How A PhillyiHub Alum Realized His Dream of Opening a Brick-and-Mortar Coffee Shop
Chris Petersen worked in nonprofits for 36 years – from the time he was 21 years old and just starting his career. He has always been a “community person” who took an interest in holding events and bringing people together. During his nonprofit career, he worked mostly in education, including with a small independent school in West Philly and with the School District of Philadelphia. But he always dreamed of opening a small business.
As a younger person, the cost and risk of becoming a small business owner felt overwhelming. But in the meantime he was developing his skill set around building community and honing a sense of place where people could gather.
Ironically, Chris didn’t start drinking coffee until he was 40 years old. He grew up in the 70s and 80s with parents who drank Maxwell House. But on a trip to the Catskills he discovered the pleasures of coffee for the first time. He then met Elizabeth Ultimo (of Ultimo Coffee) who was willing to help him out with understanding the operational details of a coffee shop.
In 2022, Chris signed up for Mt. Airy CDC’s PhillyiHub program, which helped crystallize his business idea as well as the operations and logistics. Originally he considered buying a coffee truck but realized a brick-and-mortar was the better choice since it would satisfy his own interest and vision and would generate the most consistent demand.
He says the most helpful exercise during his iHub cohort was one that examined the business goals and projected measurable results, allowing him to determine which direction would be the most profitable for him over the long term. Not only that, he gained a lot from his fellow cohort members: “It was really cool to be in a group of likeminded people and get their feedback.”
Chris then ran a pop-up cafe from his side yard for two seasons as an experiment – and to answer the questions that preoccupied him: Did he enjoy running a coffee shop? Would it work? Was there demand? The answer to all these questions was a resounding YES.
Chris and his wife had their eye on the space at the corner of Emlen & Mt. Pleasant for a while– when it became available in June 2023, they knew it was time to jump even though they didn’t feel totally ready.
On November 1, 2023, Chris officially quit his full-time job. He opened his doors at Mt. Airy Coffee Co in February, 2024. The lessons learned so far have been many:
- Chris says, “I underestimated everything”–including the time and energy it would take to run a business.
- Knowing where to draw boundaries and how to delegate has also been challenging in terms of his work/life balance.
- Focusing on a quality product has been very important: “Coffee helps create the community,” he says.
- Sticking to his values has also been a great lesson. Setting a high standard of service and hiring good people have both been strong points for him.
Chris sees a lot of growth potential in Mt. Airy and in his immediate surroundings. In the future, he plans to expand his food menu at the cafe and to collaborate with other local businesses.
Chris says his experience with the CDC has been key to his success so far: “The staff at Mt. Airy CDC have been extremely helpful since before we even opened. They have helped in so many ways – from getting access to business resources from the City, to holding regular meetings with other small business owners, to hiring me for catering jobs, events and more. The best part is the personal investment I feel – into me and into the business.”