Background
In January 2005 my cousin Judy from Seattle, WA came to visit me and my husband in Asheville, NC. As we were driving around town she asked me what I thought about opening a drive-thru coffee shop. I was completely surprised by her question. My husband had been talking about opening a coffee shop for years and I didn't want to. But we had never even considered opening a drive-thru. Once Judy explained how successful they were in Seattle I started doing some research and we felt that the time was right to open one in Asheville. We decided to open on Leicester Highway (Hwy 63). We settled on this area for a number of reasons. One being that Leicester Highway has a very high traffic count, which we need to be successful. Also the people out here are great. We lived in Big Sandy Mush for years and loved it. We opened our double drive thru in June 2005. We are a family owned and operated corporation. Our goal has been to become the place for Highway 63 commuters to get the best coffee and espresso drinks available. We have gained a large following through word of mouth advertising only. We don't even have a street sign yet, but one is coming soon. Look for us beside Capital Bank and across from Erwin Hills Hardware.
Keys to Success
We are a double sided drive thru espresso shop. We cater to people on the go with fast and personalized service. We can prepare all of the espresso drinks the "big name guys" offer only better.
We offer a great Dark French Roast as our brewed coffee. Our espresso is roasted locally so it's always fresh. Our syrups are premium from Stirling Gourmet Flavors and we use Ghirardelli Chocolate and Caramel Sauces. All of our drinks can be customized to fit individual tastes.
Target Customers
We cater to people on the go. Whether it's driving to work, getting the kids to schools, business meetings or doing errands, we're all in a hurry to get somewhere. Java Hut makes it easy to get a latte or mocha for yourself and a fruit smoothie for the kids - without ever getting out of the car. We're fast, friendly and convenient. .
Challenges Faced
We are still a young company and face numerous challenges. Cashflow is always a concern. How to provide the best possible product while maintaining a positive cashflow? We're doing it but it's a balancing act. How do we increase our customer base without increasing our advertising budget? Do we pave the drive-thru or just add more gravel?
Where We're Headed
We hope to continue in this location but only have one more year on our lease. I'm hoping the rent doesn't go up. In 5 years I hope to have another 2 shops open and increase the number of employees. I want to be the best coffee shop in Asheville, NC.
