If you want to learn how to open a coffee shop in Massachusetts, you’ve come to the right place!
You don’t have to go through the coffee shop startup process alone – or pay hefty franchise or coffee school fees. Instead, learn how to open and run a successful coffee shop in Massachusetts through our proven 7 Steps to Coffee Shop Startup Success process.
Why listen to our advice? We have decades of coffee industry experience since our founder started roasting coffee in 1991.
Over three decades, we’ve won major awards, including Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.
Plus, our experienced coffee shop startup consultants have helped entrepreneurs across the USA – most with little or no coffee shop experience – open over 300 coffee shops in 30 states. We currently support five shops in Massachusetts.
Using the 7 Steps process and our consultants, we can help you develop a strong coffee shop business plan and provide insight into coffee shop startup costs in your Massachusetts community.
As a one-stop shop for independent coffee shop owners, Crimson Cup can also help you find a terrific location, lay out your shop, hire and train staff, market your shop, and more. You’ll also gain access to award-winning coffee and coffee shop products that will keep your customers coming back!
Keep reading to learn more or call 888-800-9224 now to connect with our coffee shop startup consulting team!
Massachusetts is a Terrific State to Open a Coffee Shop!
With 13 major coffee chain locations per 100,000 residents in Massachusetts, there’s plenty of opportunity to open and run a successful independent coffee shop in your local community.
Massachusetts ranks 10th in coffee shops per capita, according to a study by Zoma Sleep. The study counted 3,891 Massachusetts residents for every coffee shop in The Bay State.
Considering that 62 percent of Americans drink coffee, averaging three cups per day, it’s safe to say there’s room for more coffee shops in Massachusetts to serve both residents and the millions of annual visitors from other states and countries.
And, according to the National Coffee Association, coffee drinkers are flocking to espresso-based beverages brewed from high-quality beans. Consumption of cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas has increased by a staggering 50 percent since 2015, driven in part by strong popularity with 25 to 39-year-olds.
Small Massachusetts Cities and Towns Present Big Opportunities
With many parts of Massachusetts underserved by major coffee chains, it might pay to consider starting a coffee shop outside of Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, and Lowell.
Many cities and towns in Massachusetts’ 14 counties lack a gathering place where locals can get together over a cup of coffee. Does your city or town need an independent coffee shop? Would you like to be the result that comes up when people in your part of Massachusetts search for “coffee near me?” Read on to learn more about how to start a coffee shop in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is Open for Small Business!
Ranked as the second-best state in the USA for access to venture capital and 21st in overall tax burden, Massachusetts is a great place to open a coffee shop!
Home to more than 700,000 small businesses accounting for more than 99% of all businesses in the state, the state of Massachusetts focuses on creating a business-friendly environment where entrepreneurs can prosper.
You can find a wealth of resources covering business formation and operation on the State of Massachusetts government website. This website assists small and medium-sized Massachusetts businesses with:
- Starting a business
- Taxes
- Workforce
- Choosing a legal business structure. Many coffee shops operate as sole proprietorships or limited liability corporations (LLCs).
- Getting a business license and various other licenses and permits, including local health department licenses for food establishments.
The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center also assists entrepreneurs who want to start or grow a small business. Experienced business professionals offer management advice, financial analysis, marketing support, and more.
Get a Head Start with Our Coffee Shop Startup Consultants
As a coffee roaster and coffee business consultant, Crimson Cup believes our company only succeeds when our customers do. As a result, we support coffee shop owners at every step, from concept through opening day and beyond.
A one-stop shop for independent coffee shops, Crimson Cup supplies award-winning coffee and industry-leading coffee shop equipment and supplies.
Based on the book, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert, our program covers everything business owners need to run profitable coffee shops, including:
- Writing a sound business plan
- Choosing a terrific location
- Calculating startup and operating costs
- Designing an efficient shop layout
- Choosing an espresso machine and other coffee shop equipment
- Training your baristas
- Marketing your shop to attract customers
- And much more.
Backed by over 30 years of specialty coffee know-how, our 7 Steps to Success program has taught hundreds of entrepreneurs in over 30 states how to open and run successful independent coffee shops. We love small businesses. We believe that small businesses build communities in ways that big businesses can’t and that being part of a community can be the most rewarding part of independent business ownership. To learn more about how members of our community became successful in their communities, check out our testimonials.
Massachusetts Independent Coffee Shops Open and Grow through the 7 Steps
Crimson Cup currently supports five independent coffee shops in Boston, Burlington and Stoneham, Massachusetts. With the guidance of our coffee shop consultants, one Crimson Cup customer was named one of the 12 Best Coffee Shops in Boston by New England magazine. It recently expanded to three locations in Boston!
The Well Coffee Houses, Boston, Massachusetts – Founded 2014
The Well Coffee House is a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers who desire to be a blessing to others.
The organization is an outgrowth of The Church at the Well, which was founded by Pastor Kevin Scott, his wife Christy, and Associate Pastor Matt Love and his wife Julie.
The Well’s mission is to create high-quality coffee house environments that produce opportunities to build relationships, serve the community, demonstrate love, present the Gospel, and bring glory to Jesus.
Each month, The Well donates a percentage of profits and contents of its donation jar to a new nonprofit.
The first location opened on January 21st, 2014, in Boston’s historic South Station. It closed several years later because of construction in the station.
Currently, three coffee houses serve different Boston-area neighborhoods.
- At the corner of State and Washington streets, The Well Coffee House State Street is right on The Freedom Trail next to The Old State House. It opened in 2018.
- At 173 East Border Street, The Well Coffee House East Boston sits on Central Square in East Boston.
- The Well Coffee House Everett is at 983 Broadway in Everett, Massachusetts.
The Everett and East Boston locations both opened in 2022.
With a motto of “Coffee – Love – Community,” The Well’s vision is to serve as a community gathering place:
“Today, coffee houses can be considered the modern day well. In the Bible wells served as a place to get water, socialize with others, have public meetings, listen to new ideas, hear the latest news, make public announcements, attract a crowd, serve needs, watch people and listen to prophets. The well was often at the center of the community which made it a very convenient place for public gatherings. Since all people needed water, the well served as a life source for the entire town.”
In 2020, New England Magazine named The Well one of the best coffee shops in Boston, writing:
“Named after the wells written about in the Bible that served as social gathering places, it’s fair to say that the people behind The Well Coffee House in Boston subscribe to the view that coffee-drinking can be akin to a religious experience. Indeed, the brand’s Christian mission statement extends to its status as a non-profit organization with a strong focus on helping local and global communities. First opened in the city’s historic South Station in 2014, The Well have since launched a second outlet in State Street, with both venues serving up award-winning Crimson Cup Coffee, featuring a variety of Grade 1 beans and representing the most elite coffee beans harvested worldwide. Be sure to check out their fun drink for travelers called The Freedom Trail Freeze.”
All of the coffee houses serve our award-winning coffee, as explained on the shop’s website:
“The Well Coffee House chooses to serve Crimson Cup Coffee (2016 Roaster of the Year ) products for several reasons. They have had a passion for delivering awesome coffee since 1991…Like The Well Coffee House, Crimson Cup also desires to build better communities and are always looking for opportunities to give back on a local and global scale. As a bonus, the Crimson Cup founder is a Harvard graduate.”
If you’re in Boston, we encourage you to visit The Well Coffee House! Or, watch them grow on Facebook.
Kushala Sip Coffee House – Founded 2015
Originally from Mexico and India, respectively, Kushala Sip Coffee House wners Dalia and Vinod Valencia met in Boston while pursuing master’s degrees in business.
After marrying, the couple moved to Woburn and began scouting the area for a good independent coffee house.
Eventually they found some options in Melrose and Winchester, but they always wanted to have something closer in their own neighborhood.
After gaining corporate experience, the couple also decided they wanted to work closer with the community they had come to know and love dearly over the previous few years.
They turned to Crimson Cup and our 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program to learn how to open their own independent coffee shop, which they named Kushala Sip after a Hindi word meaning happiness.
Today, Kushala Sip offers an oasis where friends and customers can gather for coffee, tea and conversation in the small town of Stoneham, just nine miles north of Boston.
“Kushala Sip’s mission is to provide a sip of happiness every day to every customer,” said Dalia Valencia. “We believe that when people feel happy they are more positive and feel energized. When we provide happiness to others, we create a virtuous circle of goodness and wellness for ourselves, and for those around us.”
Located at 335 Main Street, #101, in Stoneham, Massachusetts, their coffee house serves up a full range of espresso-based coffee drinks and fine teas as well as locally baked cookies and pastries.
Open seating and a great view into the park across the street in the Stoneham Center Commons contribute to the relaxing atmosphere.
After consulting with Vinod and Dalia on all aspects of opening their coffee shop, a 7 Steps customer growth rep from Crimson Cup traveled to Stoneham to make sure the shop’s grand opening was a success
“New people started coming in because of our grand opening,” said Dalia Valencia. “It created a lot of awareness for our store. Without Crimson Cup and the awareness generated by the event, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
“We partner with Crimson Cup because of their passion for roasting awesome coffee since 1991,” she added. “They are true coffee geeks obsessed with bringing the best coffee in the world home to you.”
The coffee, roasted by Crimson Cup, has won rave reviews from area coffee lovers.
“This is the best coffee shop ever!!!” wrote one Google reviewer. “I come here at least once a week and get the same thing—Frozen Kushala Mocha—but I’ve tried other things and they’re all amazing. My fiancé loves their iced green tea matcha drink. Sandwiches here are also 👌🏼 and just everything about the vibe and what they offer is so outstanding.”
If you’re in the Stoneham area, we encourage you to stop in Kushala Sip. Learn more on the shop’s Facebook page.
Ready to Start Your Massachusetts Coffee Shop Journey?
Begin by reading the book that put hundreds of other coffee shop owners across the USA on the road to success!
Backed by a risk-free guarantee, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee lays out a map for opening and running a thriving coffee shop serving your local community.
Inside the book, you’ll find a proven template for creating a solid coffee shop business plan, plus guidance on everything you need to get up and running.
Questions About Opening a Coffee Shop in Massachusetts?
We can help. Call 888-800-9224 to connect with our coffee shop startup consultants during regular business hours (Eastern time).
Nights and weekends, you’re welcome to fill out this form and we’ll get back to you within one business day.