Owning a coffee shop of one’s very own has captivated the masses seeking some level of fulfillment in their work for generations. Everyone at one point in time or another—maybe after a trip to Italy or France—has dreamed of making coffee at an extremely leisurely pace, talking to customers, and just really enjoying the casual ease of operating a third place (and all the instant gratitude that comes with it). It’s romantic if but completely divorced from the difficult reality of actually owning a cafe.
But in the digital age, do people still dream of running a coffee shop or has the pie-in-the-sky ideation shifted to, say, running a start-up or some sort of serial tech entrepreneurship? Turns out, the coffee shop dream is alive and well, and thanks to the omnipresence of technology, it may be stronger than ever.
This is all according to a survey conducted by Hosting Advice, a forum on hosting business websites. In light of the emergence of artificial intelligence and its potential to shape the business landscape in the very near future, they asked 3,000 employees what their dream business ventures would be “that not only ignite their passion but are also resilient in the face of AI advancements,” per North Coast Current. And the number one answer? Owning a specialty coffee shop.
Respondents noted “the coffee industry’s resilience and growth,” noting global specialty coffee is expected to increase by 50% by 2028. “Beyond the profit potential [editors note: lol], owning a coffee shop offers entrepreneurs the chance to craft a brand experience that AI can’t replicate.” The coffee shops offers the chance at “artisanal quality and authentic engagement.”
And it’s not just coffee shops. The dream has gone analog, brick and mortar is back. The rest of the top eight answers include opening an artisanal bakery, boutique bookstore, health and wellness retreat, pet boutique, gourmet food truck, eco-friendly home goods store, and an art gallery/studio space. Like with coffee shops, these businesses all focus on the small and creative, favoring personal fulfillment over world domination.
Another thing these answers all have in common is that perhaps the respondents don’t entirely understand what it is they are wanting to get themselves into. Much like the coffee shop’s aforementioned “profit potential,” answers like the food truck highlight its ability to “maximize profits,” how the artisanal bakery is a “profitable niche,” and that the pet boutique taps into a multi-billion dollar industry. All can be and in some cases are true, but perhaps not with quite the ease the survey seems to think.
Still, it isn’t always about having everything planned out. Sometimes you just have to take the leap, fake it til you make it, and learn on the fly. Let the dreamers dream. As the digital world continues to encroach—and AI positioning itself to consume large swaths of the workforce—it’s good to know that folks still dream in the analog. Long live the brick and mortar.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
