New Between Rounds Franchisee Brings Specialty Brews and Coffeehouse Vibe to Manchester

The Manchester café is now owned and operated by Ajay Mathew, a native of Hartford, CT who currently resides in South Windsor with his wife and two daughters. Mathew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from University of Connecticut in Storrs and an MBA from Post University in Waterbury. He had a 20-year career in the automobile insurance industry, most recently as a Unit Manager at Travelers Insurance in Hartford, CT. However, coffee has always been a passion of Mathew’s and it was time to follow his dream of opening a coffee shop.

The Manchester café will continue to feature Between Rounds signature baked-on-site bagels and baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups. Mathew will expand the menu with specialty brews and create a coffeehouse ambiance in Manchester.

In addition to the fresh ground and brewed gourmet coffee that patrons know and love, Mathew is expanding upon Between Rounds’ coffee offerings and adding new menu items such as Cold Brews as well as new brew methods. A new state-of-the-art espresso machine has already been installed to provide high quality results in half the time. Cold Foam is now offered, which is similar to whipped cream and goes very well with Cold Brews. Other new offerings include Pour Overs as well as six varieties of flavored coffee. On-site bean roasting may even be a possibility at some point in the future.

According to Mathew, “To me, comfort is amazing coffee and delicious bagels. I’m very passionate about coffee and exploring new brew methods and it’s exciting to have an opportunity to do so in the Manchester café.”

“Ajay is a very good fit for Between Rounds. We’re enthusiastic about his vision for the Manchester location which will serve as a launchpad for all of Between Rounds’ new coffee brews. The café itself has also been transformed to have more of a coffeehouse atmosphere complete with comfortable leather couches and custom artwork,” said franchisor Jerry Puiia.

The family-owned Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café has been in business for more than three decades and is the brainchild of brothers Jerry and Joseph Puiia, who are Staten Island, NY natives. The Puiia hallmark is manufacturing and selling their own bagels.