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Help my wife name her coffee shop

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majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 16, 2011 11:39 PM
I am in the process of purchasing a small coffee shop for my wife to run. Its right in the center of a small town. The county courthouse is less than a block away. The main office of a large area bank is right across the street (about 5-6 story building. The hospital, health department, and many medical offices are on the same street roughly a mile down. The coffee shop is small. No place really to sit inside. Just kind of a small lobby for walk ups. Plenty of room for expansion on the lot. There is a "patio" area outside where people can sit. Most of the business comes from the drive thru.

She is trying to nail down a name. Coffee shops are a dime a dozen. So its kind of hard to come up with a name that isn't taken in Ohio. She is in the center of town so that is why most of our final choices have that in in name. If you think of something else go ahead and suggest it. I am sure some of the comics and pervs will not be able to help themselves.

Her top choices so far are:

Perk Place
Central Cup
Ground Central
Central Grounds
Oct 16, 2011 11:39pm
LJ's avatar

LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
Oct 16, 2011 11:53 PM
Is this in Lancaster?
Oct 16, 2011 11:53pm
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
Oct 16, 2011 11:56 PM
How about Morning Grind or Daily Grind? [edit the former, at least, is the name of a morning radio show, and I imagine both names may be copyrighted]

Perk Place is a bit too corny, and combined with Central Cup is kind of a rip-off of "Central Perk". My advice is to go back to the drawing board. There are two things that are very important to consider:
1) The name is going to contribute to the atmosphere - the connotation is going to create a certain expectation and attract the appropriate crowd. My example of the "Morning Grind" might illustrate a poorly chosen name in the sense that you it probably won't attract very social people. But that is a distant second consideration to choosing a name that's recognizeable and attracts some interest.

2) Along the same lines, remember Starbucks, Caribou Coffee and Seattle Coffee seem to be everywhere...along with Dunkin Donuts, McD's, and a slew of other places. It's very competitive. I'm not sure her latter 3 choices are going jump out as being a coffee shop, and they might not come up very high in google searches - which spells death for a coffee shop in such a competitive market.

I think Central Grounds is DOA - I'd not process that it is a coffee shop in the 0.5 seconds I took noticing the name on a sign or in a google search. Central Cup could just as easily be a pub or sports bar. They are all ok choices for names, but I think unless you have a great location they are a bit cryptic.
Oct 16, 2011 11:56pm
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:04 AM
gut;936220 wrote:How about Morning Grind or Daily Grind? [edit the former, at least, is the name of a morning radio show, and I imagine both names may be copyrighted
Daily Grind would be great. Too bad a coffee shop in a town about 30 miles east has got that one. Morning grind is likely copyrighted. Its very difficult to find a good name that stands out. Coffee shops are everywhere and good names are taken.
Oct 17, 2011 12:04am
-Society-'s avatar

-Society-

Senior Member

1,348 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:12 AM
Java Junkies

Already taken here in Virginia, but nothing came up in Ohio.
Oct 17, 2011 12:12am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:12 AM
LJ;936219 wrote:Is this in Lancaster?
Millersburg
Oct 17, 2011 12:12am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:15 AM
-Society-;936232 wrote:Java Junkies

Already taken here in Virginia, but nothing came up in Ohio.
Not bad but the previous owner had the name Java Jo west. Her main shop is just about 10 miles east. So my wife is reluctant to use any name with "Java" or "Jo".
Oct 17, 2011 12:15am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

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5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:18 AM
GroundHogs was another one that stayed on the list for awhile.
Oct 17, 2011 12:18am
password's avatar

password

Senior Member

2,360 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:36 AM
Chewies

The name will not make your business in the long run. You will survive with a good product and great service, as word of mouth is what makes or breaks a business when there is competition. It sounds like you would be getting a lot of local workers from the area so you may want to choose a name that is different so you stand out from the other shops and concentrate on the product and service.
Oct 17, 2011 12:36am
D

Dthane

Senior Member

169 posts
Oct 17, 2011 12:45 AM
Joe to Go
Oct 17, 2011 12:45am
T

Timber

Senior Member

935 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:21 AM
Juan "Miller" Valdez's Coffee Connection
"The place for Fresh Amish Ground Coffee beans"
:)

In all seriousness... Since coffee shops are a dime a dozen, What will differentiate you from other coffee shops? P.S. I do not drink coffee, I really dislike the taste. But, do not forget about us Soda/pop drinkers in the morning also. Will you have donuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, etc?
Oct 17, 2011 1:21am
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:34 AM
I'm not particularly fond of any of those names. I mean, they are the names everyone thinks up when they think of names for a coffee shop.
Oct 17, 2011 1:34am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:35 AM
Timber;936263 wrote:Juan "Miller" Valdez's Coffee Connection
"The place for Fresh Amish Ground Coffee beans"
LOL! My wife is not from amish country though her last name is Miller. She does not want to play off the Amish thing. She has to dodge too many Amish bikers at 5:00 in the morning.
Timber;936263 wrote:In all seriousness... Since coffee shops are a dime a dozen, What will differentiate you from other coffee shops? P.S. I do not drink coffee, I really dislike the taste. But, do not forget about us Soda/pop drinkers in the morning also. Will you have donuts, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, etc?
Yes she is going to offer donuts, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches. She is also looking at offering some lunch sandwiches as well. Something the currently the shop does not offer. The other coffee shop in town is on the edge of town and does not have a drive thru. It is a "non profit" (don't get me started on this) shop so their prices will be lower but the quality less. She will offer smoothies and is looking into other drinks but they will have to be bottled. You may not be a coffee drinker but she makes some drinks that don't taste much like coffee.
Oct 17, 2011 1:35am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:37 AM
I Wear Pants;936264 wrote:I'm not particularly fond of any of those names. I mean, they are the names everyone thinks up when they think of names for a coffee shop.
Personally I'm not sold on any of them either. These responses will be good for her to see. She has to come up with a name soon so she can get an LLC set up in order to get the legal stuff going.
Oct 17, 2011 1:37am
I

I Wear Pants

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16,223 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:38 AM
So the premise here is no profits, and lower quality? That seems dumb.
Oct 17, 2011 1:38am
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:42 AM
majorspark;936266 wrote:Personally I'm not sold on any of them either. These responses will be good for her to see. She has to come up with a name soon so she can get an LLC set up in order to get the legal stuff going.
Far be it from me to tell someone what to do. My advice would differ depending on the type of shop and future she envisions for the shop. I mean, if her goal is for it to be a financial success then I'd say "how many successful coffee shops do you know that have names which are wordplay involving coffee? (Starbucks, Caribou, Tim Horton's, Seattle's Best, etc).
Oct 17, 2011 1:42am
hoops23's avatar

hoops23

Senior Member

15,696 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:49 AM
Name it 'Tim Horton hears a Caribou while looking at Seattle's best Stars'
Oct 17, 2011 1:49am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 1:51 AM
I Wear Pants;936267 wrote:So the premise here is no profits, and lower quality? That seems dumb.
No that is the competition in town, "Jitters". They are a non profit that donates a portion of their proceeds to Christian based charities. They receive donations for some of their operating expenses. Of course tax breaks. And have tried to get local advertisers to give them time or discounts because they are not profit. The previous owner has a contractual agreement with a local supplier that distributes a higher quality coffee. She has a contract that no one can sell that coffee in the county without her permission. She would allow my wife to purchase this coffee. Jitters has tried to purchase it but was told no. Though a non profit they appear to be competitive in getting business in the area. Running expensive full page adds in the newspapers and radio ads. A non profit should not use the tax advantages it gets and then compete in the free market against those that don't get the same. Not exactly fair IMO.
Oct 17, 2011 1:51am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Oct 17, 2011 2:00 AM
She was looking at first for a name that played off of a character in literature or history that loved coffee. A little story behind the name. Starbuck's has that as Starbuck was a character in Moby Dick that loved coffee. She was off on this thing about Johanne Sabastian Bach writing some coffee contata or whatever the hell you call those things. I am not a classical music fan.
Oct 17, 2011 2:00am
believer's avatar

believer

Senior Member

8,153 posts
Oct 17, 2011 5:14 AM
How about:

Cool Beans
The Pump Station
Kona Korner
Yoder Java :p

Tell your wife good luck.

Maybe the next time I'm visiting family in Coshocton and I do my obligatory "Amish country drive-trough" I'll stop in and buy a cup.
Oct 17, 2011 5:14am
brutus161's avatar

brutus161

The Navy Guy

1,686 posts
Oct 17, 2011 5:15 AM
Make it a Jewish coffee shop, and call it "He Brews"
Oct 17, 2011 5:15am
believer's avatar

believer

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8,153 posts
Oct 17, 2011 5:20 AM
brutus161;936293 wrote:Make it a Jewish coffee shop, and call it "He Brews"
LOL Naw this is Amish and Mennonite country. It's be more like "HershBrew". ;)
Oct 17, 2011 5:20am
Belly35's avatar

Belly35

Elderly Intellectual

9,716 posts
Oct 17, 2011 6:43 AM
C-Cup (Women owne business or "C" stands for coffee)
Good Morning

Millersburge Mud
Square Cup
Miller Brew
Oct 17, 2011 6:43am
HitsRus's avatar

HitsRus

Senior Member

9,206 posts
Oct 17, 2011 7:27 AM
What you are really trying for here is a niche....so try doubling your market by offering express breakfast. Sell some specialized foods..such as offering a wide variety of Bagels.

Burg's Bagels and Beans

or since you are primarily a drive thru..keep it simple and catchy

"Express-o!"
Oct 17, 2011 7:27am
OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

Senior Member

5,888 posts
Oct 17, 2011 7:57 AM
I am a fan of (insert name here)'s coffee shop. As long as you have a short one or two syllable name or How about Charlie's Coffee shop? Millersberg was founded by Charles Miller. Maybe the daily drip, that is all I got.

http://www.historicdowntownmillersburg.com/history.html
Oct 17, 2011 7:57am