Faith and Alex Marshall both began their journey with BIGGBY® COFFEE as baristas and worked their way up over the years to owning a franchise in Commerce Township, Michigan.

Now, they’re celebrating a major milestone: winning BIGGBY® COFFEE's Store of the Year award. 

For the Marshalls, this recognition reflects their dedication to creating a welcoming environment and building genuine connections with their community. They credit their success to their focus on relationships, both with their customers and their team, which has turned their business into more than just a coffee shop — it’s a gathering place where everyone feels like family.

1851 Franchise spoke to the Marshalls about their franchising journey with BIGGBY® COFFEE and their plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Faith Marshall: Being a barista at BIGGBY® COFFEE was my first job when I was 18 and starting college. I thought it would be an easy first job, just making coffee, but it turned out to be something I absolutely loved. I enjoyed connecting with customers, learning the science of how to make coffee and the environment that BIGGBY® COFFEE creates — it’s kind of addicting. 

I worked at four different stores over about 10 years, and my fourth and final store is the one I’m now a partial owner of. I moved up to management pretty quickly because of my experience and where the store was with staffing. Fast forward about five years of being a manager, and when we found out the owner was getting ready to sell, Alex (My husband now) as well as a regular customer named Ray, and I decided to put our hats in the ring to buy it. So, that’s how I went from being a barista and manager to an owner.

We celebrated one year of ownership in September, so we’re officially a year in and things are going well!

Alex Marshall: Before this, I actually worked at a warehouse in Plymouth, driving a hi-lo. Since I worked early hours, I was always on the lookout for coffee. I started going to the Plymouth BIGGBY® COFFEE location, where there was a really polite and engaging employee who made me fall more in love with BIGGBY® COFFEE, drifting away from Starbucks. At that time, I was working two jobs — overnights at a grocery store — and I’d go to Starbucks in the morning to have enough energy to take my kids to school and keep up with my routine. Then, I found out there was a BIGGBY® COFFEE less than a mile from my house. After going there, I became a daily regular, known as “Tan Line Boy.”

That’s where I first met Faith. Her attitude was amazing, and she really sold the brand, which made me want to come back every day. I remember thinking one day, as I pulled up behind the store, “Wouldn’t it be crazy if I ended up dating her?” I laughed it off, thinking there was no way — she seemed too smart, beautiful and just amazing overall. But I kept coming back. When the company I worked for was sold and I lost my job, I told Faith that I’d applied online. Luckily, they were looking for baristas at that time. I quickly fell in love with the job — connecting with customers, having fun, making friends and serving great coffee. It was perfect.

I moved up from barista to shift leader, then to percolator and eventually to store manager. After managing for about two and a half years, I got the opportunity to buy the store. When the old owner was ready to sell, I mentioned that I’d like to purchase it.

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?

Alex: I’d say the perception at first was a bit intimidating. Running a business seemed overwhelming, especially since I didn’t come from a business background — I was more of a worker. But once we started to learn the ropes and really got into it, things became more manageable. Randy, our previous owner, was incredibly helpful. He didn’t just treat us as managers; he taught us the background procedures and showed us how to run the store, which really prepared us for the franchise vision.

In the beginning, it was definitely a bit intimidating, but as we grew to love the job and wanted to keep learning, it got easier over time. You thrive on that drive to learn more and get better.

Faith: I think Alex put it very well. Having worked at four different stores with different owners at each one, my perception of franchising was that it was run by very smart people with extensive business experience. I always thought you needed to have a deep understanding of business to be a franchisee, which made it a bit intimidating. I knew a lot about store operations, but not as much about the business side.

However, the more I got to know the franchisees, the more I saw how transparent and open they were. Everyone was happy to help, answer questions and guide us through what it takes to become a franchisee. The BIGGBY® COFFEE community really fosters an environment where people help each other out, which makes it much easier to navigate the process.

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

Faith: I love a good quality product, and one thing I appreciate about BIGGBY® COFFEE is how Bob and Michelle [Fish] focus on farm-direct sourcing. They even bring farmers to our conventions so we can meet them, hear their stories and learn about how their farms support their communities. This gives us a chance to share with our customers how buying a cup of coffee can help support an orphanage in Zambia or a community in Mexico. It adds purpose to the product, which is really important to me because I can’t sell something I don’t believe in. Plus, I’m a bit addicted to BIGGBY® COFFEE myself!

Alex: One of the things that really attracted me to BIGGBY® COFFEE was the workers. They were always so happy and willing to help. I was one of Faith’s regulars before I started working there, and she made the experience special. She really cared — she’d ask questions and then follow up on them, always listening to whatever I wanted to share. The enthusiasm and genuine care from the team were infectious, and I felt like I wanted to be that kind of person too.

Along with the positive people, the high-quality product drew me in. I was already pretty addicted to BIGGBY® COFFEE before I started working there. It’s definitely the people and the product that make it awesome for me.

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

Alex: Our main goal is to build strong relationships with our community. We genuinely love meeting new people, making friends and finding ways to help wherever we can. At the same time, we’re growing our business through those connections. Charities, sponsorships, anything we can get involved with or support — those are all opportunities we’re excited about. It’s a great way to get our faces and our brand out there, and we’re proud to have the quality of our coffee backing us up.

We feel blessed to have the chance to contribute to our community, and the positive response we receive is incredible. We’re open to any sponsorships or events that can help spread our name and show that we’re more than just a coffee shop. We genuinely care and we want to be a real part of the community, not just in it but actively contributing to it.

Faith: And then growing from there too, with multiple locations and further reach for each store and their own communities.

1851: Let’s talk about winning the Store of the Year award at the 2024 BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise Convention. What do you believe contributed to your success?

Alex: We had actually welcomed our newborn on a Monday, and then just two days later, we walked across the stage to accept our Store of the Year award. It was a huge surprise for us — we knew we were nominees, but we didn’t expect to win. It felt amazing to see our community backing us up, just as we’d do for them in a heartbeat.

The real contributors to our Store of the Year win are our community — who took the time to fill out surveys and support us — and our amazing staff — who are always happy and willing to help and give their best. It’s a great feeling to know our hard work is paying off and we’re so proud that our store is shining, thanks to the people around us and, of course, the quality of our coffee. We’re grateful for everything that made this possible.

Faith: The coffee and the experience we create are what make our store special. Whether someone is in the drive-thru or the lobby, there’s always a personal connection being made. Like Alex mentioned, we build on these connections each day. Over time, we get to know our customers, their families and their lives. We treat everyone like they’re already our best friend, and soon enough, they really are.

Winning Store of the Year was an incredible blessing because it was a sign that our community sees the effort we put into making their days better. In return, they made our whole year better by supporting us and allowing us to be the winners.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Alex: I would say, go for it. There are many BIGGBY® COFFEE locations, but it's up to you to create the right environment and build your business with your community. You can’t just put up a building and expect people to come — it takes a lot of work, but the payoff is worth it.

With all the support from BIGGBY® corporate, previous owners, other franchisees and friends with business backgrounds, there's always help available. There are no stupid questions, and everyone is willing to lend a hand. It’s really encouraging to be part of this lifestyle. While it seemed intimidating at first, now it feels more like a natural flow.

Faith: I completely agree with everything he said, and I just want to emphasize the importance of creating the right environment for your customers. That’s really what makes the business successful. While location is important, the environment you create with your employees and for your customers is what truly matters.

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 400+ cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida.