We would put the roaster front and center of the store, like this:
The aroma of roasting coffee would blanket downtown, tempting people, drawing them toward us. The smell inside the shop would be irresistible.
The feel would be classy, cozy, Main Street USA--the complete opposite of a national chain. Original oak floors from 1904, telling the story of the many prior incarnations of this building: county law library, bakery, steam laundry, newspaper. Comfortable seating, tons of natural light, tables not crammed together too tightly.
The staff would be warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about coffee. By the third visit they would know your name and your favorite drink, and probably have it started for you before you could reach the counter.
Coffee would be individually brewed to order. Why, because coffee of this caliber is not a commodity and it deserves to be treated with care and served fresh. Our customers deserve this--and once they've experienced it, will have a hard time settling for anything else.
Will they be willing to wait for an individually brewed cup made specifically for them? If they won't, there are literally dozens of places nearby serving up the same old burnt stale commodity coffee. We think people deserve better, so we'll stick to one cup at a time.
There would be merchandise, carefully curated and narrowed down to the best products that we have tested, that we believe in, that we can stand behind without fail. Guests will be able to see them, touch them, demo them, before buying.
It would be a community hub, a gathering place, a business partner that gave back generously to the community that supports it.
And finally, it would be judged by three vital standards: Was it delicious? Was it fun? And was it a great place to come to work every day?