Crates Coffee House Joins Crimson Cup Community
February 10, 2014 (Published: February 10, 2014)
A big Crimson Cup welcome to Andrea Rank and her Crates Coffee House! This new member of our community of independent coffee shops opened Jan. 18 in Lake Orion, Michigan. Andrea is planning grand opening celebrations for March 11.
Andrea knew from the age of 18 that she wanted to open a coffee house. She loved the idea of creating a space where she could bring people together and give her customers the sense of really belonging to a community. For almost a year she explored coffee shop franchises, but the lack of control that she would have over her own business was a sticking point.
Finally, she found Crimson Cup! Andrea soon discovered that, unlike coffee franchises, Crimson Cup allows entrepreneurs to create a unique specialty coffee business. From the name on the door to the location, menu, interior decor and other features, she was free to create a business reflecting her individual tastes and the needs of the local community in Lake Orion.
After completing our Seven Steps to Success franchise alternative program, Andrea was ready to open her Crates Coffee House. The shop takes its name from a family heirloom – an old coffee crate that had been passed down through the generations. And bringing the coffee house into reality became a family affair. Andrea teamed with husband Brian, who acted as the general contractor, to transform an empty storefront into a beautiful and spacious gathering place for the people of Lake Orion.
At Crates, comfortable tables and chairs invite guests to linger over drinks in the cheery interior. Complimentary Wi-Fi connects visitors to work and school. Customers choose from a full menu of hot and cold specialty coffee drinks, including handcrafted espressos, lattes, cappuccinos and mochas. They can also watch baristas prepare pour-over coffees by hand at the brew bar. Frozen smoothies, hot chocolate and premium hot and iced teas round out the drink menu, accompanied by breads and sweet treats sourced from Lake Orion’s Great Harvest Bread.
“Working with Crimson Cup step by step made it easy for us,” she said. “It’s hard work being an owner, but we love it!”
You can find Crates Coffee House at 1472 S. Lapeer Road in Lake Orion. To learn more, visit their Facebook page.
Since 1991, Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea has hand-roasted great-tasting specialty coffee in Columbus, Ohio. We’ve also taught more than 250 independent business owners how to open a coffee shop through our coffee shop franchise alternative program.
If you have questions about opening a coffee shop, give us a call at 888-800-9224 or fill out this form, and we’ll get right back to you!