Crazy Mocha Coffee Company

Crazy Mocha Coffee Company is a coffeehouse chain in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region. As of February 2020, there were 24 locations.[1]

Crazy Mocha Coffee Company
Industrycoffeehouse chain
Number of locations
24
Area served
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Key people
Ed Wethli (president)
ProductsCoffee
OwnerEd Wethli
Websitewww.crazymocha.com

History
A view from Crazy Mocha

The original store was the Dancing Goats coffee shop on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[2] The shop had been named after the apocryphal legend of the dancing goat that heralded the beginning of coffee.[3][4] It was purchased in 2000 by Ken Zeff, a merchandise buyer for J.C. Penney and native resident of Greenfield.[2][5]

As of 2003, the Crazy Mocha chain had growth to 3 locations.[5] During 2004, the operation had doubled to 6 locations and 25 employees.[5] The rapid pace of expansion raised questions among observers about whether the growth was sustainable.[5] By 2008, the 21 locations required over 100 employees.[6]

In 2007, Zeff opened a store at PPG Place near to an existing Starbucks.[2] The new location was to fill the void left by the closure of La Prima Espresso Company.[2] Other downtown locations were developed to improve brand awareness.[7] In 2009, the downtown flagship store was opened on Liberty Avenue in the Cultural District.[8]

In 2009, the expansion into Cranberry marked the first time the store had gone beyond City of Pittsburgh limits into the suburbs. That location was a direct challenge to nearby Starbucks locations had generated $1 million per year.[9]

Crazy Mocha was profiled by the Pittsburgh Business Times to highlight retail stores' issues with the 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit.[10][11]

On March 14, 2018, Crazy Mocha was purchased by the Kiva Han Coffee Company, located in Cranberry Township, Pa. Kiva Han and Crazy Mocha now operate under the parent company of Ed's Beans, Inc., of which Ed Wethli is the owner.[12]

Business philosophy

Each location has its own vibe, often themed along with the neighborhood.[13] The Shadyside location matches the art-conscious neighborhood, South Side location has a faux-iron canopy hanging over the tables in honor of the area's industrial past, and the location at the SouthSide Works is based on a trendy Brooklyn cafe.[13] The Bloomfield location teamed up with The Dreaming Ant, an independent video rental store.[5]

Crazy Mocha has been an early newcomer to urban rehabilitation in Lawrenceville and the North Side.[14] The 2010 opening of the North Side location was hailed as the cornerstone of a redevelopment effort in that neighborhood.[15][16]

See also

References
  1. "Locations". Crazy Mocha Coffee Company. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  2. Wander, Jonathan (March 2010). "Ken Zeff". Pittsburgh Magazine. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  3. "Munch Goes to Dancing Goats, Katerbean". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 14, 2000. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  4. "Dining on Ellsworth an Al Fresco Adventure". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 19, 2001. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  5. "Brewing up business". Pittsburgh Business Times. September 27, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  6. "Crazy Mocha opens two stores, plans two more in 2009". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. December 11, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  7. "Crazy Mocha has 'Star' in its eyes". Pittsburgh Business Times. August 13, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  8. "Pittsburgh's Crazy Mocha coffee shop expects steady growth in Cultural District". Pittsburgh Business Times. October 5, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  9. "Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. adding two stores". Pittsburgh Business Times. March 13, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  10. "G-20 expected to be either boom or bust for retail". Pittsburgh Business Times. August 17, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  11. "At Pittsburgh's Crazy Mocha, coffee is the global language". Pittsburgh Business Times. September 28, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  12. "Cranberry Township-based Kiva Han buys Crazy Mocha coffee: Expect loyalty perks, barista training and more shops". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  13. Vellucci, Justin (August 30, 2007). "Crazy Mocha is changing the idea of a chain". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  14. Schooley, Tim (February 24, 2012). "Crazy Mocha ready for more expansion, with three on the way". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  15. Pfister, Bonnie (July 5, 2009). "Crazy Mocha joins North Side revitalization effort". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  16. Cato, Jason (January 14, 2010). "Planners see progress on transforming the city's North Side". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
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