Before we ever served a single cup of coffee…
Before we ever signed a lease…
Before we even had a concept or a team…
There was the name.
Three Sixteen.
It wasn’t chosen for marketing reasons.
It wasn’t chosen because it “sounds cool.”
It wasn’t chosen because it’s easy to remember or easy to brand.
It was chosen because of what it represents.
The Name Is a Message
Three Sixteen is a reference to John 3:16, one of the most meaningful and well-known verses in the Bible:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
This verse is about love, meaning, sacrifice, and purpose.
It’s about something bigger than us.
And that message, that heartbeat, became the foundation of what we wanted to build — not just a café, but a place that carries meaning inside its DNA.
Three Sixteen is not a religious establishment.
We’re not trying to preach.
We’re not trying to convert anyone.
But the spirit of this verse —
love, generosity, hope, authenticity, meaning — those are the values we want to carry into every detail of the brand.
How we treat people.
How we build culture.
How we design.
How we serve.
How we create.
A Name That Sets a Standard
For us, Three Sixteen is a reminder:
If we build a business, let it be a business with soul.
If we serve coffee, let it be with excellence.
If we build teams, let it be with care.
If we create spaces, let them bring joy and meaning.
If we grow, let us grow with integrity.
A name shapes identity.
And this name sets a standard we must live up to.
A Brand Built on Meaning
We don’t want to be another café that blends into the noise of the market.
We want to build a brand that stands for something.
A brand where:
- people feel seen
- quality is never compromised
- hospitality is sincere
- culture is intentional
- growth is meaningful
- design is purposeful
- community feels real
- excellence is the minimum
- generosity is practiced
Three Sixteen isn’t a slogan.
It’s a compass.
The Name Became the Vision
When the idea of expanding the brand appeared in 2025, the name became even more important.
If we grow into multiple locations…
If we build roasting, retail, apparel…
If we become a lifestyle brand…
Then everything we do must align with the meaning behind the name.
It keeps us anchored.
It keeps us focused.
It keeps us honest.
It keeps us grounded in values, not trends.
This Is Just the Foundation
Three Sixteen is not just a name on a sign.
It’s the foundation of what we are building —
over years, over decades, step by step.
In the next post, I’ll write about what it actually cost us — financially, mentally, emotionally — to open the first location, and I’ll share the real numbers behind the build.
If you want to follow the full story of how we’re building this brand — stay with us. This journey is only beginning.
