Jun 02 2010
Coffee Cafe
The typical morning aroma of the local coffee cafe is a tantalizing blend of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries. Patrons are enjoying their morning brew as they read the daily newspaper or chat quietly among themselves discussing the day’s events. Other’s in the cafe are enjoying the access to Wife and are surfing the Internet while business groups meet at another table to settle the terms of a big project.
These are the typical mornings found in local coffee shops around the world. Patrons are appreciative of the opportunity to stop and relax while enjoying their favorite morning java. Local coffee shops are often the morning gathering spot for many people and for many different reasons.
The popularity of the local coffee shops has grown immensely over the past few years. Whereas in years past there might be only one or two coffee shops in a community there are now many more. Coffee franchises moved into every town, often adding more than one coffee shop in an effort to corner the market.
Locally owned coffee cafes have had to become more creative and competitive in order stay afloat against these franchise giants. This has meant offering incentives to patrons such as free Internet access, a variety of daily newspapers and publications for their reading pleasure and in some cases a more extensive offering of food fare than they would normally carry, such as breakfast sandwiches and wraps.
Local coffee shops can also compete with corporate giants by offering coffee selections that the giants do not carry. Typically, franchises have set deliveries and menus across their franchises. If the locally owned coffee shop is able to offer more specialized coffees they can often take business away from the franchise. The Internet offers access to many different coffee bean suppliers that will ship small and large orders.
The average person in the community would rather support local businesses than corporate big-box companies who do little for their community. If local coffee cafes are able to offer fresh, hot coffees in a better variety with better customer service than can be found in corporate shops they will be able to outlast them despite economic trends.
The coffee cafe is a permanent fixture in most towns, whether it is locally owned or is a corporate franchise. People enjoy their morning coffee and the opportunity to relax and enjoy it will not soon go away.
-Sharon Chapman