Coffee Shop Wars: Paramount Survival

The local independent coffee shop seems to have a romantic relationship with its community. Even if you never enter its doors, you likely admire a “mom and pop” coffee shop for its entrepreneurial spirit. Unfortunately for Tucker coffee lovers, area indie coffee shops are dwindling.

Not too long ago, Alcove, Paramount Coffee Shop & Books and Mighty Joe’s Espresso gave coffee drinkers plenty of independent choices.

Alcove originally opened, a decade ago, at 2257 Idlewood Road, just south of Highway 29, then moved to 4135 LaVista Road near Best Buy. An Alcove customer told this writer that the Northlake location did not provide enough foot traffic so Alcove moved again this year – taking its Batdorf and Bronson coffees to the shore of Lake Lucerne at 4615 Highway 78.

Mighty Joe’s was located at 4404 Hugh Howell Rd., near Ingles, and suffered when its original owner died of cancer. Reportedly, a rent increase forced the last owner to close the shop last fall and it has not reopened.

Fortunately, Paramount Coffee, 2245 Idlewood Road, has proven to be the mainstay. Owner Tsina Yilma bought what was once American Auto Glass and converted it to Paramount and opened in March 2003. He endured the early years of Alcove being only a couple storefronts away.

Despite continuing competition from Starbucks and McDonald’s McCafe, Yilma explained his longevity with one word – relationships. He said customers enjoy the quiet, do some work or chat with friends. Yilma recalled a local barista rated his coffee among the top three in Atlanta several years ago in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Space like this (Paramount) is lacking in Tucker,” said Yilma. He said adding food – sandwiches and salads – has been the most significant change in Paramount’s eight years. Yilma plans to add more food, including breakfast, later this year.

Erik Deckers in his Personal Branding Blog recently summarized the value of indie coffee shops.

• Money spent in an independent coffee shop is more likely to get circulated locally.
• For those doing work there on a computer, indie shops provide networking opportunities because other computer users are usually a part of small, local businesses.
• Independent coffee shops know their regular customers and treat them well.

For further information about Paramount Coffee Shop & Books, visit www.bestethiocafe.com, or call 770-807-7980.