Black Sheep Coffee on E. Mockingbird Lane. Photography by Renee Umsted.
Black Sheep Coffee plans to open in East Dallas this spring or summer, a company co-founder says.
Gabriel Shohet, who started the company with Eirik Holth in London in 2013, says the timeline depends on when the necessary permits are received.
Several reasons factored into Shohet and Holth’s decision to open the company’s first United States shop in our neighborhood, Shohet says.
Many other international companies enter the U.S. market through New York or Los Angeles. But Shohet and Holth saw that Texas seemed friendly and welcoming, both to businesses and people in general.
They also recognized the growth ongoing here. The population of Texas increased by more than 470,700 from July 2021-July 2022, according to U.S. Census data. Now, Texas and California are the only states with a total population greater than 30 million.
Shohet says the location on E. Mockingbird Lane, between Burger House and Big Shucks, met the company’s requirements, though they would have been open to other sites, and they plan to open many more. But Dallas and Black Sheep Coffee already had one thing — or person, rather — in common: Kristaps Porzingis. The former Mavericks player has invested in the company and is one of its top brand ambassadors. He’ll be there when the East Dallas shop opens, too, Shohet says.
With a drive-thru and dine-in space, the location will allow Black Sheep Coffee to showcase its full range of offerings, whether it’s serving a morning pick-me-up or a coffee-inspired cocktail after work.
“It was just important that our first shop in the U.S. allows us to really express the brand fully,” Shohet says.
Black Sheep Coffee is known for being the only coffee company to offer specialty-grade, 100% Robusta coffee, Shohet says. Compared to the more typical Arabica beans, Robusta beans have twice the caffeine and a lower acidity; they also produce a thicker crema in espresso, he says.
It goes back to the company’s motto, “leave the herd behind.”
“Leave the herd behind means that if you see everybody doing something, and you don’t think it makes sense, do something different,” he says.
The company sells Norwegian waffles, which are thin and light, and organic smoothies. All of its shops are dog-friendly, and Black Sheep recently started offering treats for furry friends.
One of the most popular drinks is the black hoof, made with espresso, cinnamon, milk, micro foam and coconut oil, which offers a sustained energy release, as opposed to an instant boost.
Two other notes about the company: It adopted environmentally sustainable business practices, and it focuses on community outreach. Black Sheep’s Free Coffee Board Initiative allows customers to provide a hot drink for anyone who can’t afford one.
“We want to be very inclusive and make everyone feel welcome,” Shohet says.
