While many people are hardly enthusiastic about returning to the office, I’m actually excited! Why? Because I can once again grab a hot cup of coffee each morning from Saxbys, my go to coffee spot in Philly. So long K-Cups, hello freshly brewed bean juice!
Coffee’s a big business in Philly. You have chains like Wawa and La Colombe, local favorites such as Anthony’s Italian Coffee House and Elixr Coffee Roasters, and a number of smaller cafés. Everyone has their preference. Mine just happens to be Saxbys and I’ll tell you why.
But first… a little background info
Saxbys was founded in 2005 by CEO Nick Bayer. Since then, the Philadelphia roaster has grown from one corner cafe to nearly 30 stores! Saxbys’ mission, MAKE LIFE BETTER. Not sure about life, but it certainly makes my mornings better.
Brewing up a new generation of entrepreneurs
Saxbys is one of the largest and fastest-growing coffee brands in the area. One reason for this is their simple, yet unique, business model. The majority of Saxbys are located on college campuses and Nick makes it a priority to employ student workers. Not only that, Saxbys has also partnered with a number of local universities to offer cooperative experience credits to its student workers. In addition to this, Saxbys runs a Student CEO Program for each of its cafés with the goal of brewing up a new generation of entrepreneurs!
Modern-looking cafés, friendly staff
I’ve been to a couple Saxbys over the years and they all have two things in common: a modern look and friendly staff. When you walk into one of their cafés, the first thing you notice is good lighting, catchy music, and a common space for collaboration or just catching up with friends. The stores are very clean and most have an open floor plan making it easy to get-in and get-out if you’re in a rush.
The staff are awesome! How many times have you’ve gone to Starbucks or Dunkin just to be greeted by someone who looks like they hate their job. Not an ideal way to start the day that’s for sure. The staff at Saxbys always greet me with a smile and you can tell that they enjoy working there. Since they’re students, most of the staff know one another and get along really well. Plus the whole credit for co-op experience and student CEO program are an added incentive.
The coffee is good, but the muffins are better!
Despite everything mentioned so far, the main reason Saxbys is my go to coffee spot in Philly is because of the coffee. Starbucks sells burnt coffee. Dunkin gets your order wrong like 30% of the time. Wawa’s coffee kind of tastes like dishwater. I don’t have to worry about this with Saxbys. Their Liquid Courage dark roast is really good, and if you’re having a really rough morning, you can pair your coffee with a blueberry or french toast muffin. Believe it or not, Saxby’s muffins are actually better than their coffee! Take a look at these beauties.
Deep down we’re all coffee snobs
There you have it, the reasons why Saxbys is my go to coffee spot in Philly. As an added bonus, two of its cafés are located within a 5-block radius of my office building. So going back to work isn’t all that bad!
Coffee is, and always will be, a hot topic (pun intended). I know deep down we’re all coffee snobs. So you may not agree with me. You may have your own favorite hidden gem in the city for your morning brew. I’d love to hear about it. Please share your top spot in the comments below.
