Coffee enthusiasts know the value of a truly great cup of java-and that the expansion of a shop that delivers just that is always cause for celebration. Get ready to raise a mug, then, DMV coffee fanatics; Herndon’s own Weird Brothers is getting ready to pour out even more piping hot cups of its delicious brew as it makes plans for growth and franchising.
Weird Brothers Coffee founder Paul Olsen generously took the time to fill What Now DC in on the brand’s future. He explains that franchising is far from an impulse decision for him and his team, saying: “We’ve actually been working on franchising for about a year and a half, almost 2 years.”
The cafe immediately earned fans, thanks to its commitment to superior java and amazing, welcoming customer service. “Right from the very beginning, as we grew the brand, we had a lot of people coming in and asking about franchising.” Olsen states, adding that he and his team did not want to rush the process, preferring to ensure the concept was in a prime place for expansion to succeed. “We felt we had something special and we wanted to continue to professionalise it and get it to the point where we could possibly expand further. Doing the research about expansion, franchising made the most sense. Everything kind of fell into place and we’re hitting the ground running now.”
Weird Brothers is prioritizing quality over quantity, allowing plenty of time and space for the brand to grow. Olsen explains that while the teams doesn’t have specific neighborhoods selected for the expansion, they are remaining relatively close to home for the moment. “For right now, we’re just playing it in incremental baby steps, pushing out from our homebase in Northern Virginia- no place in particular exactly, just Northern Virginia, DMV locations. A lot of it depends on the franchisees.”
Weird Brothers has signed on its initial franchisee, however the first franchised location is still in the early stages. What Now DC will update readers as specific details become available.
Existing fans of Weird Brothers don’t need to worry about the brand losing any of the charm they’ve come to know and love. Olsen explains: “We have done our best to try to create a system that can be replicated, where anybody can go into a Weird Brothers franchise and have the same experience they’d have at our corporate stores.”
Weird Brothers’ existing locations-two in Herndon and another in Leesburg-provided Olsen and his team with the perfect proving grounds to create the template for future storefronts. “It’s been great practice for us to work through that”, Olsen says. “A few of my staff and I work to support the corporate stores, so we’ve been practicing the franchise model-to create an experience that will be the same no matter where someone goes. The same culture, the same mission.”
Olsen hopes to have 2 to 3 franchised locations open by the end of the year but is trusting the process. He states: “We’re not trying to expand too fast-we’re trying to take our time here at the beginning to make sure we have it right.”
However many storefronts the chain opens in 2026, locals can rest assured they will be able to enjoy the same amazing coffee and warm welcome they’ve come to know and love. Olsen sums it up perfectly, saying: “We roast our coffee, we have an excellent product-we take our coffee very seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We put an emphasis on excellent customer service.”
