Seeking independent coffee shops in NYC/NJ for piloting mobile app

[aspirationz]

I'm an avid coffee lover and often hang out at independent coffee shops in and around NYC with my student friends.

For quite some time, I've been observing that visitors (especially students and working professionals) struggle with seat availability at most cafes during day hours. This becomes frustrating when they have important assignments to work on, head to their favorite coffee shop for an hour of study only to find no seats available. Same is the case with independent working professionals.


With an intent to address this issue, I & my student friends are currently building a mobile app through which people like us can get seat availability information at cafes. All of this while trying to eliminate revenue loss issues that cafe owners face due to laptop squatters.

We are now seeking some independent coffee shops in NYC/NJ (preferably around schools and workplaces) to try out this app for their customers. The need is to look for partners who are genuinely passionate about using technology to make independent coffee shops more appealing for coffee lovers.

It would also be interesting to hear comments and feedback from coffee shop owners in general.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

I'm not sure I understand how you will benefit the cafe owner, who is not benefited by table squatters, by building an app that allows squatters to hone in on available tables on which to squat...just sayin

 

[aspirationz]

Fair comment and exactly what the app aims to mitigate. What if the coffee owners didn't have to care about the revenue loss due to table squatters? The same tables could generate revenue even after coffee shop hours. Difficult to elaborate on the specifics through text though. Easier to demonstrate through the app itself.

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Coffee 'house' owners are not the only ones concerned about table squatters. Coffee 'shop' (think diners) often get students who will order coffee and then squat on a table that otherwise could be turned several times to generate revenue. Many coffee 'house' owners don't offer free internet anymore. Knowing that tables do not produce a product or service, it sounds that in order for them to produce income "after hours" for the coffee shop owner, they would have to be occupied at a cost to the occupants. Sounds like you are suggesting renting space, but the point is it is a coffee house, not a office space rental business...which is a concept that is being exploited with considerable success, and you may want to check that out before trying to encourage coffee shop owners to enter into that market...just sayin'

 

[PinkRose]

What ever happened to the days when students used to study and do their assignments in the library?

Cafe owners really do have to worry about revenue lost to table squatters. Table squatters really don't buy much. One cup of coffee for a three hour hangout session isn't really considered revenue.