April 28, 2023 (Published: November 9, 2017)
We’re excited to welcome The Office Coffee & Wine Bar to the group of independent coffee shops, cafés and bakeries Crimson Cup supports in 29 states. The shop at 3280 George II Hwy in Southport, North Carolina held its grand opening in April.
As a realtor, owner Rob Warner found that he had no place to meet clients, and that the Boiling Spring Lakes area offered limited coffee options.
Having previously spent years as a sommelier at a local resort, he decided to combine wine and coffee with meeting space at his late mother’s former real estate office.
On the coffee side, The Office serves a full menu of hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks – including mochas, lattes and cappuccinos – as well as iced coffee and tea, cold-brewed coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and other custom drinks. The menu also includes Crimson Cup’s Nitro cold brew, which is infused with nitrogen gas and dispensed through a tap to produce a frothy beverage with the texture of a fine milk stout. Ice cream and pastries round out the offerings.
Other beverage and food options include a unique mix of wine, coffee, craft beer, cigars and small food offerings such as pastries, salads, wraps and charcuterie trays.
In memory of Rob’s mother, The Office features “Mom’s Room,” with mementos from her office including a favorite stained glass picture. The shop offers two small offices and a conference room for use by local area businesses, as well as a dining room, wine room and expansive outdoor deck. It caters to businesses with free Wi-Fi and a wireless printer.
Warner learned how to open a coffee shop through Crimson Cup’s 7 Steps to Success coffee shop franchise alternative program, which is based on the book Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry by Founder and President Greg Ubert.
“As a coffee roaster and coffee shop franchise alternative, Crimson Cup believes that our company only succeeds when our customers do,” Greg said. “As a result, we support coffee shop owners at every step – from scouting a great location and writing a coffee shop business plan to choosing equipment, hiring staff and providing comprehensive training and marketing support.”
Crimson Cup’s commitment to ethical operations has resulted in two Torch Awards for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) Center for Character Ethics®.
Our consultants guide new coffee shop owners in development of a coffee shop business plan and assist with site evaluation, on-site training, marketing materials, menu ideas and much more. “Our services are designed to help reduce costs, increase profit and eliminate potential headaches,” Greg said.
He added that, unlike coffee shop franchises, Crimson Cup does not charge franchise fees or royalties or lock customers into long-term contracts. “We earn our customers’ business every day through the quality of our coffee and coffee house supplies, comprehensive training, marketing materials and ongoing consultation,” he said.
Through our 7 Steps program, Crimson Cup has helped hundreds of independent coffee shops develop into thriving businesses over the past 26 years. We currently support shops in 29 states, Guam and internationally in Bangladesh.
We look forward to a long and productive partnership with Rob and his team. To keep up with the latest happenings at the new shop, follow The Office Wine and Coffee Bar on Facebook.