Toronto’s Coffee Houses
Filed Under Design
In the battle of the coffee shops, we take a look at three unique coffee houses who are winning the hearts of coffee lovers in Toronto, Canada. Proof positive: small specialty retailers can standout, be successful & proudly counted next to giants like Starbucks.
I love coming to Toronto - on each trip, I spend a chunk of my time exploring new funky shops and boutiques in one of my favorite areas in the city, the ever growing and ultra hip Queen Street. Year after year, from East to West, this once downtrodden street blossoms with an increasing number of truly unique and super creative retail spaces - filled with the latest in urban design, art galleries, great eateries, bars and hundreds of specialty shops. The creative vibe here is so strong that its also impacting off-shooting streets connecting directly to it, and becoming a hive of activity and adrenaline for the creative geeks of every genera.
On my recent visit, I noticed a big increase in specialty coffee houses - with the hundreds of Starbucks, Timothy’s and Second Cup’s around - I began to wonder how these small independent coffee shops survived? So I made it my mission to discover what was brewing. It quickly became obvious, each was uniquely different from the other, not only in aesthetics but the way they communicated and delivered their coffee culture, and how these elements related to their brand.
Let’s look at three of my newest favorite coffee shops in Toronto:
Cherry Bomb Café
Address: 79 Roncesvalles Avenue
Map: view here
KEY DIFFERENTIATION POINTS
- Retro design
- Friendly human service
- Huge selection of Teas
- Best Hot Chocolate in the city!
- Wide variety of specialty roasts from fair trade to organic
- See the making, and devour delicious freshly baked goodies
For more info on Cherry Bomb Coffee House, visit their website.
Tinto Coffee House
Address: 89 Roncesvalles Avenue
Map: view here
KEY DIFFERENTIATION POINTS
- Friendly atmosphere
- Free WiFi for all customers
- Cozy and comfortable setting to read and work
- High quality coffee at a fraction of Starbucks prices
Visit Tinto Coffee House website for more info.
La Merceria
Address: 506 Adelaide Street west.
Map: View here
{photo courtesy: decor8}
KEY DIFFERENTIATION POINTS
- Simple Menu
- Niche clientele
- Great use of sensory branding
- Yummy things for the belly & beautiful things to take home*
At La Merceria there is wonderful coffee and treats but also beautiful things to indulge for gift giving and life. From quality crisp linens and fine ceramics to writing papers and fragrances, the founders have nailed the idea: fill the belly, fill the senses. La Merceria is clearly a labor of love for the founders and couple, who’ve made their dream a reality of serving coffee in a cozy and comfortable atmosphere and seducing customers with unique treats for your home … total self indulgence.
Holly from blog “decor8″ has written a great post on La Merceria. Be sure to check out her blog for a virtual store tour : )
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