Online ordering, diversified menu, multiple streams of revenue—they’re more than just buzzwords. They’re the way of coffee shop innovation in 2022 and beyond. The coffee industry is more competitive than ever, and we applaud Texas Coffee School students who’ve stayed ahead of the crowd.
In our Q&A below with David Bednarek, Coffeepreneur®, we talk about coffee shop revenue and how it’s possible to start a successful business from scratch.
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Source: Dwell House Coffee and Tap Facebook
Tell us about your businesses: Dwell House Coffee and Tap and Salt and Wave Salon. How did you get started?
David: Dwell House combines the love of coffee with beer and wine and hosts a spot to enjoy it all. We wanted to create the space with a homey feel—hence, “Dwell.” It’s a relaxed environment where locals know their baristas and can gather to hang, chat, or plug in.
Salt and Waves Salon is a luxury hair salon that focuses on hair extensions, color, and cuts. We wanted to shake up the traditional way of running a salon—like booth rentals, the owner as the stylist, and commission structure. We’ve had the Leander location for three years. And for the Hutto location, we placed the salon and coffee shop next to each other. Now we have an opportunity to gain new clients and serve salon customers directly in their chairs. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a craft coffee or adult beverage while getting their hair done?
Source: Salt and Waves Salon Facebook
Describe your business concept, brand, community you serve, and what makes you unique.
David: Our coffee shop revenue combines multiple avenues. It has the vibe of a local craft coffee shop where you can dwell, enjoy music, and sip an adult beverage. We also appeal to on-the-go customers with our drive thru window. Finally, we offer neighbors simple QR codes and online ordering.
Dwell House is at the intersection of three growing communities—Hutto, Round Rock, Pflugerville—in Central Texas. Our community is a great mix of new residents and long-time locals. We’ve had amazing feedback from our audience mentioning the need for exactly what we created.
What makes Dwell House unique is that we are all-inclusive with what we serve. People can feel comfortable here by enjoying coffee, fresh steeped teas, local beers, local wine, bites, and local pastries.
Source: Dwell House Coffee and Tap Facebook
What’s your backstory behind entrepreneurship? How did you forge this career path?
David: I’ve been in business banking and lending for more than 13 years and have built relationships with many business owners along the way. I’ve learned about some of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. My wife, Libby, and I supported each other in taking the leap to business ownership.
What challenges did you encounter in opening your coffee shop?
David: A challenge for us was understanding the vendor relationships. Since I didn’t have a background in retail or coffee, I did a lot of research and trial-and-error on how the vendor process works for coffee, milk, tea, syrups, sugar, plates, glassware, merch, and more.
What brought you to Texas Coffee School?
David: We needed help. I had no knowledge of the coffee world. My experience with three days at Texas Coffee School was priceless. I rely heavily on the class binder from our training. The class also gave me the confidence to move forward!
What has been most rewarding so far?
Source: Dwell House Coffee and Tap Facebook
David: Creating a space for employees to feel comfortable and enjoy coming to work—to be creative, interact with the community, and grow into young adults. To hear the feedback of customers who not only enjoy the coffee, but also the people and atmosphere.
What advice do you have for students just starting out on their coffee journey or for other business owners/entrepreneurs?
David: Hone in on the business component. The coffee part is fun, but that comes from practice. The business education provided by Texas Coffee School is so valuable. I went from knowing nothing of the industry to opening a shop in less than a year. I referenced my Texas Coffee School notes daily about managing the location, layouts, equipment, finances, hiring, vendors, and more.
What’s next for Dwell House?
David: I remember Tom, Texas Coffee School CEO, saying, “I want y’all to go out and open five locations in the next five years. Then start roasting your own beans.” So that’s our plan!
We already have a contract for a second shop and are always eying other locations. And we want to start roasting our own beans now instead of waiting. I see a huge opportunity to spearhead that idea!
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