Ohio Couple Gives Back to Community through Their BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

Michael and Megan Ren wanted to break into the world of franchising but weren’t sure where to start. The couple and their three children live in Solon, Ohio, and are active members of the community. The Rens knew they wanted to own their own business and use that opportunity to give back to their community, but didn’t have any prior franchising experience.

One day, Megan Ren stopped into a BIGGBY® COFFEE location in Toledo, Ohio, and it hit her. The pair loves coffee, and their local community seemed to be lacking a variety of coffee chains. With that in mind, the couple nervously contacted the BIGGBY® COFFEE corporate team, and after doing their due diligence, decided to sign a franchise agreement with the brand.

More than three years later, the Rens operate two BIGGBY® COFFEE locations, which has allowed them to become a staple in their community.

1851 Franchise recently spoke to Michael Ren about the couple’s journey into franchising and their story.

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

Ren: Before my wife and I got into franchising, I spent a few years working in financial services. We ended up getting into franchising because we were looking for new investment opportunities. Megan is from the Toledo, Ohio, area, and she would occasionally stop at the BIGGBY® COFFEE location near the University of Toledo.

She said, “Hey, why don’t we check into BIGGBY® COFFEE?” And honestly, it was a pretty quick decision for us. After we initially talked about it, we decided to contact the BIGGBY® corporate team directly. We really liked the idea of opening a coffee shop because there aren’t a whole lot of coffee choices in our area other than Dunkin’ and Starbucks.

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?

Ren: I didn’t know a whole lot about franchising beforehand. I mean, I worked in restaurants before but I never operated one. Franchising was totally new to me, but I’ve liked it so far. I like that the training is provided to you and that you’re given basically whatever you need to open and operate a store. I’ve found opening a franchise makes owning a business more approachable to new entrepreneurs. It's a lot easier when you have the support and backing from a franchisor.

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

Ren: I really like the BIGGBY® COFFEE culture and the way they encourage customers to come into their shops, make friends, share a great coffee, have fun and just be themselves. BIGGBY® also puts a lot of effort into supporting its local community, which stood out to us when we first researched the brand.

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

Ren: We want to continue growing our business and eventually, we’d really like to open one closer to our home in Solon. If everything works out, then we may open a few more. We’ll see what happens!

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

Ren: Part of the reason we got into franchising was to get more involved with and give back to our community. We’re passionate about supporting our neighbors. We have three children ourselves, so we donate to the local Parent-Teachers Association and the American Lung Association. We just love giving back, and we love supporting and taking part in local events.

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

Ren: I’ll keep it simple. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, and there will be ups and downs, but keep with it because it’s worth it.

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