Colin Harmon of 3fe fame is the undisputed doyen of the independent coffee scene. He has just written his anecdotal and instructional guide What I Know About Running Coffee Shops. Here are a few of the many tips we gleaned from it:
Service: The Pennywise Investment
“If you want to improve your coffee offering, you can look to invest in grinders, beans, machines, filters and no end of other expensive gear that can easily run into thousands of euro. This may improve a coffee offering – if you know how to use it – but it will set you back a fortune and nobody will care if the service is bad.”
50¢ Security
In the aftermath of being robbed…”the next day we sent emails to the local Garda Stations and let them know that from that day on, all coffee was 50¢ if they were in uniform or showed a badge. Within a few days word had spread throughout the station and further afield and today there’s a Garda car parked outside every 20 minutes or so.”
Culture Trumps Quality Control
“The truth is that providing a quality product is not a linear process that just requires ticking boxes, As much as I love building a system that works, running a café is a much more holistic process.”
Make The Worst Cup Better
“…your focus should always be on the low bar, the average and the worst cups that go out because that is always what you’ll always be judged on. Those drinks are the easiest to improve and the most achievable today. Focusing on them will help you build a coffee business that is consistent, progressive and delicious.”
Delivery Drivers
“The truth about delivery drivers is that they are the gatekeepers to every supplier you have…if you have them on your side you have a very strong advocate.”
Be Two-Faced
“The 10% base of customers who are proper coffee nerds are incredibly important but so too are the other 90%. Finding a way to satisfy them both is an ongoing battle. The 90% will pay the bills and spend most money with you but the 10% are extremely influential.”
What I Know About Running Coffee Shops (self published)
€30
