- December 16, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Things are looking good in Florida for Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii.
The company with the fun-to-say name and island vibe will have eight locations in the Sunshine State by the end of 2024, including a handful on the Gulf Coast, from Naples to Clearwater Beach.
More than 100 locations are in the pipeline nationwide, according to CEO Scott Snyder, who says Florida and the Gulf Coast are a particular focus for the company.
Bad Ass Coffee “resonates with a coastal community that enjoys the sunshine, water and outdoor activities,” Snyder says. “This is definitely a lifestyle, experiential brand. It's not just another coffee shop.”
Each guest is greeted with an “aloha," surrounded by surf boards, natural woods and the aroma of coffee, Snyder says.
“It’s really an experience unlike any you've ever had, as far as a coffee shop goes,” he adds. “If you've ever been to Hawaii before, it will take you back.”
For those who have not visited Hawaii, “It's what you would imagine Hawaii to be,” Snyder says. “It's a very relaxed, laid-back, community-oriented coffee shop.”
Coffees, teas, lemonades, blended drinks and smoothies are on the “cravable menu that has a little bit of a Hawaiian twist to it,” Snyder says.
Bad Ass Coffee's current Florida stores include Clearwater Beach, Lutz, Miramar Beach, Naples, Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Santa Rosa Beach.
A Sarasota/Lakewood Ranch location is set to open at 658 University Parkway in December, while another in Englewood, in north Charlotte County, is coming in early 2025 at 1231 Beach Rd. Those franchisees plan more Sarasota-Bradenton and greater Port Charlotte stores in future years.
“And we have a franchisee out of Naples opening 13 between Fort Myers and Marco Island,” Snyder says. “So there's a lot of development happening on Florida's West Coast.”
The company is exploring developments in Florida's central, East Coast and Panhandle areas too. “We're projecting between 20 and 30 new stores opening next year" nationwide, Snyder says.
Other than one corporate shop in New Mexico, Bad Ass Coffee stores are franchisee-owned. “We're a franchisee-first organization,” Snyder says.
Franchisees commit to at least three stores, which Snyder says creates economies of scale, brand awareness and opportunities for promotion.
“Turnover is much lower than a single store owner,” Snyder adds. “We also find customer service is better — stores with multi-unit operators tend to generate more positive customer reviews.”
It costs $514,200 to $980,500 to open three Bad Ass Coffee locations, according to franchise disclosure documents, which say average net sales in 2023 were $702,376, while the top franchise shop posted net sales of $1,626,551.
Landing locations is one obstacle for the company.
“Our biggest challenge is real estate, because we're not as well known,” Snyder says.
Developers do not necessarily think of the brand when planning projects.
“Until we have greater awareness and greater proof of concept in markets,” Snyder says, “they're going to look at the surefire, big national brands that everybody knows.”
His goal, he adds, is to get to the point where people say, ‘’Wow, you’ve got to have a Bad Ass Coffee’” or “‘When are you going to open a Bad Ass Coffee in our hometown?’”
