Crazy Mocha Coffee Company
 | |
| Industry | coffeehouse chain |
|---|---|
Number of locations | 10 |
Area served | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Products | Coffee |
| Website | www |
Crazy Mocha Coffee Company is a coffeehouse chain in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region. As of August 2021, the chain has 10 locations.[1]
History[edit]
The original store was the Dancing Goats coffee shop on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[2] The shop had been named after the apocryphal legend of the dancing goat that heralded the beginning of coffee.[3][4] It was purchased in 2000 by Ken Zeff, a merchandise buyer for J.C. Penney and native resident of Greenfield.[2][5]
In 2003, the Crazy Mocha chain had three locations.[5] In 2004, the operation doubled to six locations with 25 employees.[5] The rapid pace of expansion raised questions among observers about whether the growth was sustainable.[5] By 2008, the 21 locations required over 100 employees.[6]
In 2007, Zeff opened a store at PPG Place. Other downtown locations were developed to improve brand awareness. In 2009, the downtown flagship store was opened on Liberty Avenue in the Cultural District.[7]
In 2009, the expansion into Cranberry marked the first time the store had gone beyond City of Pittsburgh limits into the suburbs.[8]
Crazy Mocha was profiled by the Pittsburgh Business Times to highlight retail stores' issues with the 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit.[9]
On March 14, 2018, Crazy Mocha was purchased by the Kiva Han Coffee Company, located in Cranberry Township, Pa owned by Ed Wethli.[10]
In October 2020, Crazy Mocha's parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, due to the effects of the pandemic.[11] The company divested 10 locations as part of its restructuring plan and under new management those 10 locations are still operating in the City of Pittsburgh.
Business philosophy[edit]
Each location is designed to emulate a small and independent coffee shop that fits the neighborhood it's in.[12] The Shadyside location attempts to match the art-conscious neighborhood, South Side location has a faux-iron canopy hanging over the tables in honor of the area's industrial past, and the location at the SouthSide Works was based on a "trendy Brooklyn cafe."[12] The Bloomfield location teamed up with The Dreaming Ant, an independent video rental store.[5]
When possible, Crazy Mocha uses local contractors for construction and avoids opening near other independent coffee shops.[2] The company has been an early newcomer to urban rehabilitation in Lawrenceville and the North Side.[13] The 2010 opening of the North Side location was hailed as the cornerstone of a redevelopment effort in that neighborhood.[14][15]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Locations". Crazy Mocha Coffee Company. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c Wander, Jonathan (March 2010). "Ken Zeff". Pittsburgh Magazine. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Munch Goes to Dancing Goats, Katerbean". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 14, 2000. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Dining on Ellsworth an Al Fresco Adventure". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 19, 2001. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Brewing up business". Pittsburgh Business Times. September 27, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Crazy Mocha opens two stores, plans two more in 2009". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. December 11, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Pittsburgh's Crazy Mocha coffee shop expects steady growth in Cultural District". Pittsburgh Business Times. October 5, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. adding two stores". Pittsburgh Business Times. March 13, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "G-20 expected to be either boom or bust for retail". Pittsburgh Business Times. August 17, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Cranberry Township-based Kiva Han buys Crazy Mocha coffee: Expect loyalty perks, barista training and more shops". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
- ^ "Crazy Mocha files for bankruptcy as pandemic hurts coffee shops". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
- ^ a b Vellucci, Justin (August 30, 2007). "Crazy Mocha is changing the idea of a chain". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ Schooley, Tim (February 24, 2012). "Crazy Mocha ready for more expansion, with three on the way". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ Pfister, Bonnie (July 5, 2009). "Crazy Mocha joins North Side revitalization effort". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ Cato, Jason (January 14, 2010). "Planners see progress on transforming the city's North Side". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
External links[edit]
