Three Friends-Turned-Business-Partners Venture Into Franchising With BIGGBY® COFFEE

Brandon Davis’ entrepreneurial spirit took hold early on; while he was studying business in college, he and his friend and track teammate Kenton Rivard joined forces and started their own camper rental business. The two are pairing up once again, this time with the addition of a third business partner and military veteran, Michael Burrus, to pursue a new venture with BIGGBY® COFFEE.

Davis had been researching various brands for years, eyeing up BIGGBY® and waiting for the perfect moment. What does he love most about the brand? The coffee, of course.

“Everybody loves coffee, including myself,” he said. 

As he takes the helm of his new business, Davis looks forward to building a sense of community connection in his neighborhood coffee shop.

"We want people to know we are just their neighbors opening a coffee shop. While we have a nationally recognized name, we are a mom-and-pop store, and we want to know everyone’s name." 

1851 Franchise spoke with Davis about his journey into franchising and his plans for the future.

FEATURE QUESTIONS

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

Davis: I went to college at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. While I was there, I studied business and also ran track. I always had an idea that I wanted to be involved in the sales and business world. 

While I was in college, Kenton and I opened up a camper rental business, and we've been doing that for probably about four or five years now. Additionally, I have worked in the automotive industry for a few different suppliers since I was 20, starting out as an intern. 

I've been interested in getting into franchising for a while because I know the concept offers a lot of support while still allowing you the flexibility of being your owner. BIGGBY® COFFEE had everything I was looking for, which was low food and good coffee. Everybody loves coffee, including myself.

I had been thinking about it for a few years, and my prior colleague Mike approached me about going businesses together. I mentioned BIGGBY® and then we brought Kenton onboard because he was already one of my business partners.

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?

Davis: I knew the concept allowed for franchisees to be local owners with home office support. I see it as more of a small business now that I’m in it than I did before, but I think that is very specific to BIGGBY®. 

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

Davis: Coffee is always popular and I knew the equipment involved in the concept, because I had been to several locations, and the staff needed to operate the business. I didn’t want to run a high food store; BIGGBY® COFFEE’s food options are simple which is perfect.

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

Davis: We are just focusing on opening up the doors right now. We want to get a good staff on board and getting them trained up to serve the community. We hope to expand in the future, but we will continue to work in a methodical way to remain a friendly, community-based location. We don’t want to open a ton of stores and lose that community feel; we want to be connected to the community we serve.

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

Davis: We want people to know we are just their neighbors opening a coffee shop. While we have a nationally recognized name, we are a mom-and-pop store and we want to know everyone’s name.

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

Davis: Be ambitious and don’t be afraid to ask questions. 

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