Running a coffee shop is a nightmare. Honestly, if you look at the failure rates for independent cafes, it’s enough to make any aspiring entrepreneur stick to their day job. But then you have a place like Bean There Done That. It’s not just a clever pun on a name that’s probably been used by a hundred shops from London to Los Angeles. It’s a case study in how a brand can survive the relentless pressure of rising bean prices, the Starbucks-ification of every street corner, and the shifting whims of the remote-work crowd.
Most people think success in the coffee world is about the roast. It isn't. Not really. While high-quality Arabica beans are the baseline, the actual business of Bean There Done That is about space and community.
I’ve spent years watching how small businesses navigate the "third place" concept—that idea from sociologist Ray Oldenburg about needing a spot between home and work. Most fail because they can’t balance the books when someone sits for six hours drinking one $4 latte. This specific shop? They flipped the script.
The Bean There Done That Business Model Nobody Talks About
We need to talk about the "Laptop Tax." Not a literal tax, but how Bean There Done That manages its floor space. Unlike the big chains that want you in and out in five minutes, or the ultra-cool boutiques that hide their power outlets like they’re state secrets, this place leaned into the "work from cafe" culture but with a twist. They understood early on that they weren't just selling caffeine; they were renting office space with a high-end beverage perk.
They didn't just hope for the best.
They looked at their square footage and realized that during the 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM slump, the shop was basically a library. So, they started tiered seating. Certain tables are "Quick Sip" zones—no laptops, 20-minute limit, high turnover. Other areas are the "Hub." It’s brilliant. It’s simple. It’s why they’re still standing when the minimalist shop down the street folded last November.
Sourcing and the Myth of Direct Trade
Everyone claims "Direct Trade" these days. It’s a buzzword that’s lost almost all its meaning because there is no legal definition for it. But when you look at how Bean There Done That handles its supply chain, you see the difference. They aren't just buying from a massive importer who slapped a "Direct" sticker on a burlap sack.
They actually work with smaller cooperatives in the Huila region of Colombia and the Sidama zone in Ethiopia. This matters for your SEO-obsessed brain because "transparency" is a massive search trend. People want to know that their caffeine habit isn't fueling exploitation. By publishing their farm-gate prices—the actual amount paid to the farmer, not the FOB (Free on Board) price—they’ve built a level of trust that a generic "Fair Trade" logo just can't touch.
It's expensive. It's a logistical headache. It works.
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Why Branding Still Matters When Your Name is a Pun
Let's address the elephant in the room. The name Bean There Done That is a dad joke. In the world of high-end specialty coffee, where names are usually something like "Onyx" or "Ritual" or "Verve," a pun can feel a bit... cheap?
Actually, it's the opposite.
It breaks the intimidation barrier.
Walking into a specialty coffee shop can be terrifying if you don't know the difference between a natural process and a washed process. You feel judged by the barista with the $400 apron. But with a name like Bean There Done That, the pretension is gone before you even open the door. It says, "We take the coffee seriously, but we don't take ourselves seriously." That’s a massive psychological win for customer retention.
The data backs this up. In consumer psychology, "Brand Approachability" is a key metric for local businesses. If a customer feels they might get "corrected" on their drink order, they won't come back. At this shop, they’ll explain the acidity of a Kenyan SL28 without making you feel like an idiot for asking why it tastes like tomato soup (which, by the way, some of the best ones actually do).
The Economics of the Side Hustle
Coffee has razor-thin margins. You make cents on the cup, not dollars. To survive, Bean There Done That diversified. They didn't just add muffins. They added a subscription model that actually delivers value.
Think about it.
The average coffee subscription is a "set it and forget it" trap. You end up with three bags of beans in your pantry that you haven't used. Bean There Done That used an app-based system where you can "pause" with a single tap or swap your roast based on what they’re currently firing in the Probat roaster. They’ve basically turned their local foot traffic into a recurring revenue stream that keeps the lights on during the slow winter months.
What Most People Get Wrong About Coffee Freshness
There’s this weird obsession with "roasted yesterday."
Stop.
If you buy a bag of beans from Bean There Done That that was roasted 24 hours ago, and you brew it immediately, it will probably taste like grass and CO2. Coffee needs to degas. This is a scientific fact. Depending on the roast profile, the sweet spot is often 7 to 14 days after the roast date.
The experts at the shop spend half their time explaining this to people who think they’re getting "stale" coffee. They’re actually doing you a favor by letting the beans rest so the cellular structure of the bean can stabilize. This kind of education is what builds "Expertise" in the E-E-A-T framework Google loves. You aren't just selling a product; you're providing a service that makes the customer's experience better at home.
The Impact of Climate Change on Your Morning Cup
We can't talk about the future of Bean There Done That without talking about the climate. Arabica coffee is a finicky plant. It hates heat. It hates too much rain. It hates too little rain.
As the "coffee belt" shifts to higher altitudes, the price of high-end beans is going to skyrocket. We are already seeing this. This shop has been experimenting with Coffea stenophylla and Robusta blends. Ten years ago, a specialty shop wouldn't touch Robusta with a ten-foot pole. Now? With the right processing, it’s becoming a viable, more resilient alternative.
It's a gutsy move.
Purists might complain. But the reality is that the "Bean There Done That" approach is about pragmatism. If we want coffee in 2040, we have to change what we’re drinking today.
Practical Steps for the Coffee Obsessed
If you’re looking to replicate the success of a place like Bean There Done That, or if you just want to brew better coffee in your kitchen, you need to stop guessing.
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- Buy a Scale. Stop using a scoop. A scoop is a lie. Coffee beans have different densities. 15 grams of a dark roast takes up way more space than 15 grams of a light roast. If you want consistency, you have to weigh your grounds and your water. Aim for a 1:16 ratio. That’s 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water.
- Fix Your Water. Coffee is 98% water. If your tap water tastes like a swimming pool, your coffee will too. Use a simple charcoal filter at the very least.
- Burr Grinders Only. Those "blade" grinders that look like tiny blenders? They're smashing the beans into uneven shards. Some will over-extract (bitter) and some will under-extract (sour). A burr grinder crushes the beans to a uniform size. It’s the single biggest upgrade you can make.
- Check the Roast Date. Not the "Best By" date. If a bag doesn't have a roast date, don't buy it. You want to use the beans between 1 and 4 weeks from that date.
- Temperature Matters. Don't use boiling water. It'll scorch the grounds. Aim for about 200°F (93°C). If you don't have a thermometer, just let the kettle sit for 30 seconds after it whistles.
The success of Bean There Done That isn't an accident of geography or a lucky break with a punny name. It’s the result of understanding the intersection of commodity markets, community needs, and the basic chemistry of a bean. They’ve managed to stay human in a world that’s increasingly automated. That’s the real secret.
Go find a local shop that actually talks to you about their farmers. Buy a bag of something that was roasted two weeks ago. Taste the difference when you actually weigh your water. You'll realize that "doing" coffee right is a lot harder than it looks, but it's worth every extra cent.