BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchisee Brings Passion for Community and Coffee to East Dundee

When Greeva Patel set out to open a BIGGBY® COFFEE franchise, it was chasing a dream she had been carrying for years. With a background in project management for a large pharmaceutical company, Patel had long envisioned opening her own café, but like many aspiring entrepreneurs, she wasn’t sure how to make the leap from the corporate world to business ownership. It wasn’t until her husband, Rhytham Dave, encouraged her to take the next step that she began exploring the possibilities.

BIGGBY® COFFEE provided the perfect opportunity. Having already fallen in love with the brand during visits to Michigan, Patel was excited to see its expansion into Illinois. Now, with her first location open in East Dundee, she is focused on building a welcoming space where customers can enjoy great coffee, meaningful conversations and a sense of belonging. With ambitions to open multiple locations in the next five years, Patel is proving that taking the leap into franchising — when paired with passion and the right support system — can turn lifelong dreams into reality.

1851 spoke with Patel to learn more about her story, her journey to the BIGGBY® COFFEE brand and her plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Greeva Patel: My husband and I are opening this together. Before this, I was a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry, and my husband is a civil engineer. He moved from New Zealand, and we decided to stay here in the U.S. I’ve worked in cafes and the food industry throughout my life, and I always had the idea of opening my own café someday. The passion was always there, but I just needed a push or the right opportunity. While I was happy in my corporate job, something in the back of my mind always wanted me to pursue my own thing. My husband was the one who really encouraged me to take that step. Coming from a family of business owners, they all told me I should give it a shot.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Patel: I had never opened a business before, so while I wanted to start my own café, I didn’t know where to begin. A franchise offers so much support in getting started. BIGGBY® has an incredible support team that helps with everything, and that gave me confidence. It’s still a lot of work, but having a proven system in place made all the difference.

1851 Franchise: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Patel: I had already tried BIGGBY® because I have friends in Michigan, so I knew I loved the brand. When I found out they were expanding in Illinois, I got really excited. The consultant I worked with was also convincing because he was opening his own BIGGBY® location — he truly believed in the brand. My cousin, who helped me through the whole process, is also working on opening her own location!

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Patel: Our goal is to keep growing. By the end of the year, we’re hoping to start working on our second location. Within the next five years, we’d love to have five stores.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Patel: My family and my husband have been so supportive throughout this whole journey. I couldn’t have done it without them!

1851 Franchise: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Patel: Make sure you know what you’re getting into, and be prepared for the investment to potentially be higher than expected. Also, don’t stress over how long it takes to open the store — it’s a process, and good things take time. No matter how much you try to control everything, some things are just out of your hands, and you have to be patient.

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Mich., was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. The brand’s cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself and Share Great Coffee help coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with names like Teddy Bear® and Caramel Marvel®, BIGGBY® COFFEE baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life they love. The “Big ‘B’” on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY® COFFEE has 430+ cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida.