The Quad Cities has recently seen an increase in the number of coffee shops across the area. Local coffee shops that were formerly known as places to grab a quick pick-me-up before a long work day now serve as places to be productive or to catch up with friends. Companies like Coffee Hound and Atomic have realized this sudden rise in traffic and are opening more locations around the Bettendorf area, bringing a fierce competition between the numerous shops in the Quad City area.
An immediate concern of many students is the location of the newest Atomic location. Being near the school, it is a perfect way for Atomic to reach out to their target market. Non-driving students or any student that doesn’t want to go out of their way each morning can easily access caffeine in a place more quick and convenient than shops such as Coffee Hound or Dunn Brothers, which are further away. But what will happen to those shops? What will happen to the school’s coffee shop in the Spartan Commons? As anyone who has taken Economics junior year would say: competition.
Despite this immediate assumption, Dunn Brothers employee and PV student Nolan Yoerger explains, “We [Dunn Brothers] may experience a little bit of competition but not much because each shop has their own specific niche.” Yoerger explained that each shop around town has a different vibe and will therefore attract different customers. Natalie Murphy, a PV senior and Coffee Hound employee, takes a more personal perspective on this. She said, “I think with the growing competition of coffee shops in the area, Coffee Hound has found a great middle ground with adapting and evolving while also staying true to their roots. We are excited to reach a new audience with our new location opening up by the BettPlex later this fall.”
Caroline Christopherson, another PV senior, brought a very specific take to the table. “I think each of the coffee shops has a different customer base. Coffee Hound is a good meeting place, Dunn Brothers is a good place to study, and Atomic is a good place to socialize.” Christopherson showed an example of how each of these new places conveys their unique “personality” and it is up to the individual to decide what they’d like to use each one for.
