Jimmy Butler’s much-anticipated coffee pop-up has arrived in San Francisco, drawing a line of customers eager for caffeine — and the possibility of catching a glimpse of the Golden State Warriors star.
Bigface opened Thursday morning on Valencia Street, selling, among other things, a $100 coffee flight that was originally targeted at Butler’s teammates’ wallets.
The pop-up marks Butler’s first local business venture since joining the Warriors in February and powering through injury to support an eye-popping playoff run. The shop is in the former home of Lucca Ravioli, a beloved Italian deli that closed in 2019. The pop-up is scheduled to run through at least July 27; Bigface COO Britt Berg suggested that the timeline could extend depending on reception.
Francisco Villanueva, a Fresno native and incoming SF State student, heard about the shop from his sister and claimed the first spot in line at 8:20 a.m., 40 minutes before the doors opened. “I wanted to get some things for my friends,” Villanueva said. “I’m the only one here at the moment.”
Shilpa Chetty and her 18-year-old son Kamran made the short trip from Burlingame to visit the pop-up.
“I love coffee, and he loves Jimmy Butler, so it seemed like a good combination,” Shilpa said.
Medical research scientist Malak Khatib took time off work to attend the opening, not because of a passion for coffee but because she’s a superfan of Butler, whom she called “the best player in the NBA.”
“He’s the most fun. Good ball handler. Charismatic. He’s a good person. He’s funny. He’s got the whole package. He’s everything,” Khatib said, adding that she plans to make the pop-up her exclusive coffee destination for its entire run.
Berg said the brand started as a pandemic-era amusement: Butler initially sold coffee to other players for $20 per cup during the NBA bubble. The name derives from the $100 bill featuring Benjamin Franklin. “He was really looking to sell coffee for $100 a cup,” Berg said.
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Bigface opened its flagship location in Miami’s posh Design District in December.
The SF pop-up’s $100 flight includes an oat milk cappuccino, a specialty beverage, and a pour-over coffee. Berg said Butler’s favorite is the oat milk cappuccino, which he drinks daily, “sometimes multiple times a day, maybe even up to seven to 10 times a day.”
The location is positioned as a coffee shop and corner market that offers trendy pantry items, including Carbone pizza sauce, Graza extra-virgin olive oil, and Bigface-branded pasta. The selection is an homage to Lucca’s, Berg said: “It was a really fun way to pay tribute to what was here before us.”
Tiana and Tyler Hurley, Warriors fans who were among the first 10 customers Thursday, praised Butler’s impact on the team’s season. “He integrated into the Warriors and took them from almost a .500 team to the playoffs,” Tyler said.
The couple said their orders — a $10 coconut cloud latte and iced Americano — were impressive. They had noticed the transformation of the former Lucca deli while visiting neighborhood bars. “We actually saw the construction when it was completely gutted out,” Tiana said, noting that they had watched the space being rebuilt “down to the joists.”
Diane Goodman, who works at a Chase Center gift shop, expressed appreciation for Butler’s commitment to excellence on the court and in the cups.
“I love the idea that he’s doing coffee at a high level,” Goodman said. “It’s not your Maxwell House instant; you know it’s going to be good and also maybe a touch of Jimmy, what he’s all about.”
Butler himself was not seen at the opening, but Berg said there is “a high probability of him coming by at some point.”
The shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1100 Valencia St.