Chock Full O'Nuts Coffee - Yet another product I didn't know still existed

I remember my folks talking about a coffee called 'Chock full o'Nuts' when I was a kid.   On these walks down memory lane, I'd proceed to torture dear old Mom with a barrage of questions about the coffee like.. "Mom.. why do they call it Chock full o'Nuts?  Is the coffee made out of nuts?!?  The short answer of  "No" of course wouldn't satisfy any seven year old, so it was always immediately followed up with the question.. "Then WHY do they say it's Chock full of nuts?"  This inquisitive assault would usually continue until I was told to go away and do something like play with my Star Wars action figures, or watch 'Happy Days'.

Make no mistake.. there are no nuts in this coffee!

This coffee's name is a nod to the company founder William Black's New York based nut shops called 'Chock full o'Nuts' that were a smashing success in the late 1920s.  In 1932, his nut shops were converted to coffee shops, because of suffering sales due to the depression.  The 18 coffee shops kept the same name, and were known for selling a cup of coffee and a sandwich for a nickel.

In 1953 William Black started selling his own brand of coffee in stores, named after his original street-side nut shop located on Broadway and 43rd street.  By 1955, Chock full o'Nuts became the number one coffee in  New York city.  While bumpy roads set the company back in the 70s, the company has went through a revitalization in recent years, and is still immensely popular with New Yorkers and Americans nationwide.  

Next time I need to make a coffee run, I'm definitely going to give Chock full o'Nuts a try.  Then it will be my turn to suffer the endless questioning from my kids about the name of this coffee!

Visit Chock full o'Nuts online