Brewing Bonds: The Father-Son Legacy Driving the BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise in Michigan

Phillip and Zach Raubinger, the dynamic father-son franchisee duo behind BIGGBY® COFFEE in Howell and White Lake, Michigan, have partnered with the positive-energy coffee franchise to create a family legacy that spans nearly two decades.

Phillip and his sister originally started the family’s franchising journey back in 2006, fueled by a deep-rooted love for coffee. “My sister and I had been running coffee shops in our church,” he said. “We've always had a love for coffee — I’ve been drinking it since I can remember. We always said we’d love to have our own business. I started investigating franchises around 2006. We landed on BIGGBY COFFEE*®, loved what we saw, loved what we drank and decided to move forward with it.”

Opening their first store in Howell, Michigan, Phillip involved his young sons in the business from the start, instilling in them a strong work ethic and a love for the brand. 

Zach's path to franchising was shaped by this early exposure to the coffee shop environment and his experiences working alongside his father. His wife, Reagan, who also worked at the Howell BIGGBY® COFFEE, shared this enthusiasm, leading to discussions about expanding their involvement with the brand. Despite having a full-time job in IT, Zach saw the appeal of owning a business and, teaming up with his dad, decided to open a new store in October 2021. This new venture was a continuation of the family tradition, blending the old with the new as Phillip passed on his knowledge to ensure their success.

“Having grown up around the BIGGBY® brand, it really just felt like a natural fit,” said Zach. “As a kid, everytime I’d go to the store with my dad, I was always doing some kind of task — washing windows, cleaning dishes, etc. It really taught me about the value of hard work.” 

1851 Franchise spoke with the Raubingers to hear more about their family-driven venture, what they love about BIGGBY® COFFEE and more for a special Father’s Day franchisee feature.

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

Phillip Raubinger: My sister and I had been running coffee shops in our church. We've always had a love for coffee — I’ve been drinking it since I can remember. We always said we’d love to have our own business. I started investigating franchises around 2006. We landed on BIGGBY COFFEE®, loved what we saw, loved what we drank and decided to move forward with it. We opened our first shop in Howell, Michigan, a little over 18 years ago. We managed the store and got it up and running. My sister and my dad are also involved in the business as well. 

1851: How did you two end up working together as a family?

Zach Raubinger: I went to college for an IT background and ended up working at Ford as an engineer, but the more I worked at a corporate job, the more I realized that having that second stream of income as a business owner was a big draw. Having grown up around the BIGGBY® brand, it really just felt like a natural fit. As a kid, everytime I’d go to the store with my dad, I was always doing some kind of task — washing windows, cleaning dishes, etc. It really taught me about the value of hard work. 

Before my wife Reagan and I got married, she also worked at the Howell BIGGBY® COFFEE that we owned. In addition to me growing up around that brand and the entrepreneurial spirit, my wife also grew a love for the brand and the coffee! At the end of 2020, we started discussing the idea of teaming up with my parents to open a second store. My wife would be the manager and I’d be the owner behind the scenes. We officially opened that second location, White Lake, in October 2021. 

Phillip: Zach was just 11 or 12 at the time when I first opened my BIGGBY® COFFEE store. He and his younger brother were always at the shop, working on different things and getting to know the business. We had always wanted to open more stores, but I also have a job outside of our coffee shop, so I was hesitant to pull the trigger. I didn’t know if I’d have the bandwidth. When Zach suggested opening a second store, I realized I could just teach him everything I knew. All the lessons I’ve learned at the first store, he could just apply to the second store. It was also a great way to all work together as a family — my wife works at the store as a trainer, his wife is the manager and we are both co-owners. 

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

Phillip: We love the BIGGBY® COFFEE brand. I truly believe that it is the best product available. I’ve been in sales for many years and I always have to believe in what I am selling. I also believe in the branding and what BIGGBY® is doing as a whole. They love the people behind the coffee — the franchisees, the team members and the customers. BIGGBY® also has phenomenal support — operations, processes, marketing, etc. They support you the whole way through the process. 

Zach: Being in a franchise system, you have that independence as an entrepreneur, along with the greater support system of fellow franchise owners and the home office. Every BIGGBY® COFFEE you see, there is a family or a local franchise owner behind that location. We love that.

1851: How has it been working with family so far? 

Phillip: Overall, it's going well working together as a family. BIGGBY® is a family affair for us — we’ve been doing this all together for over 18 years. 

Zach: Our family is really good at communicating and that has been a really big benefit for us over the years. That is the main reason we've been able to be successful as a father-son team. 

For more information on franchising with BIGGBY® COFFEE, visit: https://1851franchise.com/biggbycoffee/.

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