Introductions

[copa48]

Why I started reviewing Coffee and Espresso Makers

It seemed logical to join the coffee world forum with its widespread coverage on this theme.

I started taking an interest in coffee machines because my wife is a latte macchiato fan and I thought it would be cool to buy a good coffee maker as her next big pressie. I knew she would appreciate a nice model that would look fabulous in her kitchen but I didn’t have the funds to spend much more than $500.

So I researched the market for ages and eventually decided on the Breville Barista Express BES860XL Café Machine which ticked all of the important boxes and more. Read more here...
http://coffee-and-espresso-maker-review.com/about/

 

[CCafe]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Welcome to our forum!

I hope you will find the info your are looking for and look forward to your future posts.

 

[GoldieMN]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Hello Everyone!

I've learned so much about coffee by reading forum posts while waiting to get my registration email. Seriously considering opening a drive-thru coffee business with my brother. There are a number of coffee businesses in town but not in what we consider a great location. Investment will be minimal as the building is already set up and rent is low. (Previous owner wasn't open regular hours & quit.) We are hoping to find a GREAT drip coffee to pay for all the overhead. I'd tell you what I now drink, but you'd probably ban me from the forum. :wink:

Thanks to "Beanz" to helping me get registered!
GoldieMN

 

[topher]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

you would never be banned for saying what you drink...is it the same coffee you would use in your possible business? Welcome to the forums and have fun with the rest of us coffee knuckle heads!

 

[GoldieMN]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

you would never be banned for saying what you drink...is it the same coffee you would use in your possible business? Welcome to the forums and have fun with the rest of us coffee knuckle heads!

Topher,
I drink Maxwell House International Hazelnut coffee. And if I don't find something I like as much, we may just have it on the menu. Just kidding. :wink:

I have a family picture labeled "knuckle heads." I think I will fit in really well, here. Thanks!
Goldie

 

[topher]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

So where is your shop going to be?

 

[PinkRose]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Hi Goldie

Welcome to the Coffee Forum website.

Wouldn't it be interesting if someone were to open a coffee shop and only sell Maxwell house coffee? I wonder if it could work out to be a good thing. I hear lots of customers, who come into the cafe where I work, mention that they drink Maxwell House at home, and they have a hard time getting used to the coffee from other places.

The advertisement could be "We make our coffee just like you do at home"

Something to think about....

Rose

 

[GoldieMN]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

So where is your shop going to be?

This is in Minnesota; town of about 25,000. There are seven coffeehouses in town but none of them anywhere near the location we are considering. It is on a busy street with industries close by. The building is setup for drive-thru service which is what we plan on offering at this point.
Goldie

 

[GoldieMN]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Wouldn't it be interesting if someone were to open a coffee shop and only sell Maxwell house coffee? I wonder if it could work out to be a good thing. I hear lots of customers, who come into the cafe where I work, mention that they drink Maxwell House at home, and they have a hard time getting used to the coffee from other places.

The advertisement could be "We make our coffee just like you do at home"


Rose

Wouldn't that be something! Just make sure no one sees the containers. :wink: I had someone tell me Choc Full of Nuts is THE best coffee. Anyone agree?
Goldie

 

[topher]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

I disagree...and the people who say that CFN and Maxwell house are great are the same people who want to get a cup of coffee for a quarter..Stick to specialty coffee. I went to a roastery about a year ago. I will not mention the name but they sell to grocery stores. Their coffee retails for about 2 dollars a brick. As I am walking their plant I saw a machine I did not recognize. I asked what the machine was and they told me its how they "sort" their green. I stopped and said wait you buy floor sweepings?? He said yes and thats how he keeps his costs down. I was so pissed that I had actually drank his coffee at a show once. If you are asking why they sort it..he informed me it was to get the rocks, cigarette butts, nails, or bits of tire out of the raw coffee...yeah..yummy

 

[GoldieMN]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

... I stopped and said wait you buy floor sweepings?? He said yes and thats how he keeps his costs down. I was so pissed that I had actually drank his coffee at a show once. If you are asking why they sort it..he informed me it was to get the rocks, cigarette butts, nails, or bits of tire out of the raw coffee...yeah..yummy

OMG, OMG, OMG! That is so gross.
Goldie

 

[shadow745]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Have a few things to add here... if anybody thinks MH, CFN, Folgers, what have you is DA' BOMB send them my way and I will have them converted after a few cups. Most people are blown away with what coffe can taste like when it's done right and not bastardized. They think because the local gas station grinds their own beans they rule, but looking at the beans most look to be months or even years old!

Goldie, if you actually consider serving some supermarket sludge in the cup don't waste the time opening anything. Believe me, if you source out great coffees and brew properly you too can convert most of the people that think this/that is the best thing going. At first they may complain about the price, but tell them what I do... "If you don't like it it's FREE"... they take a sip or two and gladly pay. Never given away a cup yet!

Also, there's no way on this Earth you will pay the overhead with drip coffee alone. Well unless you are buying those beans off the floor for a few $$$ per lb., lol... Drip coffee has decent profit margins, but the espresso based specialty stuff is where the real money is to be made. Or chai tea.... our margin on a 16 oz. chai is a little over 400% profit...

Best thing to do is visit some coffeeshops in your area, see exactly what they're selling and their average prices. You will want/need to do things a bit differently, but going off-the-wall-out-there with your menu can bite you if people aren't used to what you're trying to sell. Not at first anyway! Later...

 

[shadow745]

Re: Why I started reviewing Coffee and Espresso Makers

It seemed logical to join the coffee world forum with its widespread coverage on this theme.

I started taking an interest in coffee machines because my wife is a latte macchiato fan and I thought it would be cool to buy a good coffee maker as her next big pressie. I knew she would appreciate a nice model that would look fabulous in her kitchen but I didn’t have the funds to spend much more than $500.

So I researched the market for ages and eventually decided on the Breville Barista Express BES860XL Café Machine which ticked all of the important boxes and more. Read more here...
http://coffee-and-espresso-maker-review.com/about/

That machine might serve you well for awhile. May be exactly the thing you're looking for and I know $$$ is a deciding factor for most people and really it should be. Just take care of it and feed it fresh beans/quality water and watch your enthusiasm grow.

 

[indrakc2009]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

Starting a coffee shop business and being one’s own boss can seem very romantic and glamorous. It’s easy to imagine peaceful days chatting with customers, hanging out in a beautiful location, making friends, and bringing in big money for doing a job that sounds fun: making delicious coffee or tea drinks and making people happy.While it is good to have a positive outlook, one must also consider the possible downsides to being a business owner. What if the coffee shop business is not successful right away? What if finances are tight and there are no paychecks for a few months? What if long hours are needed to run the business? These are the kinds of questions a future business owner will want to think about carefully.
Coffee Shop Business
http://coffeeshopbusiness.org

 

[indrakc2009]

Re: Welcome, Introduce Yourself!

hello everyone