Coffee Talk

According to Connecticut Post , coffee shops grew 11% nationwide last year. Teens looking for a jolt of caffeine and a place to socialize are fueling a surprisingly big part of this growth. Lattés, cappuccinos and mochas are being downed by customers that are younger than ever. Plus, for those who haven't yet acquired a taste for coffee drinks, many coffee shops offer a caffeine fix in the form of energy drinks like Red Bull®, Monster® and Full Throttle®. There's no doubt, many teens really like the taste of these drinks, and many use the caffeine to help them stay awake and study or to get a kind of legal buzz, but the big draw is the atmosphere. Old-school, dingy coffee shops have been replaced by chic coffeehouses with funky furniture and hip music, for a comfortable, welcoming place where teens can hang out and socialize.

WonderGroup's Perspective

There are so many flavors of coffee drinks, including ones that taste like anything but coffee, so it's no wonder teens have taken a liking to them. Add into the mix an ever-increasing disposable income to spend on these often high-priced drinks, and you've got a nice combination for any coffee shop operator with a good location and the ability to construct an atmosphere with the right vibe. Teens are too young to get into bars, so coffeehouses give them a place away from mom and dad's house to hang out, socialize and meet people. Here they substitute coffee and caffeine for alcohol, but much like bars for twenty-somethings, it's the social atmosphere that drives the popularity. Building an atmosphere where teens feel comfortable and welcome to stay and hang out for a while has translated into nice sales for coffeehouses. This is something other establishments, like restaurants and videogame, music and electronic stores, can learn from coffeehouses.