Michigan Couple Set to Open New BIGGBY® COFFEE Location in Oscoda

Melanie and Jim Rowden’s desire to be their own boss, while making a meaningful impact in their community of Oscoda, Michigan, has been a driving force for them. Their passion for community involvement led them to explore various business opportunities, which is when they discovered franchising with the Lansing, Michigan-based coffee concept BIGGBY® COFFEE.

After conducting thorough research, the Rowdens made the decision to pursue their dream and are now planning to open their very own BIGGBY® COFFEE location in Oscoda later this summer. The couple’s dedication to community growth and prosperity is so strong that, despite still being in the early stages themselves, they are already considering a second location in the Tawas area.

In an interview with 1851 Franchise, Melanie and Jim shared their insights on franchising and the reasons behind their decision to choose BIGGBY® COFFEE.  

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

Melanie: I’m a nurse by trade and have my master’s degree in nursing. Jim and I decided to open a franchise because we don’t want to be working until we’re 180 years old. We were looking for something that we could bring to our community that would also allow us to give back. We wanted to be able to help employ locals, our friends and family, and help the community grow. We looked at all types of different projects, businesses and franchises. We were first introduced to the idea of franchising with BIGGBY® COFFEE through my friend, who works for BIGGBY® COFFEE. The closest location to us was about an hour and a half away, so we went to visit it. We loved it. After doing some other research, we were impressed, and that’s what pushed us to open our own location. 

Jim: I like to consider myself a jack of all trades. I’ve worked as a maintenance guy for the past 30 years for a factory here in Oscoda. I’m also a drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band called GROUNDED, and we’ve been playing in this community for 35-plus years. Melanie and I really wanted an opportunity to give back to our community, so we started looking at different options, and that’s when we discovered BIGGBY® COFFEE.

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?

Melanie: I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but I guess I didn’t understand just how much went into opening a franchise. It’s a lot of work, but we’re getting through it!  

Jim: If you’re not used to operating a franchise, it can be very overwhelming at first. But it’s definitely doable, and you get a lot of support.

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

Melanie: The reason we picked BIGGBY® COFFEE was that we thought it was something that would do well in our area. Also, we felt our community has been lacking something like BIGGBY® COFFEE for a long time. There’s one other coffee shop in our area, but it’s nothing like this. Plus, BIGGBY® COFFEE has really good drinks and food. It’s a high-quality product that everyone in our community can enjoy at affordable prices.

Jim: Our community is in need of new businesses. We really decided to do this so we could give back to our community. So far, we’ve received an overwhelming amount of support from our community. It’s been unbelievable. We’re locals here, and BIGGBY® COFFEE is a Michigan-based brand, which was another factor for us. We like the local aspect, and we can make an impact on our community by hiring people directly within the community.

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

Melanie: If all goes well with this first opening, our goal is to open a second location in the Tawas area. We both are focused on being able to embrace our community more. We want to meet everybody, know them by name and give back as much as possible. Even though we aren’t open yet, we’ve already sponsored a Veteran’s Memorial that’s going to be happening in June. We’ve already planned a fundraiser day for our grand opening, which will allow us to give back to certain organizations within our community.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Jim: The community has been really good to us, so we want to give back. And there’s no better way to do that than with BIGGBY® COFFEE.

Melanie: We both have children. We really would like to leave our kids with the ability to continue to give back to the community. At the same time, we’re building a lasting legacy for them. We want them to have choices in life.  

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

Melanie: If you love it, pursue it and do it. If you can find something that you’re passionate about, put your all into it and it won’t feel like it’s work.

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Michigan, 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” 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 340 cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Florida.