# Compass Coffee > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Compass_Coffee > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Compass_Coffee.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_Coffee > Source revision: 1340989778 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Compass Coffee** is an American [coffee roaster](/source/Coffee_roaster) and [coffeehouse chain](/source/List_of_coffeehouse_chains) based in Washington, D.C.[2] It was founded in 2014 and operates in Washington, D.C., and Virginia.[3][4] As of June 2024, the company has 18 stores.[5] ## History The company was founded by Michael Haft in 2014.[6] Following the Shaw neighborhood store, a second store was opened in the same neighborhood in September 2015.[7] Over the next few years, other stores were opened in Washington, D.C., and [Arlington, Virginia](/source/Arlington_County,_Virginia).[8][9] The first [drive-through](/source/Drive-through) store was opened in October 2022.[10] On October 20, 2017, Compass Coffee founder Michael Haft received the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce's Community Impact Award at the 2017 Chamber's Choice Gala.[11] On March 31, 2017, Compass Coffee was featured in DC Mayor [Muriel Bowser](/source/Muriel_Bowser)'s State of the District Address for jump-starting the Made in DC movement and creating jobs in DC.[12] On January 6, 2026, Compass Coffee filed for [Chapter 11 bankruptcy](/source/Chapter_11_bankruptcy) protection amid facing several lawsuits with its landlords over unpaid rent. The company plans to sell itself to investors, while closing 11 out of its 20 locations in the process.[13][14] On February 19, 2026, [Caffè Nero](/source/Caff%C3%A8_Nero) submitted the $2.9 million winning bid for the company's assets pending [bankruptcy court](/source/United_States_bankruptcy_courts) approval.[15] ## Partnerships Compass Coffee has partnered with Dog Tag Bakery, which offers a [vocational](/source/Vocational_education) program teaching disabled military veterans and their caregivers entrepreneurship skills to launch businesses.[16] Compass supplies the bakery with coffee, and Michael Haft serves as a guest speaker with each cohort.[17][18] Compass has also formed a partnership with [The Corp](/source/Students_of_Georgetown_Inc.) at [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University), which is a student-run organization that teaches students management and leadership skills through operating businesses on campus.[19] Compass has been supplying The Corp since 2015.[19] *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)* and Compass Coffee collaborated on "The Post Roast", a coffee blend celebrating *The 7*, the *Post'*s newsletter and podcast, reaching over a million subscribers and being recognized as [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.)'s top series of 2022.[20] ## Impact of COVID-19 In March 2020, due to the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic), Compass laid off 150 of its 189 employees.[21] The remaining 39 staff members had their pay cut to $15 per hour, and 20 of them were tasked with working on the construction of a new roasting facility. The company also eliminated the option for customers to [tip](/source/Gratuity) when paying by credit card, which decreased worker wages. Compass received over $9.9 million in government assistance during this time.[22][23] ## Controversies In May 2024, workers at seven Compass locations announced their intent to unionize with [Workers United](/source/Workers_United).[5] In June 2024, Compass Coffee United accused the company of hiring 124 additional people, including Liz Brown, a lobbyist for [Uber](/source/Uber), and [Cullen Gilchrist](/source/Cullen_Gilchrist), the CEO and co-founder of [Union Kitchen](/source/Union_Kitchen), and of manipulating schedules retroactively to make it appear as though the newly hired employees were eligible to vote in the union election.[5] In response, US Senator [Bernie Sanders](/source/Bernie_Sanders) publicly criticized the company on [X (formerly Twitter)](/source/Twitter_under_Elon_Musk), labeling the company's actions "totally absurd & disgusting" and calling on the company to "end its union busting."[5][24] ## References 1. Thibodeau, Patrick (May 19, 2020). ["Compass Coffee's post-pandemic plan starts with bulk hiring | TechTarget"](https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Compass-Coffees-post-pandemic-plan-starts-with-bulk-hiring). *HR Software*. Retrieved 2023-09-22. 1. Bryman, Howard (2020-09-24). ["Compass Coffee Offering Pay to Staff Volunteering at Polling Places"](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2020/09/24/compass-coffee-offering-pay-to-staff-volunteering-at-polling-places/). *Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine*. Retrieved 2023-09-22. 1. Judkis, Maura (September 17, 2014). ["From the Ground Up: Legacy and legwork"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2014/09/17/from-the-ground-up-legacy-and-legwork/). *The Washington Post* 1. Ravindranath, Mohana (December 28, 2014). ["At Compass Coffee, data is the secret ingredient"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-it/at-compass-coffee-data-is-the-secret-ingredient/2014/12/27/a0fe5f9e-86ff-11e4-9534-f79a23c40e6c_story.html?noredirect=on). *The Washington Post* 1. Sainato, Michael (2024-06-24). ["DC coffee chain lists CEOs and Uber lobbyist as baristas to halt union drive"](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/24/compass-coffee-union-election-uber-lobbyist). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. [ISSN 0261-3077](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240624121147/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/24/compass-coffee-union-election-uber-lobbyist) 2024-06-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-06-25. 1. Deutch, Gabby (2021-03-17). ["The Jewish Marine behind a proud D.C. coffee institution"](https://jewishinsider.com/2021/03/michael-haft-compass-coffee-d-c/). *Jewish Insider*. Retrieved 2022-03-14. 1. Bethune, Meredith (November 3, 2015). ["Compass Coffee's Second Location Is Now Open"](https://dc.eater.com/2015/11/3/9663742/compass-coffee-second-location-open-the-shay-dc). *Eater DC* 1. Carman, Tim (April 5, 2017). ["Starbucks is all over downtown Washington. These coffee shops are much better."](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2017/04/05/starbucks-is-all-over-downtown-washington-these-coffee-shops-are-much-better/). *The Washington Post* 1. ["Compass Coffee Set to Open New Location in Ballston Next Month"](https://www.arlnow.com/2020/01/22/compass-coffee-set-to-open-new-location-in-ballston/). *ARLnow.com - Arlington, Va. Local News*. 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2020-10-04. 1. ["Compass Coffee's first drive-thru location is now open on Langston Blvd | ARLnow.com"](https://www.arlnow.com/2022/10/27/compass-coffees-first-drive-thru-location-is-now-open-on-langston-blvd/). *ARLnow.com*. 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2023-09-22. 1. Donner, Kathleen (November 10, 2017). ["DC Chamber Recognizes Compass Coffee"](https://midcitydcnews.com/2017/11/10/dc-chamber-recognizes-compass-coffee/). *MidCity DC News*. Retrieved 2026-02-12. 1. ["Mayor Bowser's 2017 State of the District Address | mayormb"](https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowsers-2017-state-district-address). *mayor.dc.gov*. Retrieved 2020-07-17. 1. Carman, Tim (2026-01-06). ["Compass Coffee files for bankruptcy amid lawsuits, lagging downtown sales"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/01/06/compass-coffee-bankruptcy-lawsuits-closures/). *The Washington Post*. [ISSN 0190-8286](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved 2026-02-12. 1. Carman, Tim (2026-02-11). ["Compass Coffee had Starbucks-size ambitions. Here’s how it unraveled."](https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/02/11/compass-coffee-bankruptcy-lawsuits-history/). *The Washington Post*. [ISSN 0190-8286](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved 2026-02-12. 1. ["U.K.-based Caffè Nero wins auction to buy Compass Coffee"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/02/19/compass-coffee-caffe-nero-bankruptcy/). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. February 19, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026. 1. Jenkins, Mark (2015-01-14). ["D.C.'s Dog Tag Bakery helps disabled veterans learn to run a business"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dcs-dog-tag-bakery-helps-disabled-veterans-learn-to-run-a-business/2015/01/13/e95c360c-96b9-11e4-aabd-d0b93ff613d5_story.html). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. Retrieved 2023-11-08. 1. Muto, Jordan (2018-04-15). ["This bakery is changing the lives of military veterans in a unique way"](https://www.today.com/health/dog-tag-bakery-helps-wounded-veterans-transition-civilian-workforce-t126973). *TODAY.com*. Retrieved 2023-11-08. 1. ["Veterans Learn Business Skills at DC's Dog Tag Bakery"](https://www.hiringourheroes.org/stories/veterans-learn-business-skills-at-dcs-dog-tag-bakery/). *Hiring Our Heroes*. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2023-11-08. 1. Smith, Daniel (2015-01-30). ["Corp Rolls Out New Coffee"](https://thehoya.com/corp-rolls-new-coffee/). *The Hoya*. Retrieved 2023-11-08. 1. ["The Washington Post and Compass Coffee brew "The Post Roast""](https://capitolcommunicator.com/the-washington-post-and-compass-coffee-brew-the-post-roast/). *Capitol Communicator*. 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2023-11-08. 1. Williams, Elliot C. & Lefrak, Mikaela (2020-03-17). ["Coronavirus Is Causing Industry-Wide Layoffs In D.C., Hitting Service Workers Particularly Hard"](https://dcist.com/story/20/03/17/coronavirus-is-causing-industry-wide-layoffs-in-d-c-hitting-service-workers-particularly-hard/). *[DCist](/source/WAMU)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210313081515/https://dcist.com/story/20/03/17/coronavirus-is-causing-industry-wide-layoffs-in-d-c-hitting-service-workers-particularly-hard/) March 13, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-10-08. 1. Kurzius, Rachel (2021-11-07). ["Here's What Happened After Compass Coffee Eliminated Tips"](https://wamu.org/story/21/10/07/compass-coffee-tips/). *[WAMU](/source/WAMU)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240226140807/https://wamu.org/story/21/10/07/compass-coffee-tips/) 2024-02-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-10-08. 1. Berg, Nate (2021-07-09). ["Why this coffee shop turned its baristas into construction workers during COVID-19"](https://www.fastcompany.com/90653735/why-this-coffee-shop-turned-its-baristas-into-construction-workers-during-covid-19). *Fast Company*. Retrieved 2021-12-09. 1. Bernie Sanders (June 22, 2024). "Claiming that a lobbyist from Uber & CEOs from other companies are workers in order to rig a union election is totally absurd & disgusting. I strongly support Compass Workers and call on Compass Coffee DC to respect the rights of their workers to organize & end its union busting.". No. 1804505866567115242. Retrieved June 24, 2024. ## External links [Official website](https://www.compasscoffee.com/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Compass Coffee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_Coffee) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_Coffee?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.