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Permalink Reply by Jody Gebbers, Kaylan Crane on June 3, 2009 at 5:10pm

Maybe the perceptions are different.
Really blue collar community - very price sensitive - anglo to hispanic/other mix approx 30 -70 respectively.
McDs pushes drinks hard - distributes by mail coupons throughout county and 2 neighboring counties -my personal household receives multiples. Other competition decently heavy - 2 Starbucks, 2 McDonalds and 15 other independents within 30 mile radius - rural area - people drive a lot for services. My shop existed prior to the Starbucks and the McDonalds' bars. My good friend has a legecy shop right across from the Starbucks and McDonalds in a community 30 miles north - she says her customers have been quite loyal.
I personally like McDs brewed coffee - lots of people buy this plus basic lattes there - locally I hear the flavored lattes and Mochas are not as popular. They don't compete with me on other offerings, sig drinks, blended drinks and non-coffee offerings for example.
My thinking. Many people who would not come into my shop because they are not specialty coffee drinkers or they think it's something too chere for them, etc., may try a coffee at McDonalds and end up buying a better product at Mountain View. I do see more and more Hispanic residents with coffee cups from the espresso houses. Whatever the drinks may be, the price is important to customers around here - the times I had to raise prices the process was gentle with advance notice. Interesting experience. The espresso shop is not my main occupation either - it something I invested in on the side. My husband asks me fairly regularly when I am going to be sane again!! hahaha. Opened Mountain View in July of 2003. Thanks for responding.

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