Things I Learned In Coffee Shops

I like to learn more about marketing and business. What better place to learn these things but in a relaxing coffee shop? When it comes to marketing and advertising and design; these are the places I get inspired.

To be honest, I'm not going to coffee shops to find the best coffee around. Personally, I'm more interested in what baked goods they have to offer. *Shrug* I'm not talking about a Starbucks or a Caribou Coffee, I'm talking about a place where there's a story to be told.

A place where someone had a dream to start a business and make it their own. These are the people I look up to that work their booty off to provide an inviting atmosphere for people like me. A place that has character and something unique. A place where people can gather for a meeting, to study, or order a cold brew on the go.

There is an abundance of these quiet little getaways in Minneapolis, but the real exciting news is that I found one about 10 minutes from my little hometown in Wisconsin. It's called Revolution and it's located in Black River Falls, WI. Trust me folks, this was truly a gem I stumbled upon. If you knew where I'm from, you'd know there isn't a coffee shop like this until you travel to a bigger city like Eau Claire, La Crosse, or the TC. I was happy to sit and take it all in - but I was eager to know more.

How was this great little coffee shop thriving in Black River Falls? A population of 3,000 people where I questioned if businesses like Subway and Pizza Hut were even making the cut. Taking it all in at Revolution I noticed everything. The logo looked great, the interior design was unreal. It was so inviting and calm and not to mention, they even warm up their scones for you.

I sat there for hours at a time for two days in a row. I subtly knew the managers and the owner (perks of a small town) so before I left on the second day I decided to go for it ask to have a conversation with the owner. I asked if she wouldn't mind telling me a bit about how she started the business and what it was like to have one in a small town.

Low and behold one of her managers had connections to a marketing firm in Minneapolis and asked them to start a marketing plan for their coffee shop! It all makes sense now. The owner also owns a few other businesses in the area so of course being a busy woman, why not get a little help from an agency? She said they use social media such as Facebook and Instagram. They hold events on the weekends to draw people in as well. One of the factors that really helps is that they are not just a coffee shop, they also have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and they serve alcohol like wine and tap beer.

Her goal is to reshape the downtown life of Black River Falls. She just wants people to walk downtown and see why these local shops are trying to make a difference. She wants to show people that these businesses have something to offer and they're working hard to make a name for themselves and to connect the community.

I think it's working. It sure invited me to visit main street and not only venture into Revolution, but to make my way into the other shops I never even knew existed. I learned about someone's dream and what they're doing to make it a reality. It really magnified my appreciation for local businesses, especially in an area where it's common for businesses to fail.

Not only did I give Revolution a little bit of business for a couple days, but I gave the owner a little piece of how much I enjoyed her work and her talent. If you're ever around the area, please check it out and see what I mean!

http://www.revbrf.com/

I dare you to go to new places like this and take a break from the studying or the sipping and just whisper a little shoutout for the people who made it happen.