5 Reasons to Own a Coffee Shop: A Rewarding Hustle

1. Love of Community: Connecting with the community is vital to the well-being of a coffee shop. You relish the side conversations with regulars and hearing about their day. The prospect of providing a quality product—a tangible good that your community enjoys—excites you.

2. You Value Consistency: You are dedicated to ensuring that each product is available and tastes the same every. single. time. For example, when our coffee brewer was on the fritz, we came to work an hour earlier (5:00 AM) so our coffee would taste good and be ready as soon as we opened. We didn’t love waking up earlier, but our commitment to consistency drove that decision, and it was worth it!

3. Passion for People Management: While coffee is the product, the heart of the business is our people. The owner of a small coffee shop constantly communicates with their manager and staff to fine-tune operations, assess how everyone is feeling, and create a positive work environment. Sometimes we ask our staff, “How do you feel today on a scale of 0 to 100?” If someone isn’t feeling well, we support them or give them the space they need.

4. High Tolerance for Risk: Owning a coffee shop is an investment with its share of ebbs and flows. You have to trust that when you order thousands of dollars worth of coffee supplies and food, it will sell, and you’ll see a return on investment. Trust the process.

5. Ready for the Hustle: Picture a busy Saturday morning at a coffee shop with a line out the door. Someone asks for an extra napkin, there’s a pile of dishes to be washed, the phone is ringing with a pick-up order, and the kitchen bell is dinging with five plates of food that need to be run—all while ensuring that everyone is happy with their orders and staff take their breaks. It’s a speedwalking contest, and you’re always on your feet. The hustle motivates us to get things done, and at the end of a successful day, you feel tired but satisfied with the work you’ve put in.

These are just a few of the realities of owning a coffee shop. There’s so much more to talk about! Overall, it’s a challenge, but in the best and most rewarding way.