a physical store would be inevitable for the business, the decision to move was still one that weighed on his mind.

“The beauty of working at home is that I can hear my kids’ voices, while I work,” he says. “At home, when my kids heard the bell ring, they would call out to me. These are the little things I miss.”

But Hasif felt that as a home-based business, Ground Floor Coffee had limited opportunities and had reached its full potential. 

It also couldn’t have come at a better time as his daughter, 6, requested to have a room for herself. 

“I understood that one day I’d have to move out of the room for her, but she kicked me out a bit too early,” he jokes. “But I feel it’s only fair to prioritise the kids first.”

While Hasif has taken special care to bring small aspects of Ground Floor Coffee at home to the physical store, he admits that it’s no longer the same concept. 

The window had become an icon in Pasir Ris, where folks could drive by, park outside and pick up their coffee straight from the window. 

“I once had a couple who were getting married stop by the window with an open-top car to grab a coffee, before going on their way to complete their wedding,” Hasif recalls. “It’s definitely an experience you cannot get anywhere else.”

Over the past four months, Hasif had scoured countless locations to find the right setup for what he envisioned Ground Floor Coffee to be. He even considered mama shops located at void decks, but was unable to find such a unit. 

Hasif finally settled on East Village, to be as close to Pasir Ris as possible. To him, it was essential for Ground Floor Coffee to be accessible to most of its regulars. 

Moving forward

Looking ahead, Hasif is ready to expand the brand beyond coffee, bringing it closer to his vision for the brand. 

“I want to bring Ground Floor Coffee in a more lifestyle direction and cover fashion, non-F&B brands,” he says.

Previously, Ground Floor Coffee missed out on opportunities to collaborate with other brands, as it didn’t have the space to launch its products. With the new shop, he kicks it off with brand new Ground Floor Coffee merchandise manufactured by Fin Crafted Goods, a handcrafted fashion brand. Hasif also has even bigger dreams to collaborate with brands he admires, such as New Balance. 

But Ground Floor Coffee’s journey is far from over. 

“We’ve even had people reach out about franchising the cafe, here and overseas,” Hasif says.

But he’s taking it one step at a time, ensuring that whatever direction Ground Floor Coffee grows in, it stays true to the vision that began in that small window at his old home.

For more ideas on what to explore, check out our guide on what to eat at Plaza Singapura and Fortune Centre. 

Ground Floor Coffee is on the GrabFood delivery service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Ground Floor Coffee at East Village.