The business of the bean has locals hopping

Local enthusiasm is such that not even the prospect of competing with 25 existing Springfield coffeehouses – plus 20 others within a 50-mile radius – fazed Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co. from making the Ozarks home to its first venture outside the St. Louis area.

“Springfield’s a great market,” said Josh Ferguson, one of six owners of Kaldi’s . “It’s a growing area (with) lots of colleges. That was a big, big influence for us.”

Kaldi’s Coffeehouse opened in Battlefield Market Place on July 29, adding to the company’s two existing St. Louis area locations.

The area’s wealth of colleges and universities has helped fuel the coffeehouse boom; 18-to-24-year-olds have in-creased their daily coffee consumption at a faster rate than any other age group nationally, jumping 10 percent over the last two years, according to National Coffee Association of U.S.A. Inc.

“It’s been a popular thing now for the college students,” said Jonathan Knapp, shift manager for Churchill Coffee Co., which has tapped the college market more than any other local coffee company.

Churchill, owned by 10 area investors, has three of its seven area shops on college campuses – two at Missouri State University and one in Central Bible College’s student union.

“Typically, coffeehouses are associated with calm atmospheres for studying,” Knapp said.

The old-timer

Being located off-campus hasn’t hurt Mudhouse, which has thrived at 323 South Ave. since it opened New Year’s Eve 1998 as one of the city’s first specialty coffee shops.

Rick Andrews, who co-owns Mudhouse and its alcohol-serving sibling, Mudlounge, 321 E. Walnut, said he and business partners Brian King and Robert Weislocher were a little nervous when competitors started to open shop. However, Springfield soon proved big enough for other premium coffee sellers.

“You can’t really get upset when other people are trying to do the same thing you are,” he said.

Andrews declined to release sales figures but said business has never been better despite having to close a location at 518 E. Central, near Drury University. Andrews said the location, for lease with C. Arch Bay Real Estate Co., didn’t have enough parking.

Now Andrews and company are testing the licensing market as a way of expanding the Mudhouse brand. Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship’s inquiry about using the Mudhouse’s name and products has led to Mudhouse at the Hub, a nonprofit MSU ministry at 680 S. Florence. They plan to open Sept. 12, combining coffee and occasional live music. The Mudhouse will provide products to Chi Alpha at wholesale cost.

“This will give us a good starter to see if this is something we want to get into,” Andrews said.

Chi Alpha campus ministries director Noble Bowman said the coffee shop would appeal to both Christians and non-Christians alike.

“We’re trying to make it not necessarily a Christian coffeehouse,” he said, “but more just a gathering place. The ministry, for the most part, will happen in the other parts of the building.”

International brews

Springfield’s fondness for fancy coffee hasn’t escaped international retailers including Starbucks Coffee Co., which either operates or licenses nearly 10,000 shops in 35 countries.

Founded in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks is adding to its five local stores with a Battlefield Mall shop to open in September.

“Starbucks always enters into communities with people who love coffee,” said Robyn Williams, manager of the Battlefield Mall store.

Premium coffee has even become commonplace in people’s homes, as coffee drinkers buy bagged, whole-bean coffee to grind fresh and brew at their conveniences.

Kaldi’s co-founder and co-owner Howard Lerner said his company roasts a quarter-million pounds of coffee every year at a 12,000-square-foot warehouse in downtown St. Louis. Most of Kaldi’s bagged coffee is sold directly to wholesale clients, such as restaurants and churches, but 15 percent is sold in its stores to regular customers.

“I don’t see a slowdown in the coffee market,” Lerner said. “It’s an affordable luxury. It’s part of a person’s day.”

[[In-content Ad]]