Learn how to start a coffee shop in Virginia from Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea! The award-winning coffee roaster, which has helped open over 300 independent coffee shops in more than 30 states, recently updated its online coffee shop startup guide with more tips and success stories for The Old Dominion.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Want to learn how to open a coffee shop in Virginia? Get tips on starting a profitable business in The Old Dominion from coffee shop startup experts at Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.
Through its 7 Steps to Coffee Shop Success program, Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year has taught over 300 entrepreneurs across the country how to open their own independent coffee shops.
In 2022, Crimson Cup published a series of startup guides to help entrepreneurs in each state achieve their dreams of opening their own coffee shops.
For 2023, the company’s 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team has updated its “How to Start a Coffee Shop in Virginia” guide with even more tips and resources.
“Virginia offers fertile ground for many types of small businesses, and coffee shops are no exception,” said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.
“Virginia ranks 34th among the states in the number of coffee shops per capita, with fewer than one coffee shop for every 6,593 Virginia residents. That leaves a lot of Virginians without a local coffee shop.”
Crimson Cup supports independent coffee shops in Nokesville and Stafford, Virginia. Their owners learned how to open the shops through the company’s 7 Steps program.
The program is based on Ubert’s book, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee, which he wrote to help coffee shop owners master all aspects of successful coffee shop operations.
“We help entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience become owners of thriving coffee shops serving their local communities,” he said.
“From choosing a terrific location and writing a strong coffee shop business plan to calculating coffee shop startup costs, buying and laying out equipment, hiring and training staff and more, our team is here to guide you.”
To hear about the book in Ubert’s own words, download a free recorded introduction on Soundcloud.
“As a coffee roaster and coffee business consultant, Crimson Cup believes our company only succeeds when our customers do,” Ubert said. “As a result, we support coffee shop owners at every step, from concept through opening day and beyond.”
Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee opened at 13051 Fitzwater Drive in Nokesville, Virginia in 2022. At this independent coffee shop, guests sip exceptional coffee and tea and browse an eclectic collection of handmade gifts by local artisans.
The shop’s opening fulfilled years of planning by owners Paula and Tom Millar and their family of shareholders, including daughters Becca Ferguson and Danille Lynch and daughter-in-law Jessica Millar. Son Jared Millar works behind the counter as a barista.
Paula and Tom Millar have been together since they were in high school. After Tom retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2005, they both worked in ministry and real estate.
While homeschooling their four children and leading the children’s ministry at her local church, Paula dreamed about creating a space that would combine her artistic interests and passions and allow her to share them with others.
Tom, a private pilot, often flew the couple to explore new scenes. “As we traveled, we loved to stop in the cute little independent coffee shops in the area,” Paula recalled. “Each shop has its own personality and style, and we often talked about how much we would like to put our hearts into a shop of our own.”
A rapid series of open doors brought Paula’s dream to life. In October 2020, she and daughter-in-law Jessica Millar attended a retreat for creatives in Waco, Texas. There, they received the encouragement and business coaching they needed to pursue the possibilities.
Similar serendipities led the Millars to Crimson Cup.
“We saw a presentation at Coffee Fest in Baltimore, and decided to buy the 7 Steps book,” Paula recalled. “We had that for several years and got more serious and finished reading it.”
Then, someone pointed Paula to Village Chic, a coffee shop boutique in South Charleston, Ohio. Soon, she ran across Rare Bird Emporium, a coffee-and-gift shop in Murphy, North Carolina. Both shops opened through Crimson Cup’s 7 Steps to Success program.
“We had also been going to The Grounds coffeehouse in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and realized that they also started through Crimson Cup and serve their coffee,” Paula said.
“We were coming in blind on the coffee side of things,” Paula said. “We needed someone who knows the business to tell us what to do. The 7 Steps team from Crimson Cup has been there to answer questions we didn’t even know we had!”
7 Steps Trainer and Project Manager Steve Bayless visited the shop the week before the soft opening to train Paula and her team in drink preparation and all aspects of coffee shop management.
Paula found two of the steps especially valuable. “Step 3, the layout, was really, really important from the get-go,” she said. “Step 5, training, amazed even my daughters who have worked in a coffee shop before. The level of detail and the way Steve taught us how to do it just amazed us.”
“I think a person would be crazy to do this without the hand-holding Crimson Cup provides,” she added. “You want to start with the wow factor, and we’ve been able to do that with their help.”
Today, Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee offers a warm, friendly place to connect over terrific hot, iced or blended coffee drinks and local baked goods.
Paula, Tom, and the rest of their family invite everyone in Prince William County and beyond to visit Vita Nova, which means “new life” in Latin.
“We’re really excited to be in the community,” Paula said. “There’s not a great gathering space around here, so I love that our friends and neighbors can come in and connect in a creative, bright, family-oriented space.”
Shoppers will find a wide selection of unique apparel, gifts, furniture and home décor. The space also enables local artists express their creativity through a large stock of paint and art supplies.
“Although the fundamentals of coffee shop operation remain the same from state to state, the economic opportunities, business formation and licensing requirements vary widely,” Ubert said. “We’re excited to share information and resources to help entrepreneurs expedite their startup journey.”
He invited anyone who is thinking of opening a coffee shop in any state to call Crimson Cup for guidance.
“If you run into any roadblocks or just want to discuss your vision with a coffee expert, you can reach our startup team by calling 1-888-800-9224.”
About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
Founded in 1991, Crimson Cup is at the forefront of the coffee industry. Its attentive roasting, startup support and global partnerships are consciously designed for the greater good of communities around the world. Among other significant recognitions, the company has earned 2023 Double Gold awards at the Aurora International Taste Challenge, 2020 and 2017 Good Food Awards, the 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.
Crimson Cup travels the world searching for the perfect cup – driven by meaningful relationships, honesty and a shared vision for the future. Its Friend2Farmer initiatives foster respect and decency through mutually beneficial collaboration across local and global communities.
Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs how to open and run independent coffee houses in their local communities.
Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 300 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across more than 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also owns several Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and the CRIMSON coffeehouse and retail store in Easton Town Center. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com,.
Pull Quote
“I think a person would be crazy to do this without the hand-holding Crimson Cup provides. You want to start with the wow factor, and we’ve been able to do that with their help.” – Paula Millar, Owner, Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee
Media Contact
Cheryl Claypoole, Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, 614-361-5023, [email protected], https://www.crimsoncup.com
SOURCE Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
