It's A Grind Coffee House Reaches 50th Store Milestone

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (Friday, March 11, 2005) - IAG Coffee Franchise, LLC, the franchisor of the It’s A Grind Coffee House concept today announced the grand opening of its 50th store, demonstrating the company’s stability in the specialty coffee industry. Additionally, the company has awarded a total of 186 franchises since it began franchising in July 2001, and projects to open close to 50 more stores during 2005.

The 50th store opened March 12 and is located in downtown Oakland , Calif. – the same state as the company’s origins.

“It’s exciting to see our 50th coffeehouse open,” said It’s A Grind co-founder Marty Cox. “My wife, Louise Montgomery, and I started this concept to reach out to underserved communities by offering a place to gather with friends and family and enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation with friends. It is gratifying to see that same spirit alive and well in our locations across the country.”

The first It’s A Grind Coffee House opened in July 1995 in Long Beach and quickly grew to include five locations in the surrounding communities. Today, there are It’s A Grind Coffee Houses in various stages of development in 13 states, stretching from California to New Jersey .

Already an established figure in her community, 50th store owner Mary Forte recognized It’s A Grind as the perfect opportunity to provide her redeveloping neighborhood with a place for folks to gather.

“My neighborhood is making a comeback,” said Forte. “There’s nothing more rewarding than to employ, serve and appreciate a community better than opening a coffee house for my friends, family and neighbors.”

The secret to It’s A Grind’s neighborhood success is the owners behind the counters. Each It’s A Grind franchisee is dedicated to their community, and always strives to ‘go the extra mile’ to ensure the customer not only leaves satisfied, but looks forward to returning on a regular basis.

“Too often, people open coffeehouses just to make money, losing focus on what’s really important,” said Cox. “Simply put, though profit is great, it is not the driver for opening this business, rather, it is the result of creating exceptional experiences for everyone we meet, every time we meet them.”

It’s A Grind contributes its success to a compilation of ‘a lot of little things,’ according to Montgomery . As an example, more than 75 percent of new franchisee training is focused on community outreach and superior customer service. It’s A Grind owners are selected because they genuinely treat others with the same dignity and respect as you would treat your best friend, further adding to the family atmosphere.

About It’s A Grind


It’s A Grind is a specialty Coffee House specializing in gourmet coffee and espresso beverages. Currently, 50 It’s A Grind locations operate in the United States , with a projected 250 stores by 2007.

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