Move over Dunn Bros, Beaners, It’s A Grind, and Saxby’s Coffee, there’s a new theme in town. If it works to sell chicken wings, will it work for coffee? Sexpresso coffee shops are, for obvious reasons, gaining much free PR and repeat business due to the employee fashion, or lack there of. The coffee menu is reworded with suggestive coffee drinks served by girls in bikinis and provocative outfits, with one coffee house theming days – Tube Top Tuesdays, Wet T-Shirt Wednesdays and Fantasy Fridays…you get the point. For those who would prefer to supplement their green & tan decor with bikinis, Cowgirls Espresso (pictured at the right) has decided to begin offering franchises.Is it good for business?
Ms Araujo and others say it has given an unmistakable boost to their businesses. Their staff may only receive minimum wage, but the tips can be terrific.”Our customers may be half-asleep when they get here, but we do what it takes to wake them up,” said Ms Araujo. “They always say: ‘Thanks for the great cup of coffee and the smile; it made my day’.”
I’m not writing about this to imply or promote these gutter strategies, but to highlight that you never know what you’ll have to compete against in the future. While these wild ideas won’t put an ordinary coffee franchise out of business, it will chip away at sales, and sometimes a 10% drop in sales can be catastrophic. Constant improvements and innovation in the menu, systems, preparation, marketing, and operations will keep the impact from trendy and oddball competitors to a minimum by keeping your brand fresh.
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Ryan is an attorney and valuation specialist residing in Chicago. He chronicles his thoughts and research on FranchisePundit.com. You may reach him by email ryanknoll@gmail.com or mobile telephone 312-715-8115.
Fine! I would go out of my way to buy coffee from those ladies even if the coffee wasn’t that good!
Cowgirls Espresso is a great concept with some really good people at the top of the organization. They are worth looking at….
Definitely a do it yourself operation, Unless they supply the baristas.
Maybe, but if the concept gains any tractions (like Hooters or Coyote Ugly), then the brand name will most likely be worth it.
wrote on March 25, 2009 @ 12:58 pm:
True enough, but what is the “if the concept takes off” premium worth? There is no patent protection on “sexy” coffee houses or topless donut shops or bikini carwashes for that matter. One can and many do arrive at a market value in a proven concept/business plan/brand name, (McDonalds and Hooters) but placing a value on the possibility of the concept “taking off” sounds like a gamble not an investment. Sounds like a win for the franchisor.
Ryan Knoll wrote on March 25, 2009 @ 11:53 pm:
Will it work? Yes.
Sex sells everything, especially franchises.