Award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is proud to support Owners Sean and Stephanie Miller in opening their second coffee shop. Sandstone Coffee House at 254 Park Avenue in Amherst, Ohio, joins Coffee in the Valley, which opened in 2019 at 6663 Center Road in Valley City, Ohio.
AMHERST, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The heart of downtown Amherst, Ohio, has a new hot spot for locals to get together over amazing coffee and delicious eats! Sandstone Coffee House at 254 Park Avenue invites guests to enjoy a cozy, home-like atmosphere, award-winning coffee, and a growing menu of breakfast and lunch food options.
The new coffee house represents a homecoming for Lorain-area natives Sean and Stephanie Miller.
It's also their second coffee restaurant. In 2019, they opened Coffee in the Valley at 6663 Center Road in Valley City, Ohio.
Thir idea of owning and managing coffee shops began as a 'someday' dream, according to Stephanie Miller. "I was an elementary school teacher, and my husband is an accountant. How did this lead to a coffee shop?"
While walking through Valley City one evening, they noticed a building for sale. It was a former bank with a drive-thru lane.
"We joked around about buying the bank," she said. "Little did we know, a few short months later, we would be on our way to opening Coffee in the Valley!"
To achieve their dream and learn how to open a coffee shop, the couple turned to Crimson Cup and its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program.
Based on the book, Seven Steps to Success: a Common-sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert, the program guides new owners of independent coffee shops from dream through opening day and beyond.
The roaster's 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team assists new owners in choosing a profitable location, writing a solid coffee shop business plan, designing and laying out the new shop, training baristas, and much more.
"Without Crimson Cup, we would have struggled getting started," Stephanie said. "We knew nothing beforehand about making coffee and espresso. We were just following a dream."
After three successful years at Coffee in the Valley, the Millers learned a building in downtown Amherst was available.
"We both grew up in the Lorain area, and this is home," Stephanie said. "It's good to come back to our roots."
At Sandstone Coffee House, she plans to duplicate many of the features that have driven Coffee in the Valley's success.
"We're known in Valley City for our top-notch coffee, friendly service, and varied menu," she said. "In Amherst, we plan to have pastries, breakfast and lunch options, sandwiches, soups, and more."
She sees consistency as the key to her successful expansion. "We make sure we're consistent with staffing, policies, the owner's time in the shop, and making sure the staff at both locations feels supported."
Crimson Cup's hands-on training, held at each shop the week before opening, has helped her baristas deliver espresso-based drinks that consistently taste great.
"One customer commented that our drinks taste the same at both shops, always, and she loves that!"
Both shops have a comfortable, home-like feel. "We like to offer a variety of seating choices and warm and bright lighting. And our staff at both shops is amazing!"
Expanding to two shops has created challenges and opportunities. "I run around like crazy now, and our staff was a little concerned at first about not getting enough of my time," she said.
"Just figuring out how to keep everything supplied and on a schedule was a challenge, but now we have backup inventory if we run out of supplies at one store."
"Plus, we have so many more opportunities to invest in our communities and get to know so many people! We are open for events, even if they are on days we are closed or after hours. We also display local high school art, host poetry readings, and support school and community events."
Crimson Cup's Customer Growth team has helped Miller solve problems and brainstorm opportunities for both locations.
Her favorite part about working with Crimson Cup? "They have an amazing staff that's extremely supportive and responsive. Our orders come on time, and we have had almost no mistakes in our three and a half years of working with the company."
As the proud owner of two independent coffee shops, Stephanie has this advice for prospective coffee shop owners: "I would highly recommend Crimson Cup. Without them, I am not sure we would still be open – let alone opening a second location."
Sean and Stephanie Miller invite everyone in Northeast Ohio to visit their coffee shops in Valley City and Amherst, Ohio.
"Make sure you bring a friend or a book," Stephanie said. "You are going to want to stay for a while. We can't wait to serve you!"
Sandstone Coffee House is open Monday through Saturday at 254 Park Avenue. Follow the shop's Facebook page for news, featured drinks, and other updates.
Coffee in the Valley is open Monday through Saturday at 6663 Center Road in Valley City, Ohio. Follow their Facebook page for the latest news.
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 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 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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