In 2022, Sarah and Kevin Zakariasen opened their second Stonewall Coffee location in Bridgeport, West Virginia.
"We began with a dream of opening a coffee shop, but there was so much we didn’t know. The book and Crimson Cup’s startup consultants answered all our questions and more.” - Kevin Zakariasen, Stonewall Coffee, Clarksburg and Bridgeport, West Virginia
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) January 28, 2023
Twenty-two new independent coffee shops in 11 states opened in 2022 through the 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program from award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.
“We salute the entrepreneurs who are now living their dreams of owning independent coffee shops serving their local communities,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert. “Our team of coffee business consultants looks forward to helping them build their businesses in the coming years.”
Based on Ubert’s Book, Seven Steps to Success: a Commonsense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee, the 7 Steps program has helped hundreds of independent coffee shops across the U.S. become thriving businesses.
Their owners – most with little or no coffee or restaurant experience – learned how to open a coffee shop through the 7 Steps program.
The 22 new shops that opened in 2022 include:
- BeanSweet Coffee – Goldsboro, North Carolina
- Cadence Coffeehouse & Creperie – Niles, Ohio
- Coffee Cravings – Yorktown, Indiana
- Cool City Brewing Company – Two Rivers, Wisconsin
- Doscher’s Candies & Coffee House – Cincinnati, Ohio
- Gateway Coffee – Creve Coeur, Missouri
- The REX Café – Pensacola, Florida
- Kora Brew House – Bryan, Ohio
- Kushala Sip, Boston, Massachusetts
- Mocha & Mini – Albert Lea, Minnesota
- Sandstone Coffee House – Amherst, Ohio
- Shawnee Station – Lima, Ohio
- Smoke-N-Beans Coffee Bar – McArthur, Ohio
- Spire Coffee House – Tom’s River, New Jersey
- Stonewall Coffee – Bridgeport, West Virginia
- The Sanity Mug Coffee & Tea – Port Lavaca, Texas
- The Vault Coffee and Pour House – Carolina Beach, North Carolina
- Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee – Nokesville, Virginia
- White Buffalo Coffee Bar – Clinton, Elk City, and Lawton, Oklahoma
- Winston’s Coffee & Waffles – East Market, Columbus, Ohio
Crimson Cup’s 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team guides new owners through every step – from scouting a profitable location and writing a coffee shop business plan to planning a menu, choosing equipment, hiring staff and providing comprehensive training.
As a one-stop shop for independent coffee shops, Crimson Cup also provides award-winning coffee, the best coffee shop supplies in the business, and ongoing support to help coffee businesses thrive.
In fact, eight of the new coffee shops belong to owners who opened existing locations with Crimson Cup’s help:
- The owners of Coffee in the Valley in Valley City, Ohio, opened Sandstone Coffee in Amherst, Ohio.
- Kora Brew House in Bryan, Ohio, added a second location, Kora Coffee & Gift Shop, in the Bryan Hospital.
- Kushala Sip Coffee House opened a second location in Boston’s Chelsea neighborhood.
- Oklahoma-based White Buffalo Coffee Bar added three new coffee shops to its four existing locations.
- Stonewall Coffee in Clarksburg, West Virginia, opened a second location in nearby Bridgeport.
- Winston’s Coffee & Waffles added a second location in the East Market of Columbus, Ohio
“Owners who run multiple locations show that specialty coffee shops can remain profitable and grow even during challenging economic times,” Ubert said. “We think now is a perfect time to open an independent coffee shop.”
Most of the owners had little or no experience in specialty coffee. Some said they would not have been able to open without Crimson Cup’s help.
Kevin and Sarah Zakariasen opened their first Stonewall Coffee in Clarksburg, West Virginia, in 2016. Just six years later, they expanded to nearby Bridgeport.
“We began with a dream of opening a coffee shop, but there was so much we didn’t know,” Kevin Zakariasen said. “Where do you get your espresso machine? Where do you locate the machine in the store? How do you do the dance behind the counter to make drinks efficiently?”
“The book and Crimson Cup’s startup consultants answered all these questions and more.”
Initially, he felt skeptical about buying the book. “I thought, ‘$69.95 for a paperback is a lot!’” he said.
“But now I know it’s worth many times the cost,” he added. “For example, the first chapter says not to buy used coffee equipment. Before reading the book, we bought a used espresso machine, and we had to replace it with a new one. Avoiding that mistake could have saved us $2,000 right at the start.”
“The book does have a money-back guarantee, but I doubt anyone returns it. It’s that good!”
Ubert said that operating five Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and a company flagship store, CRIMSON, helps the company test drink recipes and promotional ideas.
“As coffee shop owners and managers ourselves, we’re uniquely positioned to help independent business owners turn their hard work into profitable businesses,” he said.
He invited anyone considering opening a coffee shop in any state to call Crimson Cup for guidance.
“If you run into any roadblocks or just want to discuss your dream with a coffee expert, give us a call!”
7 Steps Sales Leader Scott Fullerton is the initial contact for all aspiring coffee shop owners. Reach him via email at sfullerton@crimsoncup.com or by calling 1.888.800.9224.
“If you’ve ever dreamed about opening a coffeehouse, I’d love to help you get started,” Fullerton said. “We’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs take the leap from dreaming about a coffee shop to opening their doors. Chances are, we can help you!”
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, colleges 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.