Two student customers at the original Biggby Coffee location, 270 W.
Grand River Ave. discuss why they enjoy Biggby Coffee and their
favorite drinks at the location during the company’s 17th anniversary
celebration on Thursday.
Inside the original Biggby Coffee location on Thursday afternoon, a long line snaked through the building as MSU students and community members celebrated the chain’s 17th anniversary.
Business was hectic inside the shop, located at 270 W. Grand River Ave., with customers taking advantage of a special deal to celebrate the anniversary: a 16-ounce hot or iced sweet and creamy latte for 99 cents.
Since the original location opened, 27 franchises have sprung up in the Lansing area, part of 145 total locations either open or under contract to open, CEO and co-founder Bob Fish said. The company has locations in seven states, including Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, he said.
Fish, an MSU alumnus, said the anniversary celebration was a reminder of where the business started.
“I think it’s very significant,” he said. “We started with one store, one café in East Lansing.”
When Biggby Coffee first opened, there were about 35 competing coffee shops in the Lansing area, but Fish said the Biggby’s business model was different.
“We went to market with a different philosophy,” he said. “The idea was to make coffee … in a less intimidating manner.”
Biggby opened its first franchise in 1998 after opening a second location in downtown Lansing in October 1997, Fish said. Until 2008, the number of new franchises being opened was doubling every year, but the economic downturn has since slowed the openings to a rate of about 20 percent more franchises each year.
In the future, Fish said expansion plans include new locations in other states as well as additional locations in Michigan.
Students said there are several reasons they enjoy Biggby as either a location to study or spend time with friends.
Several tables inside the East Lansing location were occupied by students Thursday afternoon, and the crowd inside the restaurant was predominantly MSU community members.
Actuarial science junior Tyler Gray said he goes to the original Biggby Coffee location about three times a week to study and do his homework.
The atmosphere makes it ideal to complete school tasks, he said, and added he enjoys seeing the same employees consistently.
“The people are really friendly,” he said.
Prenursing freshman Katie Carpp — who was sitting outside the original Biggby Coffee location with a friend on Thursday — said she goes to Biggby at least once a week and thinks its drinks are better quality than Starbucks.
“It’s all variety,” she said. “I do appreciate (Biggby’s service).”
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