View entire thread: PR: Anti-Starbucks Promotion Sparks Indie Coffee Uprising
Posted by cafemakers on 2008-02-21 14:57:12 Post Subject: PR: Anti-Starbucks Promotion Sparks Indie Coffee Uprising
SAN DIMAS, CA --(Marketwire - February 21, 2008) - Just two days after Coffee Klatch Roasting of Southern California announced that it would serve free coffee at its two coffee shops when all U.S. Starbucks stores close on February 26 for employee retraining, hundreds of independent coffee shops and small chain locations have followed suit to announce similar promotions, creating a nationwide movement to drive coffee consumers to local coffeehouses.
"First our announcement started circulating on coffee discussion websites and blogs, then our phones started ringing and email messages of support poured in from coast-to-coast," says Mike Perry, Coffee Klatch president. "I was shocked to see that our local promotion to demonstrate how much better our coffee is than Starbucks had turned into a nationwide uprising of independent coffeehouses."
"Independent businesses are smartly seizing this opportunity to turn the tables and spotlight Starbucks' touted 'bold demonstration of commitment,' for what it really is -- an admission of weakness," says specialty coffee industry consultant Andrew Hetzel of Cafemakers. "Local coffee shops everywhere should band together and join in the promotion for maximum impact."
"Whether free or not, we hope that everyone will use Tuesday, February 26th as an opportunity to visit their local coffee shops and find out what they've been missing," says Perry, adding, "Anyone in the U.S.A., Canada or U.K. can visit http://www.delocator.net to quickly find their nearest independent coffee shop."
Free, expertly crafted coffee beverages will be served at Coffee Klatch Roasting's two locations in Southern California on Tuesday, February, 26th between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM:
San Dimas: (909) 599-0452
806 W. Arrow Hwy Ste A, San Dimas
57 Freeway and Arrow Hwy in the Target Shopping Center
Rancho Cucamonga: (909) 944-JAVA
8916 Foothill Blvd Ste C, Rancho Cucamonga
Corner of Foothill and Vineyard in the Thomas Winery Building
About Coffee Klatch Roasting
Founded in 1993, Coffee Klatch operates two coffee shops in San Dimas & Rancho Cucamonga and supplies wholesale customers from a dedicated specialty coffee roasting facility. In addition to publicity gained from the accomplishments of two-time U.S. Barista Champion Heather Perry, Coffee Klatch Roasting has been recognized as serving the "Best Espresso in America" by the Los Angeles Times and the "Best Espresso in the World" by an esteemed panel of judges at the 2007 World Barista Championship in Tokyo, Japan. Visit the Coffee Klatch website at http://www.klatchroasting.com.
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Posted by cafemakers on 2008-02-21 14:57:12 Post Subject: PR: Anti-Starbucks Promotion Sparks Indie Coffee Uprising
SAN DIMAS, CA --(Marketwire - February 21, 2008) - Just two days after Coffee Klatch Roasting of Southern California announced that it would serve free coffee at its two coffee shops when all U.S. Starbucks stores close on February 26 for employee retraining, hundreds of independent coffee shops and small chain locations have followed suit to announce similar promotions, creating a nationwide movement to drive coffee consumers to local coffeehouses.
"First our announcement started circulating on coffee discussion websites and blogs, then our phones started ringing and email messages of support poured in from coast-to-coast," says Mike Perry, Coffee Klatch president. "I was shocked to see that our local promotion to demonstrate how much better our coffee is than Starbucks had turned into a nationwide uprising of independent coffeehouses."
"Independent businesses are smartly seizing this opportunity to turn the tables and spotlight Starbucks' touted 'bold demonstration of commitment,' for what it really is -- an admission of weakness," says specialty coffee industry consultant Andrew Hetzel of Cafemakers. "Local coffee shops everywhere should band together and join in the promotion for maximum impact."
"Whether free or not, we hope that everyone will use Tuesday, February 26th as an opportunity to visit their local coffee shops and find out what they've been missing," says Perry, adding, "Anyone in the U.S.A., Canada or U.K. can visit http://www.delocator.net to quickly find their nearest independent coffee shop."
Free, expertly crafted coffee beverages will be served at Coffee Klatch Roasting's two locations in Southern California on Tuesday, February, 26th between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM:
San Dimas: (909) 599-0452
806 W. Arrow Hwy Ste A, San Dimas
57 Freeway and Arrow Hwy in the Target Shopping Center
Rancho Cucamonga: (909) 944-JAVA
8916 Foothill Blvd Ste C, Rancho Cucamonga
Corner of Foothill and Vineyard in the Thomas Winery Building
About Coffee Klatch Roasting
Founded in 1993, Coffee Klatch operates two coffee shops in San Dimas & Rancho Cucamonga and supplies wholesale customers from a dedicated specialty coffee roasting facility. In addition to publicity gained from the accomplishments of two-time U.S. Barista Champion Heather Perry, Coffee Klatch Roasting has been recognized as serving the "Best Espresso in America" by the Los Angeles Times and the "Best Espresso in the World" by an esteemed panel of judges at the 2007 World Barista Championship in Tokyo, Japan. Visit the Coffee Klatch website at http://www.klatchroasting.com.
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View entire thread: Hospital Coffee Shop
Posted by S&Wgroundcoffee on 2006-10-04 11:52:29 Post Subject: hospital coffee shop
I worked in a high-end hospital (like a 5-star hotel) that had an independent coffee shop that did alright. The only problem was that many employees and visitors did not know it existed. My advice would be to be intense marketing hospital wide. And make sure your employees know the product; I hated it when I would ask what type of blend they were serving and the server had no idea what I was talking about. Good luck.
jlucero@coffeeholding.com
www.coffeeholding.com
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Posted by S&Wgroundcoffee on 2006-10-04 11:52:29 Post Subject: hospital coffee shop
I worked in a high-end hospital (like a 5-star hotel) that had an independent coffee shop that did alright. The only problem was that many employees and visitors did not know it existed. My advice would be to be intense marketing hospital wide. And make sure your employees know the product; I hated it when I would ask what type of blend they were serving and the server had no idea what I was talking about. Good luck.
jlucero@coffeeholding.com
www.coffeeholding.com
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View entire thread: Where do I find a vendor for my non beverage items?
Posted by theperk on 2006-12-05 07:26:10 Post Subject: Where do I find a vendor for my non beverage items?
I have an independent coffee shop in Atlanta, GA. I have my beverages, i.e. coffee, tea, espresso and all, but where can I find a list of vendors to supply my sandwiches, wraps, and paninis that I want to carry?
"Coffee is not a drug, it's a vitamin."
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Posted by theperk on 2006-12-05 07:26:10 Post Subject: Where do I find a vendor for my non beverage items?
I have an independent coffee shop in Atlanta, GA. I have my beverages, i.e. coffee, tea, espresso and all, but where can I find a list of vendors to supply my sandwiches, wraps, and paninis that I want to carry?
"Coffee is not a drug, it's a vitamin."
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View entire thread: Handling Difficult Situations
Posted by PinkRose on 2008-03-06 07:40:55 Post Subject: Handling Difficult Situations
Did you read about the Starbucks customer who was run over by a car while trying to stop two thieves from stealing a Starbucks tip jar?
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument
The last independent coffee shop that I worked in had no policy regarding what to do in the event of a robbery or how to deal with an angry or intoxicated customer who comes into the shop and causes a problem. Actually, they never bothered to make an employee manual, and we just "winged it" most of the time.
Can anyone share what they've done to make sure that the employees and customers are safe? Calling 911 is obvious to almost everyone, (as long as they can get to the phone), and security cameras won't help much... until it's all over.
Have your employees been instructed as to what to say and how to react in sticky situations?
Rose
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Posted by PinkRose on 2008-03-06 07:40:55 Post Subject: Handling Difficult Situations
Did you read about the Starbucks customer who was run over by a car while trying to stop two thieves from stealing a Starbucks tip jar?
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument
The last independent coffee shop that I worked in had no policy regarding what to do in the event of a robbery or how to deal with an angry or intoxicated customer who comes into the shop and causes a problem. Actually, they never bothered to make an employee manual, and we just "winged it" most of the time.
Can anyone share what they've done to make sure that the employees and customers are safe? Calling 911 is obvious to almost everyone, (as long as they can get to the phone), and security cameras won't help much... until it's all over.
Have your employees been instructed as to what to say and how to react in sticky situations?
Rose
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View entire thread: New Coffee Shop, Am I Crazy?
Posted by ROS on 2006-02-26 15:17:06 Post Subject: New Coffee Shop, Am I Crazy?
Hello everyone, I am a newbie to posting on this forum but I have to confess I have been reading on this site for a while, finally took the plunge to join. So here's my question, Am I crazy for wanting to open my own independent coffee shop? My wife says I have been acting crazy about this for months, ever since I started talking about opening my own shop. No, really, I have been in development stage since November,I am now working with a small business development center and I am on my way to ownership. I have a local roaster, a great potential location next to a Kroger, a supplier for syrups and sauces, cups and lids, a local coffee machine supplier, and everything is falling into place. I completely expect to wok my butt off to make this shop run,
it in a county of about 50,000 and a town of 15,000. Lots of potential, no other coffee shops in the town. Like I said the location is next to a Kroger that gets 25,000 customers a week, also a tanning salon, UPS store, dry cleaners, Radio Shack, and a GNC in same building. I guess what I'm asking is "Is it worth it?" Can I support a family on what an owner makes by running a coffee shop. My business developer says it looks great, just wanted to get a few comments from people in the industry. Thanks!!
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Posted by ROS on 2006-02-26 15:17:06 Post Subject: New Coffee Shop, Am I Crazy?
Hello everyone, I am a newbie to posting on this forum but I have to confess I have been reading on this site for a while, finally took the plunge to join. So here's my question, Am I crazy for wanting to open my own independent coffee shop? My wife says I have been acting crazy about this for months, ever since I started talking about opening my own shop. No, really, I have been in development stage since November,I am now working with a small business development center and I am on my way to ownership. I have a local roaster, a great potential location next to a Kroger, a supplier for syrups and sauces, cups and lids, a local coffee machine supplier, and everything is falling into place. I completely expect to wok my butt off to make this shop run,
it in a county of about 50,000 and a town of 15,000. Lots of potential, no other coffee shops in the town. Like I said the location is next to a Kroger that gets 25,000 customers a week, also a tanning salon, UPS store, dry cleaners, Radio Shack, and a GNC in same building. I guess what I'm asking is "Is it worth it?" Can I support a family on what an owner makes by running a coffee shop. My business developer says it looks great, just wanted to get a few comments from people in the industry. Thanks!!
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View entire thread: Fully Automatic Smokeless Coffee Roasting Machine System
Posted by trbb on 2008-08-02 08:12:16 Post Subject: Fully Automatic Smokeless Coffee Roasting Machine System
Just a quick note to say The Roasted Bean Boutique now offers a Fully Automatic Smokeless Coffee Bean Roasting Machine System which requires no specialist skill and can be installed almost anywhere.
In-house coffee roasting has just become an affordable reality for all Coffee Shops, Delis, Farm Shops etc
We believe we will revolutionise the coffee market and allow the small independent coffee shop to take on the big chains by allowing a real competitive difference through coffee roasting in-house - your customers can see, smell and tatse fresh daily roasted coffee!!!!
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Posted by trbb on 2008-08-02 08:12:16 Post Subject: Fully Automatic Smokeless Coffee Roasting Machine System
Just a quick note to say The Roasted Bean Boutique now offers a Fully Automatic Smokeless Coffee Bean Roasting Machine System which requires no specialist skill and can be installed almost anywhere.
In-house coffee roasting has just become an affordable reality for all Coffee Shops, Delis, Farm Shops etc
We believe we will revolutionise the coffee market and allow the small independent coffee shop to take on the big chains by allowing a real competitive difference through coffee roasting in-house - your customers can see, smell and tatse fresh daily roasted coffee!!!!
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View entire thread: Your monthly lease payment amount?
Posted by cherylann324 on 2007-04-16 16:56:29 Post Subject:
Hi CFGuru,
I see what you are saying. Buy franchises are really not a part of this forum. And franchises can afford to take a loss and even eventually close. That is part of their risk factor and taken into account when they lease a location. Can you afford that?
Obviously, risk is an important factor. Each business has a different risk factor, depending on financing and other factors. But in this forum you will find mostly independent coffee shop operators and they will respond as if you are an independent coffee shop. That is mainly our focus, but I may be wrong in that.
I do think $4,000 per month for rent is somewhat high. But if you can support that in sales, it would be just fine. Just do that part of your projections before you move forward.
Do you plan on financing your business yourself or privately? If so, less will be required of you to defend your figures. But if you are looking for any other financing, they will be looking for figures that will let them at least know this is do-able.
You will probably not get any franchise figures here, they really aren't applicable to the members of this forum.
Could be wrong in this, someone else may respond to differ on my opinion. At any rate, keep us posted. I would love to see what happens and what you decide. Many people watch a post to gather information that do not respond. Please let us know what you decide and why!
Cheryl Ann
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Posted by cherylann324 on 2007-04-16 16:56:29 Post Subject:
Hi CFGuru,
I see what you are saying. Buy franchises are really not a part of this forum. And franchises can afford to take a loss and even eventually close. That is part of their risk factor and taken into account when they lease a location. Can you afford that?
Obviously, risk is an important factor. Each business has a different risk factor, depending on financing and other factors. But in this forum you will find mostly independent coffee shop operators and they will respond as if you are an independent coffee shop. That is mainly our focus, but I may be wrong in that.
I do think $4,000 per month for rent is somewhat high. But if you can support that in sales, it would be just fine. Just do that part of your projections before you move forward.
Do you plan on financing your business yourself or privately? If so, less will be required of you to defend your figures. But if you are looking for any other financing, they will be looking for figures that will let them at least know this is do-able.
You will probably not get any franchise figures here, they really aren't applicable to the members of this forum.
Could be wrong in this, someone else may respond to differ on my opinion. At any rate, keep us posted. I would love to see what happens and what you decide. Many people watch a post to gather information that do not respond. Please let us know what you decide and why!
Cheryl Ann
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View entire thread: A few questions from a beginner (nothing quite obvious)
Posted by billagirly on 2007-02-09 09:36:23 Post Subject:
In Response to #1: I think selling books at a cafe is a fine idea - I myself have purchased books from one. However, it may be best to wait until you have a customer base and find out who you're audience is. Another good way to do it would be to sell books you already own, so you're not putting money up fron for buying books you hope to sell. If you know anyone who has a book they'd like sold, you could work a deal with them to where they set up a stand in your shop and you make a certain percentage of their sales for giving them the publicity. This is another way to not have to BUY books before you can sell then.
IRT#2: I don't know that having a TV in a coffee shop would give off the right vibe - it may feel too much like a sports bar at that point, even if you were playing classic movie or something. I have gathered that the general public occupying a coffee shop are pretty content to just sit and talk, or read, or study while drinking their coffee. Plus, like you said, how many people do you know would want to get up to miss part of a movie they were watching to get a drink? And the process of making an espresso based beverage is sort of loud, so unless you wanted to spend a whole lot of money soundproofing the room, it may not be worth it.
IRT#3: I am 22 and working full time in a law firm. I want my own coffee shop as well, and have wanted one as long as I can remember. But as cheesy as this sounds, you may want to "wait until you're older". Get more life experience, get more business experience. Take some business classes at your local college. Go to work in an independent coffee shop, or for a roaster or a distributer. Learn about the coffee industry in every way you can - this forum is definitely a good start, but you can't learn everything just from reading. It's a lot of trial and error, and frankly, while I have a business plan for my shop and the money in line and everything <i>seems</i> to be ready to go, I know that I need more knowledge and education before I start. Plus, you're young - if you start a business like that now, what happens when you want to move? Or when you want to go to college? Or when you meet someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, but that person wants to move? I don't want you to think I'm picking on you, I'm not. I just think that while you're in school, get the most information you can, and wait a few years until you're really ready, to open a shop.
IRT#4: That's not a <i>bad</i> target market, but how much money do people in this age group, in your area, have? I know that the idea of a coffee shop is really fun and nice, but unless you are targeting an older crowd who can stop by on the way to work or can come listen to a good jazz band on the weekends, you may not make enough money to stay open. My experience with the shops I have worked in and frequented is, people under about 30 will come in, buy one maybe two drinks, and sit as long as you let them. And then when the older crowd wants to come in and spend their money, all the seats are taken and they don't want a bunch of college-aged kids being loud and obnoxious. They want somewhere calm, somewhere quiet.
IRT#5: I'm not very familiar with the Chicago area. Your best bet is to go by every coffee shop you can find, every roaster you can find, and every supplier you can find. Talk to all of them, see who you like and who you can get the best deal from. If you need to find shops, try http://www.delocator.net/ - it will help you find all of the independent coffee shops within certain mileage of your zip code.
Okay, I'll leave the last couple questions to someone else. I do want to say again, though, it's not that I don't think you can do it, so please dont' take offense to anything I have said. Just giving an opinion, and I hope it helps!
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Posted by billagirly on 2007-02-09 09:36:23 Post Subject:
In Response to #1: I think selling books at a cafe is a fine idea - I myself have purchased books from one. However, it may be best to wait until you have a customer base and find out who you're audience is. Another good way to do it would be to sell books you already own, so you're not putting money up fron for buying books you hope to sell. If you know anyone who has a book they'd like sold, you could work a deal with them to where they set up a stand in your shop and you make a certain percentage of their sales for giving them the publicity. This is another way to not have to BUY books before you can sell then.
IRT#2: I don't know that having a TV in a coffee shop would give off the right vibe - it may feel too much like a sports bar at that point, even if you were playing classic movie or something. I have gathered that the general public occupying a coffee shop are pretty content to just sit and talk, or read, or study while drinking their coffee. Plus, like you said, how many people do you know would want to get up to miss part of a movie they were watching to get a drink? And the process of making an espresso based beverage is sort of loud, so unless you wanted to spend a whole lot of money soundproofing the room, it may not be worth it.
IRT#3: I am 22 and working full time in a law firm. I want my own coffee shop as well, and have wanted one as long as I can remember. But as cheesy as this sounds, you may want to "wait until you're older". Get more life experience, get more business experience. Take some business classes at your local college. Go to work in an independent coffee shop, or for a roaster or a distributer. Learn about the coffee industry in every way you can - this forum is definitely a good start, but you can't learn everything just from reading. It's a lot of trial and error, and frankly, while I have a business plan for my shop and the money in line and everything <i>seems</i> to be ready to go, I know that I need more knowledge and education before I start. Plus, you're young - if you start a business like that now, what happens when you want to move? Or when you want to go to college? Or when you meet someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, but that person wants to move? I don't want you to think I'm picking on you, I'm not. I just think that while you're in school, get the most information you can, and wait a few years until you're really ready, to open a shop.
IRT#4: That's not a <i>bad</i> target market, but how much money do people in this age group, in your area, have? I know that the idea of a coffee shop is really fun and nice, but unless you are targeting an older crowd who can stop by on the way to work or can come listen to a good jazz band on the weekends, you may not make enough money to stay open. My experience with the shops I have worked in and frequented is, people under about 30 will come in, buy one maybe two drinks, and sit as long as you let them. And then when the older crowd wants to come in and spend their money, all the seats are taken and they don't want a bunch of college-aged kids being loud and obnoxious. They want somewhere calm, somewhere quiet.
IRT#5: I'm not very familiar with the Chicago area. Your best bet is to go by every coffee shop you can find, every roaster you can find, and every supplier you can find. Talk to all of them, see who you like and who you can get the best deal from. If you need to find shops, try http://www.delocator.net/ - it will help you find all of the independent coffee shops within certain mileage of your zip code.
Okay, I'll leave the last couple questions to someone else. I do want to say again, though, it's not that I don't think you can do it, so please dont' take offense to anything I have said. Just giving an opinion, and I hope it helps!
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View entire thread: Looking to buy please tell me what you think!!
Posted by ohiofilla on 2007-05-02 00:29:53 Post Subject: Looking to buy please tell me what you think!!
Here are the numbers. My question is what do you guys think would be the cash flow and what do you think overall!!
Asking: $22,500
Gross: $91,000
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
FF&E: $24,437 (included in the asking price)
Inventory: $1,250 (included in the asking price)
Business Summary
Independent coffee shop located in strip shopping center on high traffic street. Excellent coffee. Near a major highway intersection. Assumable lease plus options through 2011. Great business for someone who likes coffee and people.
General Information
Year Established: 1986
Employees: 1 ft, 2 pt
Facilities: 1,500 square feet with excellent visibility from street. Contains sofas, chairs and tables. Has a handicapped accessible restroom.
Market Outlook
Competition: Only coffee shop on a high traffic street.
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Posted by ohiofilla on 2007-05-02 00:29:53 Post Subject: Looking to buy please tell me what you think!!
Here are the numbers. My question is what do you guys think would be the cash flow and what do you think overall!!
Asking: $22,500
Gross: $91,000
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
FF&E: $24,437 (included in the asking price)
Inventory: $1,250 (included in the asking price)
Business Summary
Independent coffee shop located in strip shopping center on high traffic street. Excellent coffee. Near a major highway intersection. Assumable lease plus options through 2011. Great business for someone who likes coffee and people.
General Information
Year Established: 1986
Employees: 1 ft, 2 pt
Facilities: 1,500 square feet with excellent visibility from street. Contains sofas, chairs and tables. Has a handicapped accessible restroom.
Market Outlook
Competition: Only coffee shop on a high traffic street.
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View entire thread: What do you do when your coffee shop is closing?
Posted by Javableu on 2007-01-16 08:36:24 Post Subject:
Yes, of course both of you are quite right. I jumped in, was impatient, and inexperienced. I kept moving forward, not willing to wait. I have had an attitude about people who take forever to make a decision and just jump in and start their 'great idea'. I prided myself on my ability to be courageous and unafraid of a challenge and risk. When several banks turned me down for business loans, I made it happen my way. I received two SBA loans at a high interest rate, used 4 credit cards and two mortgages on our home. What I couldn't seem to see quick enough, was that the payments on all this debt was too big and was sucking all potential profits away from me. Before long, I realized it had been over a year that I had not done any advertizing, because I didn't have any $left over. Now, sales have dropped so low, I cannot break even, like I had been doing all year long. The stress of this whole situation has been very heavy on myself, my husband and my three kids.
We are trying to sell the business now. I know that anyone who takes this on will do so much better than I did if they are properly capitalized and have new energy. We have an awesome product, and menu and our facilities are really nice. We still will have to take a loss and continue to pay off the debt even after we sell. I really don't want to sell my equipment, because it feels like if I sell them, then we won't ever start up again. You guys will probably tell me, to sell now, and when it is time to start up again, I will get a real business loan and buy new equipment, and have a real plan to run on.
When I started my shop, our town had only two coffee shops, one, an independent in the downtown area and a Books a Million. Now, we have two Starbucks in really great locations. The other independent shop closed down a year ago and now I am closing. Not a very encouraging situation.
I am thinking that at some point we will move to another city/state and things should be more conducive to supporting the independent coffee shop owner. Not driven by the hype of big name.
The banks I went to for a loan three years ago, couldn't hardly conceive of the possibility of a successfull coffee shop. Maybe now, that we have two Starbucks, they can see it really is a profitable business.
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Posted by Javableu on 2007-01-16 08:36:24 Post Subject:
Yes, of course both of you are quite right. I jumped in, was impatient, and inexperienced. I kept moving forward, not willing to wait. I have had an attitude about people who take forever to make a decision and just jump in and start their 'great idea'. I prided myself on my ability to be courageous and unafraid of a challenge and risk. When several banks turned me down for business loans, I made it happen my way. I received two SBA loans at a high interest rate, used 4 credit cards and two mortgages on our home. What I couldn't seem to see quick enough, was that the payments on all this debt was too big and was sucking all potential profits away from me. Before long, I realized it had been over a year that I had not done any advertizing, because I didn't have any $left over. Now, sales have dropped so low, I cannot break even, like I had been doing all year long. The stress of this whole situation has been very heavy on myself, my husband and my three kids.
We are trying to sell the business now. I know that anyone who takes this on will do so much better than I did if they are properly capitalized and have new energy. We have an awesome product, and menu and our facilities are really nice. We still will have to take a loss and continue to pay off the debt even after we sell. I really don't want to sell my equipment, because it feels like if I sell them, then we won't ever start up again. You guys will probably tell me, to sell now, and when it is time to start up again, I will get a real business loan and buy new equipment, and have a real plan to run on.
When I started my shop, our town had only two coffee shops, one, an independent in the downtown area and a Books a Million. Now, we have two Starbucks in really great locations. The other independent shop closed down a year ago and now I am closing. Not a very encouraging situation.
I am thinking that at some point we will move to another city/state and things should be more conducive to supporting the independent coffee shop owner. Not driven by the hype of big name.
The banks I went to for a loan three years ago, couldn't hardly conceive of the possibility of a successfull coffee shop. Maybe now, that we have two Starbucks, they can see it really is a profitable business.
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View entire thread: What do you do when your coffee shop is closing?
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-01-16 11:02:42 Post Subject: Re: Why did you use credit cards and Mortages?
I am in the early stages of planning a sit down coffee café and I am working on the premise of using about 10k of ‘my money’ with the rest coming from the bank and/or private investors (as minority silent partners). I have read many times on this site about people borrowing money against their homes, cars and personal credit cards to start their business and can not figure out why you would risk this.
If you have a good idea and plans for making it happen, there are plenty of places to get the start up money. Even if I had all the startup money in the bank I would not use ‘my’ money. Why put your personal finances and/or home at risk? Risk other peoples money.
When you go to a bank or an investor (not a family member or friend but a professional) and show them your business plans. They review them, run the numbers and; especially with banks, know better than you do what the risks are. That is their business, knowing and managing risks. They have no bias or emotional investment, they weigh the risks. They want you to succeed because then you will spend the next 30 years paying interest and they make money but if you go bankrupt, then they not only lose their investment but all the interest you were going to pay. If a bank will not loan you money to start a business you need to ask yourself why, maybe you need to rethink some or all of your plans. Now just because they loan or invest money does not guarantee you will succeed but at least then you know that a neutral party looked at your plan and thinks it is worth the risk you know it is.
Any Thoughts?
Most banks will not lend you money to start a new coffeehouse. They will want collaterals, i.e. house, stocks and bonds....Even with SBA loans, many banks require some collaterals because government only guarantee 80% of the loan, so at the very least they want to protect their 20%. Other peoples money don't come by that easy, and there are always strings attached.
What I couldn't seem to see quick enough, was that the payments on all this debt was too big and was sucking all potential profits away from me. Before long, I realized it had been over a year that I had not done any advertizing, because I didn't have any $left over. Now, sales have dropped so low, I cannot break even, like I had been doing all year long. The stress of this whole situation has been very heavy on myself, my husband and my three kids.
We are trying to sell the business now. I know that anyone who takes this on will do so much better than I did if they are properly capitalized and have new energy. We have an awesome product, and menu and our facilities are really nice. We still will have to take a loss and continue to pay off the debt even after we sell. I really don't want to sell my equipment, because it feels like if I sell them, then we won't ever start up again. You guys will probably tell me, to sell now, and when it is time to start up again, I will get a real business loan and buy new equipment, and have a real plan to run on.
When I started my shop, our town had only two coffee shops, one, an independent in the downtown area and a Books a Million. Now, we have two Starbucks in really great locations. The other independent shop closed down a year ago and now I am closing. Not a very encouraging situation.
I am thinking that at some point we will move to another city/state and things should be more conducive to supporting the independent coffee shop owner. Not driven by the hype of big name.
JavaBleu. I am very sorry about you closing your shop; for what it is worth here are my two cents.
First, you need to preserve your capital, this means sell the business and/or all equipment to payoff as much of your debts as possible.
Second, if you plan to try again, you need to know why your sales dropped. Had your sales not dropped you would at least cover your debt payment, right? So in your case it is not only high debts but also lost of business. You need to be very honest with yourselves about this because you didn't maintain and increase business this time you need to know how to do so next time. If your town have Starbucks in really great locations, then you need to pay attention when selecting location. If you can't compete against Starbucks now, how are you going to compete against them in the future? While there are places that are more likely to support independents, you still have to compete against other independents. In my opinion, compete against Starbucks is easy, but compete against a good an indie is very very tough.
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-01-16 11:02:42 Post Subject: Re: Why did you use credit cards and Mortages?
I am in the early stages of planning a sit down coffee café and I am working on the premise of using about 10k of ‘my money’ with the rest coming from the bank and/or private investors (as minority silent partners). I have read many times on this site about people borrowing money against their homes, cars and personal credit cards to start their business and can not figure out why you would risk this.
If you have a good idea and plans for making it happen, there are plenty of places to get the start up money. Even if I had all the startup money in the bank I would not use ‘my’ money. Why put your personal finances and/or home at risk? Risk other peoples money.
When you go to a bank or an investor (not a family member or friend but a professional) and show them your business plans. They review them, run the numbers and; especially with banks, know better than you do what the risks are. That is their business, knowing and managing risks. They have no bias or emotional investment, they weigh the risks. They want you to succeed because then you will spend the next 30 years paying interest and they make money but if you go bankrupt, then they not only lose their investment but all the interest you were going to pay. If a bank will not loan you money to start a business you need to ask yourself why, maybe you need to rethink some or all of your plans. Now just because they loan or invest money does not guarantee you will succeed but at least then you know that a neutral party looked at your plan and thinks it is worth the risk you know it is.
Any Thoughts?
Most banks will not lend you money to start a new coffeehouse. They will want collaterals, i.e. house, stocks and bonds....Even with SBA loans, many banks require some collaterals because government only guarantee 80% of the loan, so at the very least they want to protect their 20%. Other peoples money don't come by that easy, and there are always strings attached.
What I couldn't seem to see quick enough, was that the payments on all this debt was too big and was sucking all potential profits away from me. Before long, I realized it had been over a year that I had not done any advertizing, because I didn't have any $left over. Now, sales have dropped so low, I cannot break even, like I had been doing all year long. The stress of this whole situation has been very heavy on myself, my husband and my three kids.
We are trying to sell the business now. I know that anyone who takes this on will do so much better than I did if they are properly capitalized and have new energy. We have an awesome product, and menu and our facilities are really nice. We still will have to take a loss and continue to pay off the debt even after we sell. I really don't want to sell my equipment, because it feels like if I sell them, then we won't ever start up again. You guys will probably tell me, to sell now, and when it is time to start up again, I will get a real business loan and buy new equipment, and have a real plan to run on.
When I started my shop, our town had only two coffee shops, one, an independent in the downtown area and a Books a Million. Now, we have two Starbucks in really great locations. The other independent shop closed down a year ago and now I am closing. Not a very encouraging situation.
I am thinking that at some point we will move to another city/state and things should be more conducive to supporting the independent coffee shop owner. Not driven by the hype of big name.
JavaBleu. I am very sorry about you closing your shop; for what it is worth here are my two cents.
First, you need to preserve your capital, this means sell the business and/or all equipment to payoff as much of your debts as possible.
Second, if you plan to try again, you need to know why your sales dropped. Had your sales not dropped you would at least cover your debt payment, right? So in your case it is not only high debts but also lost of business. You need to be very honest with yourselves about this because you didn't maintain and increase business this time you need to know how to do so next time. If your town have Starbucks in really great locations, then you need to pay attention when selecting location. If you can't compete against Starbucks now, how are you going to compete against them in the future? While there are places that are more likely to support independents, you still have to compete against other independents. In my opinion, compete against Starbucks is easy, but compete against a good an indie is very very tough.
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View entire thread: Now That Mickey D's Is Goin' All Specialty On Us...
Posted by PinkRose on 2008-04-06 18:32:44 Post Subject:
Hello
Instead of feeling so threatened by the changes that Starbucks is making, I think it would be a smart move if every independent coffee shop owner would take a serious look at his or her operation and see if they could benefit by going "back to basics" like Starbucks is doing. It's smart to occasionally take a step back and honestly look at the operation from the customer's point of view. Every independent coffee shop owner should do this on a regular basis.
It's also smart to find out what the customer wants. I just read that Starbucks now has a "My Starbucks Idea" page http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/home/home.jsp where customers can submit their ideas. They have a team of people reading the postings, considering the suggestions, and presenting them to key decision makers along with recommendations on how to put those ideas to work. Starbucks knows that some of the best ideas will come from the customers.
Instead of feeling threatened, take the time to listen and learn. You may be glad you did.
Rose
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Posted by PinkRose on 2008-04-06 18:32:44 Post Subject:
Hello
Instead of feeling so threatened by the changes that Starbucks is making, I think it would be a smart move if every independent coffee shop owner would take a serious look at his or her operation and see if they could benefit by going "back to basics" like Starbucks is doing. It's smart to occasionally take a step back and honestly look at the operation from the customer's point of view. Every independent coffee shop owner should do this on a regular basis.
It's also smart to find out what the customer wants. I just read that Starbucks now has a "My Starbucks Idea" page http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/home/home.jsp where customers can submit their ideas. They have a team of people reading the postings, considering the suggestions, and presenting them to key decision makers along with recommendations on how to put those ideas to work. Starbucks knows that some of the best ideas will come from the customers.
Instead of feeling threatened, take the time to listen and learn. You may be glad you did.
Rose
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View entire thread: Do you support local artists and craftspeople?
Posted by Vars on 2008-07-20 17:24:04 Post Subject: Do you support local artists and craftspeople?
One thing that has always irked me about Starbucks and other big corporate monoliths is that when they support local artists, it''s the exception rather than the rule.
As regards America at least, this is surely part of what leads to the impression that \"America has no substantial culture\" as I''ve heard people say. Because we''re a nation predominantly of corporate stores. (The same corporatization of culture is happening in many countries however.)
Anyway I am wondering if independent coffee shop owners like you''d see using this forum support local artists as a rule, or as an exception?
Do you put locally made painting on the walls?
Do you put locally made pottery on sale, such as coffee mugs?
Do you use locally made furniture?
Do you make any of these things yourself?
Do you permit local musicians to perform in your coffeehouse?
If not, why not?
Thanks.
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Posted by Vars on 2008-07-20 17:24:04 Post Subject: Do you support local artists and craftspeople?
One thing that has always irked me about Starbucks and other big corporate monoliths is that when they support local artists, it''s the exception rather than the rule.
As regards America at least, this is surely part of what leads to the impression that \"America has no substantial culture\" as I''ve heard people say. Because we''re a nation predominantly of corporate stores. (The same corporatization of culture is happening in many countries however.)
Anyway I am wondering if independent coffee shop owners like you''d see using this forum support local artists as a rule, or as an exception?
Do you put locally made painting on the walls?
Do you put locally made pottery on sale, such as coffee mugs?
Do you use locally made furniture?
Do you make any of these things yourself?
Do you permit local musicians to perform in your coffeehouse?
If not, why not?
Thanks.
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View entire thread: want to start coffee house
Posted by equus007 on 2006-07-14 19:36:26 Post Subject: oh yeah
I shot them a nasty e-mail and they responded by saying...
"I am sorry that you have been receiving such emails and I thank you for
bringing it to our attention. In fact, we have never endorsed spam and have
sent nothing out to anyone in the coffee industry. We will obviously do
anything in our power to have these emails stop. "
I responded rather nastily which I apologized for later and they said...
"I appreciate your concern for keeping the CoffeeForums.com website just that, a forum for people in the business. For your records, we have never posted on either site. If you feel these posts from "fake customers" are some sort of guerilla advertising I suggest that you have the administrator of the site confirm the origin of the posts in question. I am quite positive the So. Cal post is from a guy named Vicente who we are working with currently on opening a coffee shop. My guess is the other is a customer named Christina is a customer of ours who has an independent coffee shop in FL.
The fact of the matter is that we have been in business for 15 years and have helped hundreds of coffee shops open and continue to supply them with product. Is it that far fetched that someone appreciates what we do? If you have any questions about what we do and how our program works I would welcome you to call us directly or better yet contact any of the customers listed on our website at random and speak to them.
I appreciate your apologize email yesterday. Please contact us directly next time before posting such remarks on the blog."
...I still don't believe them...too much of a coincidence that all of the posts were from new people who only posted 1-2 times and that it was on several different sites.
You make the call. I personaly would have never done business with them anyway.
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Posted by equus007 on 2006-07-14 19:36:26 Post Subject: oh yeah
I shot them a nasty e-mail and they responded by saying...
"I am sorry that you have been receiving such emails and I thank you for
bringing it to our attention. In fact, we have never endorsed spam and have
sent nothing out to anyone in the coffee industry. We will obviously do
anything in our power to have these emails stop. "
I responded rather nastily which I apologized for later and they said...
"I appreciate your concern for keeping the CoffeeForums.com website just that, a forum for people in the business. For your records, we have never posted on either site. If you feel these posts from "fake customers" are some sort of guerilla advertising I suggest that you have the administrator of the site confirm the origin of the posts in question. I am quite positive the So. Cal post is from a guy named Vicente who we are working with currently on opening a coffee shop. My guess is the other is a customer named Christina is a customer of ours who has an independent coffee shop in FL.
The fact of the matter is that we have been in business for 15 years and have helped hundreds of coffee shops open and continue to supply them with product. Is it that far fetched that someone appreciates what we do? If you have any questions about what we do and how our program works I would welcome you to call us directly or better yet contact any of the customers listed on our website at random and speak to them.
I appreciate your apologize email yesterday. Please contact us directly next time before posting such remarks on the blog."
...I still don't believe them...too much of a coincidence that all of the posts were from new people who only posted 1-2 times and that it was on several different sites.
You make the call. I personaly would have never done business with them anyway.
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View entire thread: want to start coffee house
Posted by CrimsonCup on 2006-07-21 23:12:17 Post Subject:
I have debated with myself for days on whether to respond but when I have read that a potential customer is being harassed how can I not respond?
First let me start by saying that I am not the owner or an “official” representative of CrimsonCup. I work at CrimsonCup and found this site not too long ago and was enjoying reading what people were saying for months. I did not contribute because I, myself, am not a coffee shop owner and my impression is that people here are looking for “hands-on” experience and opinions of coffee shop owners themselves.
If someone were to come here and ask for experiences with CrimsonCup (like they have) I would only expect that if anyone has had an experience with CrimsonCup, they would respond (mostly, like they have). If it is good, great we are doing our job. If it bad, then apparently we have more to learn. If you wanted my (or our) opinion of CrimsonCup then you would have called us and received our opinion. If you want someone else’s opinion then this would a place one place to ask.
So, why is so hard to believe that people might say positive things about us? Or even ask about our services? And just because someone types the word CrimsonCup why are they a “mole” and spamming?
From what I can tell there are two things that should be considered. One is, when anyone has said negative things about CrimsonCup is there anyone defending? That is, for example, is anyone responding quickly and with adamancy that they are wrong? If you look back I think you will find not. If I (we) were to be spamming I (we) can assure you that I (we) would not let a negative response go by without rebuttal. And second, can you honestly say that someone has blatantly just come here to sell services from CrimsonCup like so many other posters do on a daily basis?
Our potential customer is not a coffee shop that has already opened, like most of you are. That being said, most people here are not our potential customer. If you have had an experience with us please share. If you have not…well…I guess the reason I am posting is, please do not harass people for giving their opinion.
I have been trying to avoid “selling” CrimsonCup but one of things that we offer is a forum for independent coffee shop owners to share all their knowledge and experiences with each other so they can learn and grow with the experiences of each other. Every one of our owners is independent and will impact their local community. We do not own or run a coffee shop. We teach, and give the tools, so people can successfully open and run a coffee shop, while continuing to support them with their marketing, product and financial tools after being open. This is not unlike what this board represents.
I would think that all of us could run a successful business while taking market share from Starbucks. Essentially, we all could all win (except Starbucks).
If you want to know something from me about CrimsonCup just ask and I will respond. I will let other posters represent themselves, without harassment or comment, no matter what their opinions and I will answer your questions honestly and openly. I hope to get the same from you.
Dave
By the way, it is CrimsonCup not Crimson Cup
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Posted by CrimsonCup on 2006-07-21 23:12:17 Post Subject:
I have debated with myself for days on whether to respond but when I have read that a potential customer is being harassed how can I not respond?
First let me start by saying that I am not the owner or an “official” representative of CrimsonCup. I work at CrimsonCup and found this site not too long ago and was enjoying reading what people were saying for months. I did not contribute because I, myself, am not a coffee shop owner and my impression is that people here are looking for “hands-on” experience and opinions of coffee shop owners themselves.
If someone were to come here and ask for experiences with CrimsonCup (like they have) I would only expect that if anyone has had an experience with CrimsonCup, they would respond (mostly, like they have). If it is good, great we are doing our job. If it bad, then apparently we have more to learn. If you wanted my (or our) opinion of CrimsonCup then you would have called us and received our opinion. If you want someone else’s opinion then this would a place one place to ask.
So, why is so hard to believe that people might say positive things about us? Or even ask about our services? And just because someone types the word CrimsonCup why are they a “mole” and spamming?
From what I can tell there are two things that should be considered. One is, when anyone has said negative things about CrimsonCup is there anyone defending? That is, for example, is anyone responding quickly and with adamancy that they are wrong? If you look back I think you will find not. If I (we) were to be spamming I (we) can assure you that I (we) would not let a negative response go by without rebuttal. And second, can you honestly say that someone has blatantly just come here to sell services from CrimsonCup like so many other posters do on a daily basis?
Our potential customer is not a coffee shop that has already opened, like most of you are. That being said, most people here are not our potential customer. If you have had an experience with us please share. If you have not…well…I guess the reason I am posting is, please do not harass people for giving their opinion.
I have been trying to avoid “selling” CrimsonCup but one of things that we offer is a forum for independent coffee shop owners to share all their knowledge and experiences with each other so they can learn and grow with the experiences of each other. Every one of our owners is independent and will impact their local community. We do not own or run a coffee shop. We teach, and give the tools, so people can successfully open and run a coffee shop, while continuing to support them with their marketing, product and financial tools after being open. This is not unlike what this board represents.
I would think that all of us could run a successful business while taking market share from Starbucks. Essentially, we all could all win (except Starbucks).
If you want to know something from me about CrimsonCup just ask and I will respond. I will let other posters represent themselves, without harassment or comment, no matter what their opinions and I will answer your questions honestly and openly. I hope to get the same from you.
Dave
By the way, it is CrimsonCup not Crimson Cup
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View entire thread: Opening a coffee shop
Posted by GeorgeW on 2006-01-07 20:37:36 Post Subject: Experience neccessary?
Well I'd say that previous experience is helpful, but not neccessary. Passion on the other hand is crucial.
My personal experience -
My wife and I just opened our first Coffee Bar, Muddy Waters Coffee Bar, in Charleston, SC a little over three weeks ago. Neither of us had pervious coffee industry or barrista experience before we decided to open an espresso bar. We both loved coffee though, and knew what great espresso drinks should taste like.
Before we opened we did some 'crash course' training with our roaster (Counter Culture out of North Carolina - a great outfit!) and my wife 'volunteered' at a local independent coffee shop for three weeks to get some hands on experience. We do things completely different from the cafe' she voluntered at, but just having here get used to the work flow and pace of business helped alot.
That was enough to get us started, the rest we're learning hour by hour, day by day and so far things are going pretty well for us. I know not every drink is made to perfection (which bugs the hell out of me since I'm a bit of a perfectionist), but we are committed to constant improvement and truely want to be the best. We will get there!
So, don't let your lack of experience scuttle your dream if you really love coffee, love people and don't mind working 7 days a week!
Oh yeah, no matter how well you try to forecast profit margins, traffic, cost and time to get the business up and running, etc....all of it turns out to simply be wild guesses once you get open!
George Worthington
Owner - Muddy Waters Coffee Bar
1739 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC 29412
http://www.muddywaterscoffee.com (not up yet)
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Posted by GeorgeW on 2006-01-07 20:37:36 Post Subject: Experience neccessary?
Well I'd say that previous experience is helpful, but not neccessary. Passion on the other hand is crucial.
My personal experience -
My wife and I just opened our first Coffee Bar, Muddy Waters Coffee Bar, in Charleston, SC a little over three weeks ago. Neither of us had pervious coffee industry or barrista experience before we decided to open an espresso bar. We both loved coffee though, and knew what great espresso drinks should taste like.
Before we opened we did some 'crash course' training with our roaster (Counter Culture out of North Carolina - a great outfit!) and my wife 'volunteered' at a local independent coffee shop for three weeks to get some hands on experience. We do things completely different from the cafe' she voluntered at, but just having here get used to the work flow and pace of business helped alot.
That was enough to get us started, the rest we're learning hour by hour, day by day and so far things are going pretty well for us. I know not every drink is made to perfection (which bugs the hell out of me since I'm a bit of a perfectionist), but we are committed to constant improvement and truely want to be the best. We will get there!
So, don't let your lack of experience scuttle your dream if you really love coffee, love people and don't mind working 7 days a week!
Oh yeah, no matter how well you try to forecast profit margins, traffic, cost and time to get the business up and running, etc....all of it turns out to simply be wild guesses once you get open!
George Worthington
Owner - Muddy Waters Coffee Bar
1739 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC 29412
http://www.muddywaterscoffee.com (not up yet)
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View entire thread: Opening a coffee shop
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2006-01-09 13:32:05 Post Subject: Re: Experience neccessary?
Well I'd say that previous experience is helpful, but not neccessary. Passion on the other hand is crucial.
My personal experience -
My wife and I just opened our first Coffee Bar, Muddy Waters Coffee Bar, in Charleston, SC a little over three weeks ago. Neither of us had pervious coffee industry or barrista experience before we decided to open an espresso bar. We both loved coffee though, and knew what great espresso drinks should taste like.
Before we opened we did some 'crash course' training with our roaster (Counter Culture out of North Carolina - a great outfit!) and my wife 'volunteered' at a local independent coffee shop for three weeks to get some hands on experience. We do things completely different from the cafe' she voluntered at, but just having here get used to the work flow and pace of business helped alot.
That was enough to get us started, the rest we're learning hour by hour, day by day and so far things are going pretty well for us. I know not every drink is made to perfection (which bugs the hell out of me since I'm a bit of a perfectionist), but we are committed to constant improvement and truely want to be the best. We will get there!
So, don't let your lack of experience scuttle your dream if you really love coffee, love people and don't mind working 7 days a week!
Oh yeah, no matter how well you try to forecast profit margins, traffic, cost and time to get the business up and running, etc....all of it turns out to simply be wild guesses once you get open!
George Worthington
Owner - Muddy Waters Coffee Bar
1739 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC 29412
http://www.muddywaterscoffee.com (not up yet)
GeorgeW is absolutely right. And hook up with a good roaster is really important.
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2006-01-09 13:32:05 Post Subject: Re: Experience neccessary?
Well I'd say that previous experience is helpful, but not neccessary. Passion on the other hand is crucial.
My personal experience -
My wife and I just opened our first Coffee Bar, Muddy Waters Coffee Bar, in Charleston, SC a little over three weeks ago. Neither of us had pervious coffee industry or barrista experience before we decided to open an espresso bar. We both loved coffee though, and knew what great espresso drinks should taste like.
Before we opened we did some 'crash course' training with our roaster (Counter Culture out of North Carolina - a great outfit!) and my wife 'volunteered' at a local independent coffee shop for three weeks to get some hands on experience. We do things completely different from the cafe' she voluntered at, but just having here get used to the work flow and pace of business helped alot.
That was enough to get us started, the rest we're learning hour by hour, day by day and so far things are going pretty well for us. I know not every drink is made to perfection (which bugs the hell out of me since I'm a bit of a perfectionist), but we are committed to constant improvement and truely want to be the best. We will get there!
So, don't let your lack of experience scuttle your dream if you really love coffee, love people and don't mind working 7 days a week!
Oh yeah, no matter how well you try to forecast profit margins, traffic, cost and time to get the business up and running, etc....all of it turns out to simply be wild guesses once you get open!
George Worthington
Owner - Muddy Waters Coffee Bar
1739 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC 29412
http://www.muddywaterscoffee.com (not up yet)
GeorgeW is absolutely right. And hook up with a good roaster is really important.
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View entire thread: My thoughts on Starbucks
Posted by chavette on 2008-01-14 10:23:38 Post Subject: If you had to choose between starbucks coffee or Caffe Nero?
I’m actually a BIG advocate of the classy independent coffee shop BUT for that quick caffeine fix, I regularly find myself at either Caffé Nero or Starbucks. Each place has its pusses and minuses.
Here is my list:
Starbucks
Coffee Good
No free Newspaper
Non Smoking (Huzzah)
No loyalty card
Standing around like a muppet waiting for your coffee
Wi-fi that accept roaming partners and hence more accesible
Café Nero
Coffee Good
Newspapers available
Smoking area which you often can’t avoid if you want some sugar, a newspaper or the toilet (Newbury is especially bad on this)
Loyalty Card (which therefore makes them a bit cheaper)
Standing around like a muppet waiting for your coffee
Expensive and limited Wi-fi
To help decide, i created a poll to see who likes which coffee house more. Here''s the link: http://www.pollsb.com/polls/poll/5507/starbucks-vs-caffe-nero
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Posted by chavette on 2008-01-14 10:23:38 Post Subject: If you had to choose between starbucks coffee or Caffe Nero?
I’m actually a BIG advocate of the classy independent coffee shop BUT for that quick caffeine fix, I regularly find myself at either Caffé Nero or Starbucks. Each place has its pusses and minuses.
Here is my list:
Starbucks
Coffee Good
No free Newspaper
Non Smoking (Huzzah)
No loyalty card
Standing around like a muppet waiting for your coffee
Wi-fi that accept roaming partners and hence more accesible
Café Nero
Coffee Good
Newspapers available
Smoking area which you often can’t avoid if you want some sugar, a newspaper or the toilet (Newbury is especially bad on this)
Loyalty Card (which therefore makes them a bit cheaper)
Standing around like a muppet waiting for your coffee
Expensive and limited Wi-fi
To help decide, i created a poll to see who likes which coffee house more. Here''s the link: http://www.pollsb.com/polls/poll/5507/starbucks-vs-caffe-nero
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