5 Reasons Biggby Coffee is Way Better Than.....

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If you're tired of Starbucks being the master of all coffee shops in your area, Biggby Coffee is your cure. I can't lie, I do go to Starbucks often, but, sometimes, it's just hard not to find a Starbucks. They've become the Walmart of coffee. And while they do serve good coffee, they don't serve the best coffee.

Formerly known as Beaner's Coffee, Biggby Coffee started in East Lansing, Michigan in 1995. The first store had its humble beginnings near Michigan State University in an old Arby's. They are now a successful franchise with locations in 9 different states.

So, why is it so much better than Starbucks. Here are five reasons...

Taste

I'll start with the most controversial reason, because it's the most subjective. Everyone has different tastes in coffee, but every time I hear someone compare it to Starbucks, they mention the taste. They say the coffee is fresher and tastes much crisper.

Environment

Anyone can go to a Starbucks, right? True, anyone can, but can anyone feel welcome. You can walk into an Abercrombie & Fitch, but if you wearing sweatpants and don't look like a model, you won't feel comfortable. Biggby Coffee provides a very welcoming, chill environment where anyone can enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Price

Do we need to say more. Starbucks' prices are a little ridiculous. It's not like Biggby Coffee is half the price or anything, but saving money is saving money.

Transparency

This one may sound odd to you, but it's true. Starbucks will try to make you think your drinking or eating healthy in their shop. Biggby has the courage to let you know how unhealthy your coffee habit is. And, in this case, honesty is the best policy.

Punch Cards

Who doesn't love punch cards at a restaurant? You just look forward getting that last hole before your next free item. You won't see these at Starbucks.

Of course, when it comes down to it, we all love coffee and we're going to go wherever is most convenient for us at any one particular time. If you haven't tried Biggby Coffee, stop by and try them out sometime.

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Author-- Kenny_J_King,_III

This cracks me up!

Sometimes we are just not that good -- BIGGBY COFFEE

This (not so flattering) note is written tongue and cheek. It is a little painful to read out loud and acknowledge, but it's true and therefor can't be ignored. We at BIGGBY can always improve, and one of the ways we can do that is to stand up and recognize when we make mistakes. This is one of those times!

Bob

Thought you might like to have a customer's response to the fact that when one opens this email and views the July 21 thru 25th special offer, it simply does not state that this is a COUPON offer and needs to be PRINTED. In other words, it is of absolutely no value. Thanks ever so much. As a new biggby cusotmer, I've really appreciated this - I've also appreciated that my rewards card has been inaccurate and I've had to spend time on the line with your customer service department straightening that out. In addition, I really appreciated that I was a customer several times a week for 3 weeks at 3 different locations before anyone even informed me that you HAD a loyalty card. And someone might want to know that your 33 percent off mug clearance? Isn't 33 percent at all locally - rather it's buy one, get the second one half off. As a new customer, I simply cannot express how wonderful I'm finding my biggby experience.
Thanks so much,
Kate

The BIGGBY way...Strikes again :)

From my Facebook (find me at BIGGBYbob):

Good afternoon: Yesterday a group of 4-year olds from the East Lansing Childcare program were visiting MSU on a walking field trip and stumbled into a ground bees nest. The bees swarmed and feverishly stung the children. Many were stung at least once and several received over 10 stings. The Childcare Staff staff ran to the nearest location for help - the BiggBy's in the MSU Union. The BiggBy staff, without hesitation, assisted in caring for the children: providing a safe location, ice, and support to calm the children until they all could be transported back to the Childcare Center. The staff at the Union BiggBy's were amazing during this challenging event and the children all recovered completely due in large part to the quick assistance they were able to receive. Please extend our sincere gratitude to any of the staff you may see during your next visit there. I have had the pleasure of hearing you speak on several occasions and am sure that your company's philosophy of customer service contributed to their willingness to help without hesitation. With warm regard and gratitude, Wendy,Parks and Recreation, City of East Lansing

Kristen Cronkright & Matt Drier...Another BIGGBY match!

Jordan Carson - The Face of Four, Pomaberry and Orange Creme Freeze Smoothie !!

Way to Go Mary....Go Muskegon!

I joined Debbie Smith and her baristas at the BIGGBY store in Muskegon on Sunday evening to award them their trophy for winning the BIGGBY cookie selling contest. They also received shirts and gift certificates. I had a great time celebrating with her crew and sharing some pizza. What a great crew. They were already thinking about winning the next contest and as customers came in the staff would tell them about the contest and ask them to buy cookies so they could win the award again. Great job.

Mary

BIGGBY COFFEE Opens in Downtown Arlington Heights

Tim Mickelson really missed Biggby Coffee shop when it closed more than a year ago in downtown Arlington Heights. His craving for the brew prompted him to purchase a franchise.

The Arlington Heights resident recently reopened Biggby Coffee at 21 S. Dunton Ave.

"Like many others, I was upset it closed. I saw it as a great business opportunity," he said.

Customers lined up outside the shop when it opened Tuesday. Mickelson said he heard great comments about the shop's return.

"One woman said, 'I've waited over a year for this cup of coffee,'" Mickelson said.

He said he wasn't sure of the details around why the shop suddenly closed more than 12 months ago.

The store offers pastry, cookies and scones in addition to tea and hot and cold coffee drinks. A cup of coffee starts at $1.59.

In addition to the coffee, Mickelson added that customer service sets the business apart from competitors.

He added that his wife and 11-year-old son assist in operating the community-focused coffee shop.

Before starting the business, Mickelson, 41, was in commodity trading. He even traded coffee futures, but was never involved in the retail operation of the beverage.

He spent several years working in the San Francisco Bay area.

"Business took us out there and family brought us back here," said Mickelson, adding that his wife grew up in Arlington Heights.

When the Michigan-based coffee shop first opened in Arlington Heights and around the country several years ago, the stores were known as Beaner's Gourmet Coffee. The company started changing the name of the company stores in 2007 when it received complaints from customers who found the original franchise name offensive.

The switch, not provoked by lawsuits or complaints, was simply a move to avoid offending anyone, the company has said. The change didn't stunt the growth of the company as Biggby has doubled its store numbers every two years since the company began franchising in 1999.

Mickelson says it's not easy launching a new business in a down economy. However, he says that if you believe in the product, it makes the process a whole lot easier. He added that it's tough seeing other stores close down around you.

"It weighs on you," he said. "If I had not been a customer before, I wouldn't be able to do this."

The shop is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays.

GO TO Daily Herald article

BIGGBY COFFEE East Lansing -- where it all started (and continues to grow)

You know, coffee is the real thing, or, should I say, Biggby's is the real thing. With the plethora of drinks now available, by setting the menu free and allowing a profound number of items available, Biggby's, in my mind, has surpassed the competition and is forging new ground as to the meaning of "coffee shop".

If I don't buy as much from Biggby's as I maybe once did, I plead my case to the ruler of the economy, whomever that may be--I simply love to stop in but I just have to save my money at times.

In fact, Biggby's customer service is over the top and rivals Zingerman's of Ann Arbor at what you guys and gals do. Keep up the good work--and to think that it all started in East Lansing :-)

--Mark

This just in...You fixed the BIGGBY song! Yay!

I'm currently at the Biggby in Grand Rapids... I hear the Biggby song again and I was dreading having to suffer through the tone-deaf whistling part at the end of the song, when, the song suddenly stopped right before it became awful.

I'm so happy you switched the song.

Yay.

Now I don't have to cry silent tears of frustration over the crappy part of that song, I'll just cry tears of joy, or tears of deliciousness, or tears of bemusement. OK, I'm not going to cry at all, which is a good thing.

Thanks for fixing the song.

-rob