After years working in IT, this food-industry veteran has found a brand that speaks to him personally and professionally as he builds for his future
When a new Just Love Coffee cafe franchise opens in Shelby Township, Michigan, later this year, it may have some extra tech-oriented bells and whistles. That’s because owner Olsi Kapoli is a longtime IT veteran with time at General Motors and Hewlett-Packard under his belt. Before he got a degree in information systems and security, however, the Albanian native had a long history working in restaurants — and he is eager to return.
What got you thinking about a return to food service?
As I have been working in IT, I have also been working in the food industry in various capacities. I’m 33 and probably have been working in restaurants for half my life. My father’s cousin had a coffee shop in Albania, so I have seen that part of the industry up close. I also did some bartending, and after moving to the United States I worked at some chain restaurants as a server, bartender and manager while I was going to school. I’ve even worked at a golf club restaurant.
Whenever I would stop working in food service and just do IT work, I found I missed the interactions with people. I like talking to different people, and I like working in the food and beverage industry. So I began looking around to see what options were out there in terms of owning my own operation.
What part of owning a Just Love Coffee cafe appealed to you?
My wife and I purchased an apartment as a real estate investment, and then we decided to begin growing a real estate business. It’s great, but it’s not what I wanted to focus on. Then we thought about owning our own restaurant because my mom is a great cook. We were looking at something that would be cheese and meat platters, beer and wine, something not found in the local market. We fiddled with a menu, began looking around — and realized it was going to be too expensive.
You often see new restaurants, even great ones, go under because of all that expense. My wife suggested looking at franchising, and while I liked the idea I didn’t want to open another location of anything that was already here. We certainly don’t need another Starbucks or Subway. I wanted something interesting, and when I began searching I found Just Love. It caught my eye immediately; I didn’t even think it was a coffee place at first!
There are lots of places to get coffee; how is Just Love different?
As I researched the brand, read information and watched videos from the founders, I really liked what they were all about. And then when I began looking at the food, I fell in love with the waffle idea — we don’t have that in the Detroit area, so I would be bringing something new here. I reached out and spoke with some franchise owners, and then I spent some time in Nashville and was just amazed. It’s not just a coffee shop; it’s a place to meet friends, to have a meal, to even listen to entertainment. It’s so welcoming and so different from other coffee-bar concepts that are out there.
How else do you think Just Love stands out?
It doesn’t churn customers. They come, are welcomed and hang out as long as they like. Just Love uses mugs; I love that. My wife and I loved Friends, and a big thing about that coffee-shop set, Central Perk, is that they used mugs and silver, not cheap throwaway stuff. It feels like an authentic, friendly place and not just another coffee place or restaurant.
What else about Just Love’s onboarding process eased your mind?
Everyone we met with was so eager to help. We had help with finding a great location, and also with the next steps of hiring builders and getting the location ready. My favorite part has been getting the sign up, because we’re in a busy area and want people to know something great is coming! I also am very reassured by all the conversations we’ve had about training, not just for ahead of time but during and after we open, so that we have all the operations down and everything runs smoothly from the outset. Everyone has been very generous with their time and attention, and we are just so eager to be open and serving our friends and neighbors.
After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee is an ideal investment for new or experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
High-visibility franchise locations create consumer interest as well as business opportunities for entrepreneurs who want a scalable, on-trend brand
A good location is foundational to business success. While that’s true for most any kind of operation, it’s especially valid in the booming coffee-shop sector, where even the best-known brands can struggle if they’re not in front of consumers. That’s why Just Love Coffee Cafe’s continued growth in its hometown of Nashville serves as a model for continued expansion nationwide.
“We’ve been able to go from one coffee cafe franchise to several thanks to strong franchise owner partnerships, and also because of very aggressive and focused work on finding the right real estate,” says Kevin Bauerle, Director of Franchise Development. “As a relatively new brand, we wanted to build our strategy for growth in major markets here at home, and that’s been going very well.”
Creating territories with multiple opportunities
The goal for every Just Love Coffee cafe franchise, regardless of community size, is to be in a market where it can draw from residential areas, nearby businesses and even entertainment venues as much as possible. That creates a steady stream of business throughout the day and evening, setting the franchise owner and his or her team up for ongoing revenue vs. unpredictable peaks and valleys.
“If you’re in the center of things, people are going to gravitate to you,” Bauerle explains. “In Nashville, we have a Just Love franchise location that benefited from the nearby CMA Music Festival downtown, for instance. That’s not going to be the case everywhere, of course, but finding the optimal real estate in terms of steady business is a major factor for our search teams when they work with new franchise owners.”
Metro growth can be replicated in suburban areas
Just Love Coffee cafe franchises also are popping up in suburban areas adjacent to major metro markets. They too are benefiting from this targeted approach to real estate based on population and other research metrics.
“In a suburban area, we know that we’re going to pursue shopping areas that see all-day foot traffic,” Bauerle says. “Those with multiplexes and other entertainment venues are ideal, because they bring people in outside the 9-to-5 window. When we establish a franchise location in those kinds of areas, those owners will see the same kind of benefits that their urban counterparts do.”
After the launch of two successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
Philanthropic efforts are a year-round endeavor for a business that’s built on a culture of creating engagement and opportunity for worthwhile organizations
Listing the ways that a Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise stands out in the coffee-shop landscape could take a while. A big one, however, and one of the brand’s founding principles, is helping nonprofits find support and grow.
“We began as an online business to help families fund their adoption journey, and so from the beginning we wanted to be a company that could help good causes,” says Rob Webb, founder. “As Just Love began to take off in physical locations and then become a franchise opportunity, that has only continued.”
Socially minded enterprise builds awareness
Just Love franchise owners often partner with local nonprofits and charities for a specialty promotion that highlights what that group is and does. Some of those are national or even international causes, while others are more local in nature. Whatever the case, they allow Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owners to be more than a local business, but a true community partner.
“We say we help people ‘caffeinate their fundraising,’ and that’s very exciting for us,” Webb says. “There are so many wonderful organizations out there, and Just Love franchise owners love that they can be a part of something much larger while they also are operating and growing a successful business.”
Brand benefits from engaged customers
Fundraising helps franchise owners in two ways: One, it ties them into an organization’s communications network, including social media, websites and emails that will highlight Just Love’s role in the endeavor. And second, when a nonprofit’s supporters come into a Just Love for the first time, they are won over by the unique, relaxed vibe they find and soon become regulars.
“Many people will hear about a promotion and visit a Just Love franchise to pick up the beans in person,” Webb explains. “When they do, the find a place that’s friendly, has great coffee and wonderful food, and where they feel welcomed and valued. Then the franchise owner has not only made a sale, he or she has expanded their customer base. It’s a great opportunity for everybody.”
After the launch of several successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
Family-friendly, fun vibe sets Just Love apart from other players in the booming coffee cafe franchise sector, as these Austin owners are finding out
Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owners come from all walks of life — that’s one of the amazing things about the business. It has a strong appeal to all kinds of people, both as customers and as franchise owners. For Austin, Texas, residents Chad and Marie Talley, the idea of owning a business that fit in beautifully with their lifestyle and community was too good to pass up.
What led to your decision to open your own small business?
Chad: I’ve been working for Dell for the past 11 years and currently am a Director of Global Process Engineering. I have a strong management and business background, and I also teach and mentor a college and career class at our church. I wanted to find a way to combine my experience and mentoring in a way that would also work as a business. Just Love offers us that.
Marie: I also work with Chad as a mentor for young adults and have spent the past 10 years at home with our four children. My background is as an operations manager, including time overseeing the planning, purchasing and logistics of a robotics company. Like Chad, I wanted to bring the skills I have developed to a business that we would own, but that would also be a meaningful space for ourselves, our friends and community.
How did you find out about the Just Love Coffee Cafe brand?
Chad: We had been talking about opening our own business and were really just toying around with the idea — we hadn’t settled on any particular concept or what that would look like. I had a work-related trip planned in Nashville, and so I was doing some searches to find activities in the area where I’d be staying. I came across one of the Just Love locations there, and after visiting I found out there were franchising opportunities. From there, the pieces began to fall into place.
What made Just Love stand out for you?
Chad: We like that Just Love is integrated into the communities where it has locations. It’s a part of something, and we want to have a business that ties into our relationships with schools, friends, church and everything else. Now our work life can be a part of that larger picture.
Marie: I like the heart of it. We had talked about starting a coffee shop, but nothing beyond that as an idea. When we saw Just Love, both in terms of what it started out doing and what it looks like, we realized that it was very close to what we would want our business to look like. Why recreate the wheel? These people weren’t just serving coffee, they were serving the community. They want to better the community. We saw what they believed, and it matched completely with what we wanted.
How do you see your business plugging into your community?
Chad: So many ways. One big aspect of Just Love is “coffee with a purpose.” They began with the premise of helping people with adoption and have grown to be supportive of so many other worthy organizations. At the same time, they have built a business model that is financially rewarding to franchise owners. We see ourselves doing the same thing, on a smaller level, with the many community groups here that need support. We’re passionate about helping others, and we want people to have a place where they also can support their own passions. The culture of Just Love matches the culture that Marie and I want to grow; it’s more than just offering a product, but what they’re all about.
How has the corporate team engagement helped?
Chad: They have been a fantastic resource. We’ve been looking at several sites, and they were with us as we closed in on a location in the North Austin area. We are glad to have that support, because I am still working at my Dell job and Marie is still shifting back into workforce mode and still focused on our children. This is a big life transition for us, and they are helping us so that anything we face doesn’t create bigger challenges. Now we’re gearing up to get open this fall and are so excited about what’s next for us and for Just Love in Austin.
After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee Cafe is an ideal investment for new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of an exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
The opportunity to venture out on his own and build a family-friendly business was all the incentive this busy health care professional needed to get started
For some people, entrepreneurism runs deep. Like with Minaj Patel, a new Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owner in Pooler, Georgia, a bustling community near Savannah. Even though he’s been a busy and successful pharmacist for 10 years, he looks back fondly on the several years he and his family owned and operated a sandwich franchise — and he says he has been eager to have another business that’s entirely his own. When he and his wife, Mona, discovered Just Love, he knew they’d found their next opportunity.
What has led you back to owning and operating a business?
We enjoyed owning the restaurant but needed to sell it when I was in pharmacy school and had to move to Florida to complete my pharmaceutical training. Once I received my license, we moved back to Georgia and started our family. Since then we have been busy with children, and I have been enjoying my career as a pharmacist. But now the children are about to be in school full-time, and so my wife was starting to look around for opportunities. With Just Love, I will be able to continue working as a pharmacist, while she and I will both own and operate the cafe.
What helped Just Love stand out among your options?
As we began to look at franchise opportunities, we saw a lot with very high operating costs. The investment needed for many brands was beyond our range, entirely too high. The Just Love initial investment, however, was a figure that we felt we could afford through our own savings and a loan. The money aside, we looked at the business itself and thought it was so nice. We came to Nashville and toured the Brentwood location, which is a wonderful combination of modern and traditional. It was the little things: You go to some major chains and get coffee in a paper cup. At Just Love, you get a cup and saucer. We liked the authentic feel and modern vibe.
How has the onboarding process been?
The corporate team has been a huge help. They have come in to meet with us and our real estate broker, making sure that we find just the right spot. We are talking at least once a week and emailing continually, and if I need anything I get a response very quickly. They are a great resource not just as we work on our real estate, but also as we secure loans and all the other tasks needed to get set up. Now our lease has been finalized, and we’re looking to open in October or November.
How do you think Just Love is going to go over in your community?
People are going to really enjoy it. Just Love Coffee Cafe is so different; there are a lot of coffee shops, sure, but at others you go and wait in line, or wait at the drive-through, give your order and just go away. Here you’ll order, and then we bring everything to your table. And the food is very exciting! We love that we can make anything, even omelets, on the waffle iron. Nobody around here has anything like that, and the fact that we can offer breakfast, lunch and dinner means we can do business all day long. This is a unique concept, and nobody else here has the menu and feel that Just Love does.
After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of an exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
Local and national media remain fascinated by how Just Love began with a simple idea and has evolved into a booming national franchise concept
Doing media interviews is par for the course when you’ve founded a successful business concept that’s shaking up the way things are done (or “disrupted,” to borrow some Silicon Valley speak).
That’s been the case for Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise founder Rob Webb, who most recently sat down with the Tennessean, his hometown newspaper in Nashville, to talk about how Just Love started, how franchising came about and, most importantly, why Just Love is a more relaxed, engaging experience for customers who are tired of trendy, fussy and stuffy coffee shops.
After the launch of two successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
