CUPPY’S COFFEE: 225 Franchisees? To Open 165?

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• Do google search on "cuppys coffee columbus". You see will the hits indicate that this store was scheduled to open in December 2007, then in March 2008 and finally opening in July 2008. My guess is that the owner got fed up with the SBT situation and either paid for buildout using local contractors or did a deal with SBT to finish buildout. SBT was allegedly contacting Cuppys owners whose construction was stalled, offering to build them out and help them with lawsuits against Elite. I can't find a press release from Cuppys on this store opening either. How strange. Maybe not strange at all.

• Has he been using the same algorithm they use at Easy Meal Prep for future store wishculations? Do these guys just pull numbers out their butts for sport, or is it a honed skill to spew bull crap as fact?

  CB

• The invoices for this job were listed as Exhibit A in the SBT lawsuit, which is the second document link here:
  https://unhappyfranchisee.mystagingwebsite.com/2008/07/cuppy-goes-to-court/

  The estimate and initial invoice was dated April 5, 2007.

  Design work was estimated 4-8 weeks
  Construction was estimated 4-8 weeks

  It took 16 months to complete and open an 800 s.f. prefab coffee unit? Here's how the invoices break down:

  4/5/2007 Initial downpayment of $8000
  1/18/2008 invoice for $24,000 (issuing of building permit)
  4/15/2008 invoice for $24,000 (start of buildout)
  4/18/2008 invoice for $24,000 (within 10 days of completion)

  SBT built the store in 3 days?

  August, 2008 store opens?

• Looks like the Columbus unit opened in July, 2008: 15 months.

  Another drive thru unit started the process in April 2007 and opened July, 2008 in Woodstock, IL. Blogger Gus wrote a nice post about them:

  http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2008/07/first-motorcycle-customer.html

  I hope these guys stay in business a lot longer than it took them ro open, unlike Richmond. Good luck to them all.

• It looks like the columbus store was a cafe.

• Looks like I was wrong... The one in the Columbus "Short North" is run by a franchisee named Steve and his wife Mia.
  There's an interesting ongoing thread at http://www.columbusunderground.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10006&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
  http://www.columbusunderground.com that gives a running assessment and critique of tthe Columbus Cuppy's - some being posted from inside Cuppy's itself.
  While the brand, logo and website get trashed early on and there's some criticism, Steve and Mia get high marks for friendliness and brownie points for displaying Steve's original artwork.
  Steve also gets props for taking advantage of the free market research. He reads the blogs and has responded to some of the suggestions immediately. You can see him winning over these tough customers.

• Scroll down that thread to the photos with captions. One day you may be seeing some of those people in mug shots.

  I am not surprised if this store opened without support from Corporate and made some mistakes in the beginning. Kudos for being willing to change and become a real coffee shop.

• CD:
  I saw those photos... can you give us the names of who are in the pictures?
  It's interesting to be able to put faces to these names.

• The Columbus (Short North) location opened on June 30th, 2008.

• Photos:

  The guy looking at porn is Steve Wesoloski, finance man.

  I believe the second from the left in the line up is Troy Pronto.

  But this is the scariest image of them all:

  http://www.bluemaumau.org/user/fransynergy