User:Dweeebis/Sandbox


 * company_name  = SPoT Coffee


 * company_type  = Public Stock


 * location      = Buffalo, New York

products      = Coffee Tea Espresso Drinks Smoothies & Blended Beverages Bottled beverages Made-to-order food Baked Goods Merchandise }}
 * industry      = Coffeehouse Café [Restaurant
 * homepage      = http://www.spotcoffee.com

SPoT Coffee is a coffeehouse chain and coffee roasting business based in Buffalo, New York, USA. Founded in 1995 by Sally and Mike Morin, SPoT became a landmark business in Western New York due to it being one of the first independently owned coffeehouse companies to be based in Buffalo.

From SPoT's founding in Buffalo as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer, the company has expanded rapidly. Since then, locations have expanded to Rochester and Toronto, as well as several more locations in and around Western New York.

History
The Morins founded SPoT Coffee in 1995. The couple decided to start the business while they were on a corporate trip to Seattle. Visiting several coffeehouses, the Morins were inspired by Seattle's productive gourmet coffee scene and also, Seattle-style espresso. They decided to return to Sally's hometown in Buffalo, New York and open their own business.

After moving back east, the Morins wrote a business plan and learned as much as they could about coffee. Eight months later, they opened the doors of the first SPoT Coffee on the corner of Delaware Avenue and Chippewa Street, in downtown Buffalo. Two years later in February of 1998, the second location opened in Ellicottville, a ski resort village about 55 miles southeast of Buffalo in Cattaragus County. Later that year in November, the third location opened back in downtown Buffalo, on the busy Elmwood Avenue. In August 2000, the first Rochester location was opened in a small entertainment district within the city.

In 2004, due to the Morins' financial difficulties, Innomarque, one of SPoT Coffee's largest secured creditors and private financial backers, acquired the company assets and trademarks. Buffalo businessman Joseph Koessler, the head of Innomarque, decided to keep SPoT's two Buffalo locations on Elmwood Avenue and at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Chippewa Street, plus the location in downtown Rochester open and operating. However, the location in Ellicottville was closed in December 2003.

Despite the transitions going on within the company, SPoT Coffee remained dedicated to expanding its ties to Western New York. To expand the brand on a regional basis, Innomarque began forging new relationships with other regional based companies, including Dash's market grocery stores in the town of Tonawanda and village of Williamsville. SPoT has also partnered with the Anderson’s Frozen Custard chain, where its java is a featured ingredient in several coffee and custard beverages. In January 2007, SPoT also opened its first location outside the United States in Toronto, Canada on Bremner Boulevard across from the Rogers Centre.

On October 13th, 2010, the Downtown Rochester's SPoT Coffee location, which is located in an iconic showroom that was once Hallman's Chevrolet, temporarily closed its doors for a major renovation.

Currently, SPoT Coffee operates eight cafes. These include five locations in the Buffalo, NY region, one in Rochester, NY, one in Toronto, ON and one in Delray Beach, FL. In late 2012, SPoT will be opening an additional location in Toronto, as well as a location in Saratoga Springs, NY. SPoT has plans for two more locations in the Albany region, as well as another location in Toronto and Rochester. SPoT is in the process of signing a licensing deal to open nine to ten more cafes in Florida.

Future company plans
Future plans for SPoT include the opening of three locations in the Albany region of New York, nine to ten more licensed cafes in Florida, a second location in Rochester and a third location in Toronto, ON. SPoT is in the process of discussing an International licensing deal where they would be opening cafes in Ireland, England and the Middle East. SPoT is also currently adding more commercial accounts to its books, ranging from small to large accounts. SPoT Coffee just finished expanding its Hertel location to include a large Central Kitchen and is in the process of renovating its roastery facilities located on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.

Inside SPoT
Known for its eclectic and vintage décor, each SPoT location has a café area with tables and chairs, a counter and stool area, and a parlor. The location on Elmwood Avenue also features a heated outdoor patio so that customers may dine outside all year long. Each location offers free wi-fi for the customers as well. The company stresses uniqueness individuality, as well as commitment to building healthy urban communities, witnessed in the company's rehabilitation of older buildings into into its cafes.

SPoT also hosts event cues in the community and provides a venue in the parlor for several local bands to perform in. Two stores have also been the location of two weddings and a funeral.

SPoT Coffee in several of its locations also takes a version of coffee shop jargon and general "diner-ese" to a new level of extremes, as its employees (affectionately known as "SPoTters") communicate orders with each other. It is not uncommon to overhear something like "tall skinny hottie on wheels" from behind the bar - don't worry, that just means a small, skim-milk hot chocolate to go.

SPoT coffee roasting
SPoT roasts its own coffee beans daily. SPoT's Seattle style dark roast recipe has been perfected by master roasters over the first five years of the company's existence. Using 100% arabica beans, the proper temperature and roasting time needed to bring the beans to the apex of flavor is judged by the beans' sizes and origins. Micro-roasted in small batches for maximum control and freshness, the process is carried out very carefully, to optimize a bean's natural flavor. Once roasted, SPoT's coffee is transported to its several locations within a few days. SPoT targets no more than one week from roasting to consumption for optimum freshness. Because coffee flavor begins to degrade several weeks after the beans are roasted, SPoT has a large freshness advantage over its larger competition, who have to import their roasted coffee from out of town.

Products
SPoT serves a variety of beverages including original house coffee and varietal blends, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, espresso and espresso-based drinks, teas, fruit smoothies, slushies, protein shakes, and other blended drinks. All coffee and espresso-based drinks are also available decaffeinated and iced. Also available are bottled beverages, including Snapple, Bawls energy drink, root beer, ginger beer, bottled water, and Vitamin Water. Common Pepsi-Cola fountain drinks, and the local Aunt Rosie's Loganberry flavored drink are also available.

Lattes, Cappuccinos, and all other beverages with steamed milk and/or foam can be customized to order with pumps of flavored syrups, reasonable temperature changes and additional espresso shots. SPoT also offers blended espresso beverages, such as the "Cinco shake," a blend of Ghirardelli Caramel, white chocolate, vanilla syrup, espresso, vanilla powder, and light cream. SPoT also offers seasonal beverages as well, such as the "Pumpkin Pie Latte" for fall and the Peppermint or Gingerbread Lattes for winter.

The SPoT Central Kitchen, headed by their Executive Chef, also provides customers with several fresh-baked muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls and cookies. Homemade cheesecakes, carrot cakes, pies, and other gourmet desserts are also prepared in the kitchen. Egg sandwiches, omelettes, breakfast wraps, and bagels are served made-to-order for breakfast. Lunch choices include sandwiches, salads and homemade soups. Sandwiches are assembled at the central kitchen made-to-order and reheated on a Panini grill just before serving. Many SPoT locations also featured a large pizza oven, so customers can now order one of many gourmet, house-prepared and oven baked pizzas.

SPoT also offers a variety of free local and regional newspapers, such as Artvoice, in their stores. Music from local artists is sometimes sold as merchandise as well. Travel coffee cups and mugs displaying the SPoT logo are also avaliable for purchase.