Tribune-Review
Business hopping at newest Coffee Tree Roasters
Andrew Johnson
February 17, 2006

Manager Kevin Holloway knew his coffeehouse had arrived when he saw caffeine cravers parking outside -- alone in the dark -- even before The Coffee Tree Roasters opened up at 6 a.m.

"They're sitting, waiting in a car," Holloway said.

Together with die-hard academics who camp for hours at the Shadyside coffeehouse, caffeine addicts have united to make this Walnut Street coffeehouse the latest homegrown product to become a viable retail anchor in a neighborhood increasingly swamped by chains.

Starbucks, Banana Republic, Gap, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Apple -- all of them now call this historic tree-lined neighborhood home. American Apparel recently joined the family.

Competing on the block are Pittsburgh-bred staples like Prantl's Bakery, Pamela's Restaurant and Kards Unlimited.

The good news for those who care about mom-and-pop places is that The Coffee Tree Roasters -- which was born in Squirrel Hill, a couple of neighborhoods over -- competes well in this neighborhood.

At least three other coffee places are within a few blocks of The Coffee Tree Roasters, including a Starbucks.

Two years after it opened, the independent coffeehouse -- with its large garage-door window front -- is doing at least 30 percent better business than its owner planned.

Bill Swoope Jr., 42, who owns the business with his father, said the coffeehouse's success is simple.

"Pittsburghers like to support local businesses," Swoope said.

That doesn't mean he wasn't nervous when he decided to take on rent-heavy Walnut Street.

Swoope previously opened up stores in Mt. Lebanon and Fox Chapel; the Shadyside coffeehouse represented the largest venture in the company's 12-year history.

Swoope said he paid a third more in rent to open up in increasingly expensive Shadyside, versus the rates he pays at the original Squirrel Hill location. Swoope said he invested roughly $450,000 to renovate the empty Walnut Street space. The 3,200-square-foot coffeehouse is a far cry from many hole-in-the-wall caffeine spots.

Swoope said selling 750 cups of coffee a day in Shadyside would have meant breaking even on the large space. Swoope's business pushes 2,000 cups daily on weekends, he said.

It is near impossible to find a seat by late Saturday morning.

Employee Brianne Harrison, 26, said it is a sight. "A lot of people seem to know each other," she said. "I don't even know if they all live in Shadyside."

Holloway said the coffeehouse is so popular, "you almost feel like you're getting to pop icon status."

The coffeehouse has a particular charm. Mellow-yellow walls, black leather couches, slate tables and exposed brick. Customers can, and do, treat it like a home away from home.

Carnegie Mellon University is only a 15-minute walk away. Its students and faculty have been there from the beginning.

Marlie Filipek, who manages Kards Unlimited next door, said she liked The Coffee Tree Roasters' arrival.

Filipek said she wanted Walnut Street to remain as distinctive as possible, something she worried about.

"I would rather support them than Starbucks," she said.

Anthony J. Dolan, of Walnut Capital, which rents to The Coffee Tree Roasters, disagrees with the perception that local businesses are under siege on Walnut Street, and said his company "tends to favor" companies with Pittsburgh ties when reviewing rental applications.

Dolan said The Coffee Tree Roasters phenomenon was great. "They are very well-respected and well-liked," he said.

< Back to Headlines | Back to top