Could a small mom and pop coffee shop give the local Starbucks a run for their money?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “mom and pop coffee shops“
Could a small mom and pop coffee shop give the local Starbucks a run for their money?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “mom and pop coffee shops“
Yes. We have a classic mom-and-pop shop here called Benjamit coffee. They roast their own beans and do a fairly good trade in beans. Travelers going back to Europe and North America buy kilos of the stuff. It’s one of the best coffees in the world. Not cheap at 800 baht/kilo for their house blend (that’s about $25/kg). But absolutely delicious. Their coffee shop is open for limited hours – not stretching into all-nighters, but they do a thriving business. The make edible cakes and desserts but the attraction is the coffee. If you take the time, you’ll find them ranked by our in-country coffee geeks as the best or second best in Thailand.
They’re on a soi (small street or alley) not on a high street. You have to WANT to find ‘em. And they’ve been doing prime business there for years and years. The nearby corporate hotspot Starbucks? It closed. Right on the high street prominent signage, great foot traffic on the way in/out of the electronics mall,… and they couldn’t make the nut to pay the rent. And Benjamit keeps chugging along.
Their secret? Devotion to coffee. And word of mouth. They now have a Facebook page but previously had a miserable and challenging website of their own, but their popularity predates the “influencers” era.
Benjamit Coffee, Pattaya – Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos – TripAdvisor
Uniformly, you find positive reviews on review service sites and on visitor and ex-pat forums the “where can I get a good cup of coffee” threads all respond with the underlying assumption that the answer is always “Benjamit Coffee but here’s this other place that’s pretty good”….
So the answer is… yes, it can be done. If our little microcosm isn’t a good enough example, check out the saturation Starbucks has achieved in Australia. Hundreds of mom-and-pop businesses give them a run for their money.
I’m going to say no, or at least it is highly unlikely. And I’ll qualify my response with your use of the phrase “Mom & Pop”.
“Mom and Pop” owners do not have the multi-million dollar budget needed to match the typical Starbucks’ facility, equipment, staffing and diversity of offerings. If they had that kind of money, good ol’ mom and pop wouldn’t be opening a coffee shop, they’d be moving to Boca.
Additionally, you should not underestimate the average consumer’s propensity for maintaining loyalty to an experience, and their own routine- especially in regard to food and beverage. By 2019, the Starbucks brand has introduced more than an entire generation to full-flavored, quality coffee. And everytime a customer returns, they consistently deliver on satisfying that same customer perception. This makes it really har…
Of course. Offer excellent coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, etc, at a decent price point, have some tasty baked goods and snacks, WiFi, a nice atmosphere, and friendly, personal service, and competing with Starbucks is no problem. What a mom and pop cannot do is become ubiquitous. Then it’s not a mom and pop anymore.
It certainly could, under certain conditions.
First of all, in many cultures a “mom and pop” store, especially when it comes to food and beverage, is considered better than a chain-based outlet by default. Any Italian or French, for instance, would choose his/her unnamed neighborhood cafe over Starbucks to have his morning cup nine times out of ten; he/she might still choose Starbucks for other reasons, but they will still assume the mom and pop store is cheaper, friendlier and offers better and fresher products.
Then, there’s location: I’ve seen plenty of horrible restaurants and cafes enjoy incredible success just for being in the right place, as well as many exquisite food joints being forced to close just for having chosen the wrong spot. Mind you, this is not just about visibility: being able to catch the right flow of customers, being close to a big office or tourist attraction, being in the right neighborhood where your ideal type of customer dwells is just as important as having a huge sign on some busy intersection. And if you can do that, the sign on your door just won’t matter – people will come in just because you’re there.
And then, but only then, there’s product. Being able to offer great food and beverages is clearly an asset, yet you might be the best barista in town and still be forced to shut down if nobody knows you’re there.
Simple answer: Yes they can. How?
By simply answering this question:
“Why, of all the coffee shops available, should I patronize yours?”
Starbucks has answered that question with great products, great service, great selection, pretty good employees, and a feeling of appreciation.
Go forth and do the same. Nah, go forth and do better!
Yes. To do so, they need a great location, an excellent menu that offers items Starbucks won’t offer.
They must have a drive through.
Excellent recognizable signage, inviting interior, easy access,
They need a simple way for frequent visitors to get discounts. One way is to offer the pre paid coffee card, any ten beverages on the center m…
Yes. I prefer the local coffee shop to the big franchises.
Create an environment that people enjoy and build relationships with those clients. Loyalty to your clients is critical.
Good coffee and a great vibe will beat big names all day