kat's Coffeehouse has arrived in the Pittsburgh suburb of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania! The shop at 617 Warrendale Road, Suite E, joined hundreds of coffee shops in over 30 states that receive coffee, training and ongoing support through Crimson Cup's 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program.
GIBSONIA, Penn., June 10, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Something exciting is brewing in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania! kat's Coffeehouse has opened at 617 Warrendale Road, Suite E. Owners Kathy and Todd Williams learned how to start a coffee shop through the 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program of Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.
On April 25, Allegheny County coffee lovers gathered to celebrate the grand opening of Gibsonia's newest independent coffee shop. The day included a $1 special on all regular-sized specialty coffee drinks.
The new shop invites customers into a warm environment designed by Kathy Williams. Ample seating and free Wi-Fi invite guests to stay while they savor specialty coffee drinks, including espressos, mochas and lattes. A drive-thru window caters to Gibsonia coffee lovers on the go. Locally sourced pastries, subs and ice cream round out the menu.
"We want to serve the best coffee and provide an experience that the customer remembers as extremely positive," Todd Williams said. "We focus on the details, from lighting to music, fiber internet to fast drive through. And we hire people who truly enjoy the dance of making outstanding specialty coffee drinks that make people happy."
kat's Coffeehouse is the latest in a series of enterprises for the couple. Before venturing into coffee, the entrepreneurs made waves in kitchen textile design, the steel industry and retail clothing boutiques.
Kathy has worked in fashion since she started in retail at age 15. Before opening two Kat & Willie clothing boutiques in Pittsburgh, she spent 14 years designing kitchen textiles.
Todd sold more than three million aprons and tea towels designed by Kathy to retail stores such as HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Earlier in their marriage, he sold steel while Kathy raised their four children.
After the clothing boutiques got off the ground, the serial entrepreneurs needed something new to keep the momentum going. Then, encountering a local coffee shop for sale, they took a chance and made an offer.
The only problem? They had zero coffee experience.
"With no prior experience in the industry, we knew we needed a partner that truly understood coffee," Todd Williams said.
Enter Crimson Cup. The award-winning coffee roaster helps entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of starting and running thriving independent coffee shops.
Its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program is designed to help those with little or no coffee experience avoid typical pitfalls and become profitable as quickly as possible.
"I was researching coffee providers and got in touch with their amazing 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team of Scott Fullerton, Steve Bayless, Heather Syx and Dave Eldridge," Todd said.
He then read Seven Steps to Success: a Common-sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert. This book forms the foundation of the roaster's 7 Steps program.
"It was apparent from reading the book and talking to the consulting team that the business model Crimson Cup provides works," Todd said.
As part of their due diligence, the couple visited the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab in Columbus, Ohio, where Kathy tasted a cup of black java with no additives. "It was the best cup of coffee I've ever had!" she exclaimed.
That was the deciding factor. "After an exhaustive three-month search, we knew we had found our coffee partner," Todd said.
Crimson Cup has helped over 400 entrepreneurs like the Williams open and run successful coffee shops in more than 30 states. Its 7 Steps team guides new owners using over two decades of startup experience.
Through the 7 Steps, aspiring coffee shop owners master the complexities of the coffee industry. The consulting team guides them through writing a coffee shop business plan, choosing a location, hiring and training employees, marketing to attract new customers and more.
"A big part of our mission is to help coffeehouse owners thrive at every step – from opening their shops to becoming a fixture in their communities," Ubert said.
As a one-stop shop for independent coffeehouses, Crimson Cup provides end-to-end support. 7 Steps customers receive access to award-winning coffee, workhorse espresso machines, other coffee shop equipment, and quality coffee shop products.
Ongoing mentorship helps entrepreneurs thrive in their unique coffee ventures.
"The 7 Steps team is outstanding," Todd said. "Each of them knows this coffee business and shares your joy when you succeed."
"Weekly calls with Steve and Heather and learning from Dave, whom I call the expert of experts, have helped us avoid so many mistakes," he added.
Todd found 'The Dance' the most valuable guidance in the 7 Steps program. "The Dance ensures that coffee service remains uninterrupted by ancillary food service, preserving the quality of customer experience," he explained. "We provide food items from local bake and sub shops, but these only complement the coffee and never slow down the coffee line. Our sales confirm this."
The coffee, roasted by Crimson Cup, is gaining a following among area coffee lovers.
"Customers say it's amazing, the best coffee they've ever had. They even compare it to shops in Europe," Todd said.
The company has received 20 five-star Google reviews in just over two months.
"This place is awesome!" wrote one reviewer. "I went for the first time today and was immediately greeted by a man named Todd. He shared with me that he was the owner and was just so kind and welcomed me in! The decor is really fun and cozy. I got an iced latte with oat milk and caramel drizzle, and it was great! Very smooth and not too sweet. They had lots of different options too. Will definitely be going back and bringing friends. Definitely check this place out!"
After completing the startup process, Todd had several thoughts to share with others contemplating opening a coffee business.
"Don't do it alone!" he said. "Do it with someone who shares when you win and helps when you need help. Most important – if you don't have great coffee and training nothing else matters. Plus, work with a coffee business consultant that instills operations best practices so you can get to be profitable faster than doing it alone or just buying coffee from a roaster with a marketing pitch."
Kathy and Todd Williams invite everyone in Allegheny County and beyond to visit kat's Coffeehouse. The new shop is open seven days a week at 617 Warrendale Road, Suite E, in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.
To learn more, visit the shop's Google Business Profile.
About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
Founded in 1991, Crimson Cup is at the forefront of the coffee industry. Its attentive roasting, startup support and global partnerships are consciously designed for the greater good of communities around the world. Among other national recognitions, the company has earned 2020 and 2017 Good Food Awards, the 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazine's 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.
Crimson Cup travels the world searching for the perfect cup – driven by meaningful relationships, honesty and a shared vision for the future. Its Friend2Farmer initiatives foster respect and decency through mutually beneficial collaboration across local and global communities.
Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs how to open and run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into coffee shop startup costs.
Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 400 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across more than 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also owns several Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and a new CRIMSON retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Cheryl Claypoole, Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, 614-361-5023, [email protected]
SOURCE Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
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