We Helped 22 New Coffee Shops Open in 11 States in 2022

In 2022, Crimson Cup helped 22 entrepreneurs in 11 states achieve their dreams of opening new coffee shops.

These entrepreneurs – most with little or no coffee experience – learned how to open a coffee shop through our 7 Steps to Success program.

Hundreds of Existing Coffee Houses Thrive Through the 7 Steps to Success

The new coffeehouses joined hundreds of successful businesses across the U.S. that have grown through the 7 Steps to Success.

Some successful small businesses have been open for 10, 20, or more years. Others have expanded to multiple locations. All can count on support from our 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team.

This team guides entrepreneurs through every step – from scouting a profitable location and writing a coffee shop business plan to planning a menu, choosing equipment, hiring staff, and providing comprehensive training.

After opening, they continue to work with each owner to position their business for long-term success.

Meet the Class of 2022

“We salute the entrepreneurs who are now living the dream of owning independent coffee shops serving their local communities,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert. “We look forward to helping them build their businesses in the coming years.”

We’re excited to introduce the 22 new coffee shops that opened in 2022:

• BeanSweet Coffee – Goldsboro, North Carolina
• Cadence Coffeehouse & Creperie – Niles, Ohio
• Coffee Cravings – Yorktown, Indiana
• Cool City Brewing Company – Two Rivers, Wisconsin
• Doscher’s Candies & Coffee House – Cincinnati, Ohio
• Gateway Coffee – Creve Coeur, Missouri
• The REX Café – Pensacola, Florida
• Kora Brew House – Bryan, Ohio
• Kushala Sip, Boston, Massachusetts
• Mocha & Mini – Albert Lea, Minnesota
• Sandstone Coffee House – Amherst, Ohio
• Shawnee Station – Lima, Ohio
• Smoke-N-Beans Coffee Bar – McArthur, Ohio
• Spire Coffee House – Tom’s River, New Jersey
• Stonewall Coffee – Bridgeport, West Virginia
• The Sanity Mug Coffee & Tea – Port Lavaca, Texas
• The Vault Coffee and Pour House – Carolina Beach, North Carolina
• Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee – Nokesville, Virginia
• White Buffalo Coffee Bar – Clinton, Elk City, and Lawton, Oklahoma
• Winston’s Coffee & Waffles – East Market, Columbus, Ohio

New Coffee Shops Include Eight Expansions

Eight of the new shops belong to owners who opened existing locations with our help:

• The owners of Coffee in the Valley in Valley City, Ohio, opened Sandstone Coffee in Amherst, Ohio.
• Kora Brew House in Bryan, Ohio, added a second location, Kora Coffee & Gift Shop, in the Bryan Hospital.
• Kushala Sip Coffee House opened a second location in Boston’s Chelsea neighborhood.
• Oklahoma-based White Buffalo Coffee Bar added three coffee shops to its four existing locations.
• Stonewall Coffee in Clarksburg, West Virginia, opened a second location in nearby Bridgeport.
• Winston’s Coffee & Waffles added a second location in the East Market of Columbus, Ohio.

“Owners who run multiple locations show that specialty coffee shops can remain profitable and grow even during challenging economic times,” Greg said. “We think now is a perfect time to open an independent coffee shop.”

7 Steps to Success: The Book that Taught Each Entrepreneur How to Open and Run their Coffee Shop

Most owners of new coffee shops had little or no experience in specialty coffee. Many said they would not have been able to open without Crimson Cup’s help.

For most, their dreams became a reality after they purchased Greg’s book, 7 Steps to Success: a Common-sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee.

Take Kevin and Sarah Zakariasen. They opened their first Stonewall Coffee in Clarksburg, West Virginia, in 2016.

Just six years later, they expanded to nearby Bridgeport.

“We began with a dream of opening a coffee shop, but there was so much we didn’t know,” Kevin said.

“Where do you get your espresso machine? Where do you locate the machine in the store? How do you do the dance behind the counter to make drinks efficiently?”

“The book and Crimson Cup’s startup consultants answered all these questions and more.”

Initially, he felt skeptical about buying the book. “I thought, ‘$69.95 for a paperback is a lot!’” he said.

“But now I know it’s worth many times the cost,” he added. “For example, the first chapter says not to buy used coffee equipment. Before reading the book, we bought a used espresso machine, and we had to replace it with a new one. Avoiding that mistake could have saved us $2,000 right at the start.”

“The book does have a money-back guarantee, but I doubt anyone returns it. It’s that good!”

One-Stop Shop for Coffee Business Success

As coffee roasters, coffeehouse owners and business consultants, Crimson Cup offers end-to-end support for coffeehouses. Business owners receive:

• Sustainably sourced, award-winning coffee, drink recipes, and nitro cold brew
• Hands-on training
• Coffee business consulting
• Recommended espresso machines and other equipment
• Industry-leading coffee shop supplies
• Drink recipes
• Marketing support

Backed by over 30 years of specialty coffee experience, our skill set stretches from sourcing and roasting award-winning coffee to managing our own coffee houses and helping entrepreneurs succeed in specialty coffee.

We opened our first Crimson Cup Coffee Shop in 2007. Since then, four new locations and a company flagship store, Crimson, have helped us test drink recipes and promotional ideas.

“As coffee shop owners and managers, we’re uniquely positioned to help owners of independent coffee shops turn their hard work into profitable business ventures,” Greg said.

Thinking About Opening a Coffee Shop? Give Us a Call!

7 Steps Sales Leader Scott Fullerton is the initial contact for all aspiring coffee shop owners. Reach him via email at sfullerton@crimsoncup.com or by calling 1.888.800.9224.

“If you’ve ever dreamed about opening a coffeehouse, I’d love to help you get started,” Scott said. “We’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs leap from dreaming about a coffee business to opening their doors. Chances are, we can help you!”