{"id":6360,"date":"2025-06-19T22:14:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T22:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/?p=6360"},"modified":"2025-06-19T22:14:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T22:14:42","slug":"adventures-at-coffee-fest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/adventures-at-coffee-fest\/","title":{"rendered":"Adventures at Coffee Fest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Microcosm VP Elly reports on one woman’s quest to befriend the bean beverage trade<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Elly prepares for the Fest<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Last week, I attended Coffee Fest<\/a> in Portland. Cafes are one sector where Microcosm’s business is holding steady, despite the fact that we haven’t been doing much much to reach out to them. I wanted to learn how to better serve these shops and see what I could learn, so I spent one Friday walking around a giant Oregon Convention Center hall, recklessly accepting every sample someone offered me and talking to a lot of really kind people about the many facets of the coffee biz.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prepare for the event, I pulled together a list of our books and products that have been hits with coffee shops<\/a>. We talk a lot about market segmentation at Microcosm, and I had assumed that coffee shops would mostly be what we classify as Specialty accounts: places with a deep expertise in one topic, looking to share new facets of that topic through books and zines. In this case, books about coffee<\/a> and tea<\/a>, how to make it<\/a>, its growing regions<\/a>, coffee culture<\/a>, etc.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
A few of our cafe bestsellers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

But actually, our data revealed that coffee shops tend to buy more in line with stores we classify as Gift: places that use books to convey a vibe. Our top bestsellers to these accounts, by a wiiiide margin, are the coloring books My Vag<\/a><\/em> and Stoner Babes<\/a><\/em>. One store owner, Katie Prinsen of the gorgeously curated Prince Coffee<\/a> here in Portland, spelled out why: “Atmosphere and vibe are key in any coffeeshop,” she explained during a panel on merchandising. She aims for her shelves to “look like beautiful art” and believes that “books are in line with a perfect morning coffee experience.” I couldn’t agree more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, most of the cafe owners and buyers I spoke with at the trade show don\u2019t sell books yet<\/em>\u2014and they assumed the same thing I did, that their customers would just want books about coffee. It\u2019s easy to think of themselves as running a specialty store, and surely some of them are, with people coming in to sample different blends, do cuppings, and gain a coffee education. But I suspect that most would do better thinking of themselves as gift stores, or even something more akin to a bookstore (yet another market channel!)\u2014places where customer purchases are driven by the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Our Walking with Ramona<\/a> <\/em>makes an appearance in the convention center’s Magic Box!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I know when I go to a coffeeshop I love, it\u2019s because they\u2019ve created a welcoming place to talk with friends or have a moment of calm to reflect on my day (or take a break from reflecting on my day). I\u2019m almost never thinking about coffee, except to enjoy my beverage. The last thing I bought from a coffeeshop was a branded sticker that said \u201cKeep it local!\u201d from the aptly named Kind Coffee<\/a>, where I keep coming back because they always effusively compliment my dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came away from Coffee Fest with a caffeine buzz and an appreciation for the basic kindness of people who go into this industry built on creating hospitable third places. I also came away thinking in new ways about \u201cstores that don\u2019t normally carry books,\u201d which make up the majority of our customer base. I wonder how many of them we could better serve by inviting them to think of themselves as a different type of store than they usually do. It\u2019s so easy to put ourselves, and each other, into boxes; and so glorious to have the moment of connection when a customer lights up, seeing something on your shelves that they didn\u2019t even realize they wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to keep learning along with me? I\u2019m going to a garden<\/a> show next and am excited to share whatever insights grow from that fertile ground! Stay tuned right here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Microcosm VP Elly reports on one woman’s quest to befriend the bean beverage trade Last week, I attended Coffee Fest in Portland. Cafes are one sector where Microcosm’s business is holding steady, despite the fact that we haven’t been doing much much to reach out to them. I wanted to learn how to better serve… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[14,12,334],"class_list":["post-6360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogifesto","tag-books","tag-business-of-publishing","tag-insights"],"my_excerpt":"\n

Microcosm VP Elly reports on one woman's quest to befriend the bean beverage trade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Elly prepares for the Fest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last week, I attended Coffee Fest<\/a> in Portland. Cafes are one sector where Microcosm's business is holding steady, despite the fact that we haven't been doing much much to reach out to them. I wanted to learn how to better serve these shops and see what I could learn, so I spent one Friday walking around a giant Oregon Convention Center hall, recklessly accepting every sample someone offered me and talking to a lot of really kind people about the many facets of the coffee biz.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prepare for the event, I pulled together a list of our books and products that have been hits with coffee shops<\/a>. We talk a lot about market segmentation at Microcosm, and I had assumed that coffee shops would mostly be what we classify as Specialty accounts: places with a deep expertise in one topic, looking to share new facets of that topic through books and zines. In this case, books about coffee<\/a> and tea<\/a>, how to make it<\/a>, its growing regions<\/a>, coffee culture<\/a>, etc.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A few of our cafe bestsellers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But actually, our data revealed that coffee shops tend to buy more in line with stores we classify as Gift: places that use books to convey a vibe. Our top bestsellers to these accounts, by a wiiiide margin, are the coloring books My Vag<\/a><\/em> and Stoner Babes<\/a><\/em>. One store owner, Katie Prinsen of the gorgeously curated Prince Coffee<\/a> here in Portland, spelled out why: \"Atmosphere and vibe are key in any coffeeshop,\" she explained during a panel on merchandising. She aims for her shelves to \"look like beautiful art\" and believes that \"books are in line with a perfect morning coffee experience.\" I couldn't agree more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, most of the cafe owners and buyers I spoke with at the trade show don\u2019t sell books yet<\/em>\u2014and they assumed the same thing I did, that their customers would just want books about coffee. It\u2019s easy to think of themselves as running a specialty store, and surely some of them are, with people coming in to sample different blends, do cuppings, and gain a coffee education. But I suspect that most would do better thinking of themselves as gift stores, or even something more akin to a bookstore (yet another market channel!)\u2014places where customer purchases are driven by the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Our Walking with Ramona<\/a> <\/em>makes an appearance in the convention center's Magic Box!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I know when I go to a coffeeshop I love, it\u2019s because they\u2019ve created a welcoming place to talk with friends or have a moment of calm to reflect on my day (or take a break from reflecting on my day). I\u2019m almost never thinking about coffee, except to enjoy my beverage. The last thing I bought from a coffeeshop was a branded sticker that said \u201cKeep it local!\u201d from the aptly named Kind Coffee<\/a>, where I keep coming back because they always effusively compliment my dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came away from Coffee Fest with a caffeine buzz and an appreciation for the basic kindness of people who go into this industry built on creating hospitable third places. I also came away thinking in new ways about \u201cstores that don\u2019t normally carry books,\u201d which make up the majority of our customer base. I wonder how many of them we could better serve by inviting them to think of themselves as a different type of store than they usually do. It\u2019s so easy to put ourselves, and each other, into boxes; and so glorious to have the moment of connection when a customer lights up, seeing something on your shelves that they didn\u2019t even realize they wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to keep learning along with me? I\u2019m going to a garden<\/a> show next and am excited to share whatever insights grow from that fertile ground! Stay tuned right here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","my_excerpt_rendered":"\n

Microcosm VP Elly reports on one woman’s quest to befriend the bean beverage trade<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Elly prepares for the Fest<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Last week, I attended Coffee Fest<\/a> in Portland. Cafes are one sector where Microcosm’s business is holding steady, despite the fact that we haven’t been doing much much to reach out to them. I wanted to learn how to better serve these shops and see what I could learn, so I spent one Friday walking around a giant Oregon Convention Center hall, recklessly accepting every sample someone offered me and talking to a lot of really kind people about the many facets of the coffee biz.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prepare for the event, I pulled together a list of our books and products that have been hits with coffee shops<\/a>. We talk a lot about market segmentation at Microcosm, and I had assumed that coffee shops would mostly be what we classify as Specialty accounts: places with a deep expertise in one topic, looking to share new facets of that topic through books and zines. In this case, books about coffee<\/a> and tea<\/a>, how to make it<\/a>, its growing regions<\/a>, coffee culture<\/a>, etc.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
A few of our cafe bestsellers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

But actually, our data revealed that coffee shops tend to buy more in line with stores we classify as Gift: places that use books to convey a vibe. Our top bestsellers to these accounts, by a wiiiide margin, are the coloring books My Vag<\/a><\/em> and Stoner Babes<\/a><\/em>. One store owner, Katie Prinsen of the gorgeously curated Prince Coffee<\/a> here in Portland, spelled out why: “Atmosphere and vibe are key in any coffeeshop,” she explained during a panel on merchandising. She aims for her shelves to “look like beautiful art” and believes that “books are in line with a perfect morning coffee experience.” I couldn’t agree more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, most of the cafe owners and buyers I spoke with at the trade show don\u2019t sell books yet<\/em>\u2014and they assumed the same thing I did, that their customers would just want books about coffee. It\u2019s easy to think of themselves as running a specialty store, and surely some of them are, with people coming in to sample different blends, do cuppings, and gain a coffee education. But I suspect that most would do better thinking of themselves as gift stores, or even something more akin to a bookstore (yet another market channel!)\u2014places where customer purchases are driven by the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Our Walking with Ramona<\/a> <\/em>makes an appearance in the convention center’s Magic Box!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I know when I go to a coffeeshop I love, it\u2019s because they\u2019ve created a welcoming place to talk with friends or have a moment of calm to reflect on my day (or take a break from reflecting on my day). I\u2019m almost never thinking about coffee, except to enjoy my beverage. The last thing I bought from a coffeeshop was a branded sticker that said \u201cKeep it local!\u201d from the aptly named Kind Coffee<\/a>, where I keep coming back because they always effusively compliment my dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came away from Coffee Fest with a caffeine buzz and an appreciation for the basic kindness of people who go into this industry built on creating hospitable third places. I also came away thinking in new ways about \u201cstores that don\u2019t normally carry books,\u201d which make up the majority of our customer base. I wonder how many of them we could better serve by inviting them to think of themselves as a different type of store than they usually do. It\u2019s so easy to put ourselves, and each other, into boxes; and so glorious to have the moment of connection when a customer lights up, seeing something on your shelves that they didn\u2019t even realize they wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to keep learning along with me? I\u2019m going to a garden<\/a> show next and am excited to share whatever insights grow from that fertile ground! Stay tuned right here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6360"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6368,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6360\/revisions\/6368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microcosmpublishing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}