Recently, Texas Coffee School founder Tom Vincent had the chance to speak to Barista Magazine. The article discussed the way café menus have expanded over the past several years, and what that means for baristas and operators. As consumer tastes change, the article asked, “What matters more? The espresso or the cold foam?”
Tom’s response: “The biggest change I see isn’t that coffee has become less important. It’s that the definition of a retail coffee shop business has become much broader.”
In January 2020, David Hurley had a plan to open his own coffee shop. He even had an investor and a space he liked. That month, he attended Texas Coffee School’s 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class® and left ready to move forward with his business. We all know what happened next. COVID hit, the world shut down, and David set aside his dream of opening a coffee shop.
At Texas Coffee School, we like to say we’re not teaching you how to open one coffee shop; we’re teaching you how to open four. (Or 10 or 20!) Why? Because whether you have ambitions for a thriving neighborhood hub or a coast to coast franchise, the solid business foundation you create in the very first shop is the same. But what about that second location? The second location can be both an exciting milestone and a unique challenge for business owners.
Smart Coffee Shop Owners Are Diversifying Their Drink Menus
Matcha, energy drinks, dirty sodas, and more. Non-coffee drinks have moved from novelty to the norm in coffee shops. Look no further than Starbucks, the most closely watched barometer of consumer behavior in the industry. Cold drinks account for half of Starbucks’ sales, and the menu has evolved in turn. The cold drinks on the menu expand far beyond coffee, from flavored iced matcha with protein cold foam to colorful refreshers.
Even the best-intentioned coffee shop owners experience burnout when they’re caught in the cycle of chaos. They find themselves buried in daily tasks, working shifts behind the bar because staff aren’t trained, schedules are unpredictable, and systems don’t exist. Business ownership can feel like a dream come true, until it doesn’t.
Burnout isn’t a reflection of passion or skill; it’s a sign that the systems in place (or lack thereof) aren’t supporting the business.