Canadian Firm Hopes to Brew Success in Buffalo

These may be dark economic times but not everyone is laying off employees and closing up shop.

A successful Canadian firm has chosen Buffalo to begin its first venture into the U.S. marketplace.

At the height of the worst recession in decades, Coffee Culture has opened its first U.S. cafe and eatery in a renovated former candy store on Main Street in Williamsville.

"We feel (Buffalo) presents a great opportunity because of the work force and because of the great opportunities in real estate," said Jim Geiger, Vice President of Real Estate and Franchise Development for Coffee Culture New York Inc.

Geiger tells 2 On your Side the company plans on opening at 3 more locations in greater Buffalo as well as another in Ellicottville in the coming months.

The three other Buffalo area locations are on Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda, Elmwood near Bryant, and at Fountain Plaza downtown.

"We expect to have 8 to 10 open within this year and then by next year we expect to have 25 throughout the state. We will employ between 35 and 40 people at each one of these locations," Geiger told WGRZ-TV.

This is good news to those looking for a job like Andy Cieslak, a college student seeking part time work and who filled out an application with the company on Thursday.

"I like to work with people, I'm a hard worker and I'm hoping that what I have to offer is what they need," Cieslak said.

At a time when one of the nation's foremost chains of coffee shops, Starbucks, has been shutting down hundreds of locations, Geiger insists, "our business model is very different than theirs."

By appearances it seems that Coffee Culture is actually borrowing the best qualities of two of its chief competitors.

It looks like Starbucks, but has prices more in line with Tim Horton's, ...which Geiger believes could be a key to success at a time when people are minding their discretionary funds more closely.

Coffee Culture is also now looking at real estate in Florida, but according to Geiger will keep its U.S. corporate headquarters Buffalo because its closer to the company's home base near Toronto, Ontario Canada.