COOL FRIENDS

Tuan Nguyen

By
Eric Do
•
April 25, 2025

Meet Tuan, the founder of Larry’s Cà Phê, whose love of coffee, community, and café culture inspired him to create his own coffee shop, named after his late father, Larry. Larry was a high school math teacher who taught in Bushwick and adopted Tuan from Vietnam. Larry’s Cà Phê is an homage to Tuan’s Vietnamese heritage, his father’s legacy, and the café Tuan always wanted to build for his community. Larry’s Cà Phê serves a mix of traditional and modern Vietnamese drinks and snacks, while also hosting frequent food and drink pop-ups featuring local Vietnamese makers and creatives. We caught up with Tuan to learn more about his journey in building Larry’s, promoting up-and-coming creators, and his vision for 2025 and onward.

When did you decide it was the right time for you to open up your own shop? What was the experience like having the opportunity to take over a coffee shop in which you were previously a barista?

I always knew I wanted to open a coffee shop in a residential area because I saw myself at my cafe where my friends and the community could gather. This vision was for when I was much older, probably with a wife and kid. But, after my dad, Larry, passed away in 2019, my brother and I inherited what he had left [for us]. My brother and I split the inheritance. [My brother] moved to Vietnam, and my portion was just sitting in the bank. It wasn't much, but it was just enough for the current Larry's Cà Phê. The name of the cafe is to celebrate him and make something positive for what he left behind. Maybe the cafe I envisioned after all was to celebrate friendship and creativity in a third space.

How does your background influence the drinks, food, and pop-ups you curate at the shop?

I knew little about Vietnamese coffee culture until I was serious about opening Larry's Cà Phê. I knew a decent amount about Western coffee but was clueless about my own. Opening Larry's Cà Phê was a way for me to learn more. Growing up here, I didn't know many Vietnamese people. Having Larry's was a way to bring Vietnamese people in and show others about our culture.

Pop-ups provide a space and opportunity for people to express their interests. I want to give the community a platform to showcase their work, so many of the pop-ups feature first-timers or newly launched ventures, allowing them to share their passions with the public.

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What’s your favorite part about the New York small business and cafe community?

I get to learn from everyone who walks through the door daily. The community here is filled with kind, diverse, stylish, and creative people.

Congratulations on the features in Eater, NYT, and the success of the short film (linked below!). How are you looking to continue growing Larry’s? Any big moves for 2025 and onward?

Those features were an honor because Larry used to read those papers regularly, and now he’s featured in them. He would be proud. In 2025, we plan on extending our hours, continuing to offer delicious and beautiful drinks, and building community. Maybe there will be Larry’s 2.0 in the near future.

What or who is inspiring you right now?

Good people doing good things for themselves and others inspire me.

Follow Along:

www.larryscaphe.com
@larryschaphe
Larry’s Cà Phê Short Film

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About the author

Eric is a Brooklyn-based creative and the founder of RICO, a brand focused on creating handmade, durable, and functional bags and accessories. Eric also is the editor of What About Wine, a newsletter focused on making wine knowledge accessible and fun!

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