Local coffee shops often brew up more than just an ordinary cup of coffee. They will incorporate creative and unique differences to set them apart from chain coffee companies or competing local coffee shop businesses. Let’s look into two locally owned coffee shops within the Cedar Valley, Sidecar Coffee and Cup of Joe, and what makes them stand out.
LOCATION:
First, the location of a coffee shop makes local coffee unique. Sidecar Coffee was a brand established in 2012. While this shop started out with only one shop, it has since grown into owning five different locations sprinkled throughout the Cedar Valley area. This helps customers to have a convenient location close to where they are in their day-to-day life. No matter if a customer is on UNI’s college campus, driving to work in downtown Waterloo, or getting groceries at Walmart they are able to pick up a latte from Sidecar.
Cup of Joe is located on Main Street. This helps to give off an even greater local vibe. The shop is in the center of downtown Cedar Falls and is surrounded by other local businesses. Cup of Joe has also been around for 30+ years in the same location, adding a sense of nostalgia and customer loyalty to the shop.
FLAVOR:
Second, the flavor of coffee shops makes local coffee unique. Sidecar has signature drinks that locals love. For example, some of the most popular of their signature drinks are the Christopher Robin, Optimist, Pessimist, Frank Sinatra, and Harry Styles. The list goes on and on. This coffee shop has the stand-out drinks down to perfection.
Cup of Joe also has drinks unique to their shop. The names of these drinks are the Highlander Grog, Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl, and Chocolate Almond Junkie. These drinks differ from Sidecar’s signature drinks which entices customers to find their favorite drinks at each location.
ROASTS:
Third, the roasts at coffee shops make drinking local coffee unique. Another thing that sets Cup of Joe apart is their mission to keep the consumer’s tongue on their tip-toes. Every three months, the store switched out its roasts. Coming from someone who loves local coffee shops, this is something I have never heard of. Cup of Joe is dedicated to giving the customer a variety of options.
Sidecar has a roastery within Cedar Falls to keep the beans coming. Their blends are mixed at each shop everyday. The baristas pick a light and dark roast out unique to each location to start the day off. This helps customers to try a variety of different roasts and keep customers wanting to come back for new exciting blends to satisfy their taste buds. Some of the roasts include Ethiopia guiji, Guatemala Huehuetenango, Almost French, Tanzania, and their iconic stand-alone, kick-start espresso.
Rachel Clayberg
Morgan