AVENTURA, Fla. – (December 2, 2010) – The popular Southern California-based specialty coffee and tea retailer, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, recently opened its first Florida location at Aventura Mall, South Florida’s leading shopping destination.

As in all of its locations, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® at Aventura Mall will offer a variety of the finest grades of Arabica coffee from specially selected estates around the world that are custom roasted, in small batches, at its facility in Camarillo, Calif.  It also will feature several varieties of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® whole leaf teas as well as fresh-baked kosher goods and a full line of coffee and tea merchandise. 

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf ®is located on Aventura Mall’s first level within the spacious, sky-lit “Coffee Court.” 

“One of the primary reasons shoppers choose Aventura Mall is our strong selection of first-to-market retailers,” said Yamila Garayzar, Vice President of Marketing – Retail Division for Turnberry Associates, owner and manager of Aventura Mall. “We’re excited to debut Florida’s first The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® and expect it to be a tremendous success.”

The architectural form of the 550 square-foot space conforms to the circulation paths that surround it.  Patrons may approach from all sides, as well as view the structure from the balconies above.  Sweeping curves of cantilevered steel, glass panels, richly stained woodwork, stone counters, glass mosaic tile walls and stainless steel provide a delightful blend of aesthetics that coordinate with the bold interior design of Aventura Mall and the contemporary environment of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®.  Bar seating, along with café and lounge seating in the surrounding court, provide a range of opportunities for patrons to gather and enjoy a beverage and warm conversation.

“As a worldwide brand, we know many South Florida residents and visitors are already familiar with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. We look forward to welcoming loyal customers to our new Aventura Mall location and introducing others to our premium quality products, handcrafted beverages and bakery items, and the sense of community that exists at all our locations,” said The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® Vice President of Development Bob Kaufman. 

Founded in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is the oldest and largest privately-held specialty coffee and tea retail business in the United States.  Embodying a passion for connecting loyal customers to one another with carefully handcrafted products, the company is known for sourcing and providing the finest ingredients and flavors from around the world.  For over 45 years, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has demonstrated a passion for product innovation epitomized by The Original Ice Blended® beverage.  The company currently has more than 775 stores; 271 of which are company owned while 505 are franchised. These stores blanket the world in markets such as California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Brunei, Indonesia, UAE, Israel, China, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mexico and the Philippines, and the chain continues to expand both domestically and internationally.  For address, store information and hours, visit www.coffeebean.com. 

South Florida’s #1 shopping destination among international visitors, Aventura Mall was voted Best Local Shopping Destination by The Miami Herald's “Hot List” and ranks as one of the top five highest grossing malls in the country in sales per square foot.  The 2.7 million square-foot multi-level mall is home to Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Macy’s Men’s Home Furniture, JCPenney and Sears, 300 stores and restaurants, a 24-screen movie theater, and an artist-designed interactive playground, Rainbow Valley.

Located at 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, the mall is open Monday through Saturday,

10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, Noon to 8 p.m. For more information call (305) 935-1110, visit the website at www.aventuramall.com or join our Facebook fan page.