by Tyra E. Haag, @tyratuckerhaag
This first month of 2012, our blog has focused on new beginnings for the year, so I would like to turn some attention to a local company that has made an excellent start in our community.
For those of you not familiar with Maryville-based Vienna Coffee Company (VCC) (not an MBWC client), I suggest you head on over to their inviting coffee house at 321 High Street and cozy up to a delicious “cup of Joe.”
The coffee house offers free internet access, fresh baked goods, assorted retail goodies, open mic nights and hosts several local musicians and artists throughout the year.
On Jan. 4, VCC announced a new kiosk in the lobby of the Blount County branch of Pellissippi State Community College. The new kiosk will be open 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. each day. This is welcome news, I’m sure, to students and faculty who need an extra jolt of java in the morning to get their day going.
Their baristas are highly knowledgeable and can accommodate just about any request you can imagine. In fact, one chilly morning last fall, I found myself debating whether or not to order a chai tea latte or espresso. I explained my dilemma to the barista who suggested I order a “Dirty Chai” – a chai tea latte with a shot of espresso. I’d never heard of this bizarre concoction and thought her recommendation was quite unusual, but trusted her judgment anyway. Needless to say, my “Dirty Chai” was delicious and satisfied both of my cravings for tea and espresso.
Of course, this encounter offered me the opportunity to utilize one of the best PR-related strategies out there – word-of-mouth – to spread my joy over this tasty new discovery at a neighborhood coffeehouse, just down the road from my office. I look forward to hearing even more good news spread about this locally-owned company in our community.
So here’s to a New Year of new beginnings for Vienna Coffee Company. To learn more about VCC or to sign up for their monthly newsletter, visit http://www.viennacoffeeco.com/.
