Coffee-to-Stay - Idea Exchange

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Comment by Kayakman on June 23, 2008 at 5:24am

TIME FACTOR?

A number of people comment that contemporary lifestyle does not allow people time to take a break and relax. I disagree with this 100% as everybody relaxes each and everyday!!! For most people, sitting in front of the TV is their main way to slow down and take a break, for a good number of other people its spending time at the pub.

Its not a matter of not having time to relax at the coffeehouse, but more a matter of choosing the coffeehouse as our venue for relaxing.

Ever since the advent of the coffee-to-go business model, coffeehouse culture has been demoted to something that functions more like a "coffee hut"... just a place to feed your coffee-caffeine addiction. The more the coffeehouse industry buys into the fast-food model, the more it trains people to think of the coffeehouse in terms of just a place to get a quick fix.

So what does a coffeehouse have to market besides coffee-to-go? Its most marketable product after coffee... unique space. If designed correctly, coffeehouse can provide the community with a type of space that few other venues can and that restaurants and pubs only dream of having. For example, at a coffeehouse with private or semi-private meeting space its possible to host longer business meetings, interest group or club meetings, community college extension classes, concerts, art showings, poetry nights, and many other types of events.

I believe that people can be retrained to think of the coffeehouse as a place to slow down, spend time with friends, and enjoy local culture. Its a matter of creative marketing and product development. Working with people and groups in the the community and restoring the coffeehouse to a venue for local culture.

Comment by See You At Coffee on May 7, 2008 at 11:48pm

i have coffee every morning with 3-8 people, for the past two years... our coffee place has outside seating, a number of cushy chairs and enough tables to push together when we have extra people. we just started blogging daily what we communicate about... webcasts coming soon. you will be able to see inside our venue. on the site, there are piscs of all members... and then some, with the shop as the backdrop.

Comment by Kayakman on May 7, 2008 at 11:15am

James Spano,

I really like that you starting to think about how to blend the two models. This is tricky to balance, but it can and should be done. What about offering a place inside for coffee-to-go, but don't put it front and center. Perhaps taking ideas from the "pub" would be useful, as in most there is normally place to stand and place an order, but the more usual way is to be waited on.

In central Europe, our traffic is more pedestrian in nature, so its easier for example to move people in and out the sidewalk seating quickly. When its really busy, it like playing a game of musical chairs.

Comment by James Spano on May 7, 2008 at 10:27am

I guess a halfway would be something like go ahead and have the drive through which would take care of the busy people how they need. But inside is where the magic happens. No to go cups are offered inside, this is where you relax. Except for those seated directly at the bar, orders are taken from a waiter. No line at the counter with a person perched behind the cash register. This can all be done quickly and efficiently, but not breakneck speed. You could easily have a sit down coffee experience in 5 to 10 minutes and be off, or hang around if you're a bum like me.
Of course I can see problems with this. What happens when you're full inside, do you turn people out? Is the drive through fast enough? What if I come inside and bring my own to go cup? I don't know, I'm just brainstorming.

Comment by Kayakman on May 7, 2008 at 9:53am

Corado deCafea,

I agree to some degree. There are some locations that are a natural fit for "coffee-to-stay" coffeehouses. Universities and small towns locations seem be in harmony with this type of model.

At the same time, its just as much about the operating philosophy as it is the location. For example, I know of a suburb in Chicago area where Caribou Coffee has planted two coffeehouses. Regardless of what else your may think of them, this is one company hold creating a "coffee-to-stay" atmosphere via their choice of decor and floor plan. One of these locations is in the parking area of a busy supermarket and the other next to the commuter rail station. Both coffeehouses have fireplaces , outdoor seating, and warm and inviting inside seating areas.

They could have said, these are high traffic areas so lets focus on speed and quantity and cater to the fast moving stream of people. In the end Caribou held to there belief that a coffeehouse should be designed as a type of oasis in the middle of the rat race and as far as I could tell both coffeehouses were full of people "taking a break" and hanging out with friends.

While location does matter, operating philosophy and what you intend to market matters matters just as much. Those only interested in selling coffee will open a hut in the middle the of a parking area. Those interested in "selling" a culture will investing space that invites people to stay.

Comment by Corado deCafea on May 6, 2008 at 9:21pm

It has been my experience that as long as a cafe is situated in a city/area that has a high commuter traffic rate, there will always be a need for that "fast-food" element. The only cafes that I have been to that are community based and sustainable with the vast majority of sit down service are either more restaurant angled, or in/around small towns and universities.

Comment by Kayakman on May 6, 2008 at 12:16pm

James,

I think i understand your situation in Guatemala a little. Marketing "community" can drive up sales just as much as marketing coffee in a paper cup. Roasting is a good idea as well.

Comment by Joe Marrocco on May 6, 2008 at 12:10pm

This is where the heart of the coffee industry beats.

Comment by James Spano on May 6, 2008 at 12:09pm

I think this is a great group. I spent February and part of March apprenticing in a shop in Guatemala. I loved the "Cheers" type atmosphere. As the song says, "Where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came." People would come and sit at the bar for an hour and talk with whoever came in, meeting new people, making contacts in the community.
I also recognize the problem in the states that while this sounds like a great idea, it doesn't pay the bills.
One idea to me is to be a roaster and build up a client base enough that the roasting pays the bills. Not that you'd be losing money in the cafe, you couldn't do that, but there would be less pressure to hurry people in and out so your electricity can stay on. Something like roasting pays your bills and the cafe makes the money, or vice versa. Just a thought.

Comment by Kayakman on May 6, 2008 at 12:04pm

that really good logic... and I like the fact that quality is the main concern. Thanks for sharing from your experience.

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