Friday, May 30, 2008

BIGGBY COFFEE - Lansing

It was great...I just visited the Waverly location...and it was the perfect visit! It made me very Happy! Tressa and Deena were awesome...I watched them customer after customer do the right thing! Everybody was leavin' in a good mood....I couldn't have asked for more. I had a chance to buy a few drinks for regular customers (I buy if they know their name or their drink.) I took a moment to interview the crew but was cut short by a slurry of customers...take a look....Thanks Guys...and I'll be back :)

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The gang at Fuller... :)

Had a great time....these guys are great! Ya' gotta stop in...!

BIGGBY COFFEE -- FULLER St. Grand Rapids

Boy-O-Boy, have I been needed a dose a' BIGGBY COFFEE! I didn't know it until just this moment how much so....I anxiously pulled out of my drive this morning, thinking about getting to Steve's store here in Grand Rapids on Fuller St. (the sky is blue and the sun is shining strong...still a little cool though), and the closer I got the better I was feelin'. I took a coupla' phone calls along the way...and before I knew it I was there. I hopped outta' the car...and right away I gotta "hey Bob"...it was Brian from Ferris...he had read my blog this morning and guessed where I'd be! We chatted for a moment in the parking lot...and then I hussled inside I got the greetin' of a lifetime...it's the BIGGBY way, ya know? I ordered an Iced Caramel Marvel...I been missin' them....sat down and fired up my laptop only to find a comment from my post this morning from Nina...it made my day (you gotta read it!) She gave me a link to a something she wrote and now I am in BIGGBY heavan Note from the OFFICE thanks Nina!!!

I've just finished my Caramel Marvel...and I'm going to go interview some of the staff...I won't find Steve here...he and his wife just had a baby...Isabel, Congratulations!! baby Izzy

I'm Back...and I'll be on the road again!

Whew! It was good to have some personal time, but I am glad to be back....I've missed my MJ....I already had a big pot this morning:) I know where I want to go this morning...Can you guess? I'll be there about 10am...see you there.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Lot's of good coffee here....but no Caramel Marvels

I miss BIGGBY COFFEE and can't wait to get back and visit Steve's location...talk to you next week.

Thinking of all things BIGGBY, Bob

Friday, May 16, 2008

Leaving on a Jet Plane...Grand Rapids Opening

I'll be outta' commission for a while (9 days)...I'll be traveling on personal time and spending some moments where I grew up. I will be visiting my old High School ASL (anybody else go there?), I also went to West Bloomfield High for the 9th grade WBHS (77/78...a long time ago!)

So I will be visiting friends I haven't seen for a while...and I will try to touch base when I can...till then, I wanted to let you know about a store opening in Grand Rapids...this is part of the Antaya clan and they will be opening store #211 on May 20th on 365 Fuller Avenue NE Find a BIGGBY LOCATION....I won't be there for this one....but I will be checking in to see how it went!

Have fun Steve! ...and I'll see ya' when I get back.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Getting a buzz...a little survey

We have been workin' on a couple of energy based drinks to roll out this August.

These would be beverages where the base of the drink would be a branded canned energy drink (there are some wild ones) :) or alternatively, where we simply add to any beverage that is currently on our menu, the elements that make up the 'energy' in canned drinks that are already out there (you know like Red-Bull, Monster and such...)

Anyway let me know which 'energy' brand is your favorite in the survey on the right...and then leave me a comment about what direction you think we should take with these new energy drinks....Thanks!

BIGGBY COFFEE -- Mason MI -- Grand opening Day

Yep. yep...that's right...they opened!

I was excited about goin' to Mason, cuz they got that BIGGBY energy! I arrived about 8:30am and stayed till about 10am.

These guys are opening with a bang...and it's no surprise...quality community, quality operator, DYNAMIC location....

I'm all jazzed up, but ya' just can't help it, when ya' get around the BIGGBY WAY. It was hard, but I finally got Lori to sit down for a few minutes (that woman just wants to work, ya'know?) but that's the kind of work ethic you find in a BIGGBY Franchisee...So, listen to Lori and find out how it's been goin' I'm very proud of these guys, the work they have done, and the community support that they have received....Watch and have Fun!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Mason MI-- Opening May 13th

On April 29th I visited the Mason Store under constuction Watch Video and here we are about two weeks later and they are rarin' and ready to go! I am excited about this opening cuz' the operators are, the town is...and as everybody is tellin' me...'it's a beautiful store.'

I'll be there tommorrow sometime around 9am...if you see me I'll buy ya' a drink and we'll chat a while....till then!

A Corporate Day...turning good anyway :)

So here I am doing my duty at the B-Heard Hotline, and I hear this laughter and good spirit comin' from somewhere deep in the halls of the corporate office. I go back to catch a little of that good juju...only to find Tammy and Julia (franchisee(s) store #246 on the BIGGBY MAP ), workin' with Mary on the final countdown for their store opening in Big Rapids MI...I had a chance to ask'em a few questions...check out their BIGGBY energy and excitement!

An article on Fenton MI

A quick read...on Fenton BIGGBY COFFEE... Tri County TImes

Rainy Sunday....BIGGBY TOLEDO

KraZyKat talks about Sunday Morning...I can feel it....getting away from 'it', at BIGGBY... Rainy Sunday

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Blood Sugar Issues

Wow...I’ve been in GR all day visiting with a bakery located in the downtown area. I have sampled so much that my blood sugar is all out of whack! Those guys were quite awesome and it feels like there might be an opportunity to do a little business.

I have really enjoyed the discussion on organic milk in the last few days and the many other thoughts and recommendations that have been coming in...giving me a lot to think about. Somebody mentioned Stevia...something we use in our household...so I am quite excited by much of the feedback.

I am particularly excited too by the idea of a green cup….keep talkin’ 

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Vote about change...is it time for some organic?

Yes, your vote does count!

I was discussing in a post earlier this week Discovery Day and Organic Milk the idea of offering organic milk as an option, like we do with 'soy milk' or 'skim milk.' The only issue with it is that there would have to be a premium charge for it, in the range of .30 to .50 cents....perhaps a little less appealing than if it were included in the price of the drink.

I just have the sense that customers are ready for this...I mean, you see more and more organic options all the time at the grocery store, and even I tend to buy more organic items for home. Milk makes up at least 80% of many of our beverages, and has many more issues than just whether it's the simple version of organic. Milk has other hormones added for increased production, and so on.

So the question is simply, not whether we should go all organic, but should we offer it as a 'premium choice' for those that want it....take a vote and let me know!

If that's not all that you want to say about it, drop me a line in a comment below...I always appreciate it.

The real deal....Opening Day in Fenton, with Laurin!

This unedited video reflects the passion and energy that our operators have.

For Laurin, this is a dream come true...but this dream was full of obstacles...none of which stood in her way. Laurin was approved as a franchisee based on our belief in her steadfastness....it is with great fondness that I have the opportunity to conduct this interview...it is with honor that I stand in front of her on opening day.

Congratulations Laurin...you know who you are, and we love it!

Novi Opening...

Take a look at the pictures on the right....what a crew, fun, fun, fun....and a little tired too. it taked a lotta energy to get a store open, and these guys are doing everything just right. Lot's of smiles, lot's of energy...and I can't tell you how many people are coming in and saying they are excited that this location is here. They seem to know all about it...maybe from East Lansing, maybe from somewhere in Metro Detroit area...it's pretty cool.

'Course I gotta fly now, and get down the road towards Fenton...and see Laurin....catch me there (if you can)!

More updates later, till then...Bob

Dave spreads the word...

I was surfin' around and found this blog, by Dave Lambert...wishing that someone would open a BIGGBY COFFEE in Troy MI Franchise Seminar click here for more... :)

Monday, May 5, 2008

Where is Bob?

I rarely give out my destinations, but tomorrow is another special day….well for that matter it’s already been a special week (with the opening of the Atlanta store on Saturday)….but, back to tomorrow….I will be at the store #187 for it’s Grand Opening in Novi…and then I will be heading off to Fenton (#181) for it’s Grand Opening (map them here )...all that has to get done before 1pm where I am due back for my shift at the B-heard Hotline (do you know about it?)…so I’ll be getting up bright and early for my pot-o MJ, and then blowing out first thing.

If by chance, you end up at one of those openings let me buy you a drink (the caffeinated kind)…and we’ll chat for a while, K?

Till then, Bobontherun :)

A blogger who get's it....

The other day I stumbled across a blog written by Brian Kelly, and I wrote about it... Feelin' the Sparkle

I checked back on Brian and he had written more (see below)...I love it!

Now he mentions somethin' about me being a busy CEO and all...and I've got that question more than once. I have some thoughts on that though...it's true I'm busy, but never too busy for our operators or our customers...and they are all that matter. I know, I know there are CEO's out there that spend a lot of time sitting behind a desk, or havin' lunches, or doing other said important things....I think all that is a bunch a bally-hoo. the only thing that matters is what's goin' on out there....in the real world. That's why I don't have a desk...I would rather sit in a BIGGBY store anyday and watch what's goin' on (my phone and my email work where ever I go).....the stores are where it's at, ya'know? Some folks in this industry aren't payin' attention to the people....if you don't pay attention to the people and ya' sit in your 'ivory tower', you get lost....you forget what your doing and why your doing it...I could give you a couple of examples of who I'm talkin' about, but I won't...it's not the BIGGBY way.

People connecting and understanding people....that's where it's at Brian, so again thanks for takin' the time....You are awesome!

Sparkle-ling Out of Obscurity

By:.Brian Kelly

I started this blog on a whim last November not knowing if I would keep at it very long. Or better yet if anyone would actually find it (much less read it).

That said, I've been amazed that people sometimes mention a specific entry when I bump into them in person. My stats page now says over 500 unique people stopped by in the last month and generated 1200+ page views. That's way more than I ever dreamed possible.

But my previous "Sparkle" post about a sign I saw in a Biggby Coffee shop illustrated how the web is both a vast wasteland AND a very, very small world at the same time.

"Sparkle" received a brief comment from the Co-founder and CEO of Biggby Coffee himself...can you imagine that? He's obviously a busy guy and focused on expanding his coffee empire (which I'm happy to help finance one cup 'o joe at a time). He seems like a positive guy from his blog and for me it put a face to a fast growing Michigan-based franchise.

So just like that...we're connected in a small way.

I am very amused by all of this and the limitless connectivity of the web. You never know who's out there paying attention (or stumbling upon) your site. Thanks for checking in now and then. I'll strive to keep this little blog going

Frenching ze Roast

I was at the roasting facility today; to conduct a tour for 'Discovery Day'...I had a chance to spend time with Paul in the last few minutes of a batch of BIGGBY French Roast.

Did you know that coffee 'pops' twice in the roaster a lot like popcorn does...you can hear it when I pull in for a close-up at the 'viewing window.' Coffee doubles in size when roasted and explodes out of a cellulose sheath....causing the popping sound. The by-product of this is 'chaf'....much like a light version of a pop corn kernel...

Watch and see coffee in the last few minutes of production... :)

Tip it, tip it good!

kung fu fighting



Intelligence

Discovery Day and Organic Milk

I came back from SCAA last night....and was up bright and early again to attend Discovery Day, 'course not too early to have my pot-o MJ (my fav.) We served drinks in the training center to about 14 people...looks like a very dynamic crowd! I have some time to punch things out until 1 o'clock and then I will be conducting a tour through the roasting facility.

Jeremy asked what I saw at the SCAA?...and although much is on the QT...I can feel the consumer interest to look at organic milk as an option for customers. I don't think that everybody is yet willing to pay the premium that it would cost to serve all organic milk, but I think we might be reaching a point in time that for an additional charge there are those customers that would want organic as a choice (no different than offering Soy as an option.)

I see the organic section in grocery stores gaining more and more space....I see Whole Foods and Trader Joes, taking more market share all the time....even I buy organic foods for the most part.

We are gathering more info on this for now, but until then....what do you think about offering organic milk as a paid option?

Saturday, May 3, 2008

SCAA and BARBCO

It's Saturday morning....and after a full Friday at work, I flew into Minneapolis MN ('bout midnight) for the Specialty Coffee Association of America SCAA Trade Show ...it will be short and sweet, not much mucking about....I'm on a mission (1 day only) to find the best for our customers, at the best value for our operators. That's it...simple, but that's the way it is with us, Ya'know?

On another note...find out more about the artist that has been responsible for award winning design for BIGGBY COFFEE Barb...artist extrordinaire ....we love you Barb!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

BIGGBY KaZOO on Flickr

Thanks Mike...just an idea, ya'know?

BAB :) click it

A2 LEBOWSKY click it

BIGGBY COFFEE -- FENTON (coming soon)

I took a swing by Fenton MI today...4009 Owen Rd Fenton, MI 48430 to be precise....Store 181 ( go to BIGGBY LOCATIONS )....it's opening next week, on Tuesday May 6th....Yahoo!

It was a great drive....and when I arrived it was chock full of energy...training was running full tilt....customers were coming in already....and nothing but smiles all around...Pretty cool!

I caught Steve and John there....both franchisees working on their locations, but training on how to open and such, for their stores. I love how people work together in this system, check out what they have to say about it...



PS...You can see the training going on in the background (Sarah)...it's somethin'!

Another store opening on the same day is #187...Grand River Ave & Novi Rd Novi, MI 48375...Waltersdorf family...Great people! I will be visiting both these stores on opening day...if you see me there...I'll buy...till then