Tucson coffee shop readies to take on big chain | Business News

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A walk-up customer orders his coffee at Coffee Times, 3401 E. Speedway Blvd.

Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily Star

When the owner of a local coffee shop saw the “Coming Soon” sign for a Dunkin ‘store on the empty lot next door, he scoffed.

“I plan to take some of their customers with me,” said Michael Cripps, co-owner of Coffee Times, which has operated at 3401 E. Speedway for 22 years. “Your customers will sit in their cars for a long time and maybe look around and see Coffee Times and try us out.

“That’ll be one of the good things about it.”

Coffee Times, which operates two drive-thru windows and a walk-up service in a 1,000-square-foot store, was opened by Cripps’ uncle Tom Mannell in 1999 after years running the downtown Quebec Cafe.

Drive-thru and walk-up customers order and wait for their drinks at Coffee Times, 3401 E. Speedway. The national chain Dunkin ‘is planning a new shop next to the Coffee Times, which has been in existence for 22 years.

Rebecca Sasnett Photos, Arizona Daily Star

Cripps and his brother Jeremy Cripps and Uncle David Mannell are currently running the operation.

He says the imminent arrival of Dunkin does not concern him or any of his staff.

“We have a much more diverse menu, we’re faster, and we don’t compromise on quality by taking something out of the freezer and putting it in the microwave,” he said. “We don’t even have a voicebox – customers drive to the window, shout out the window or go to the window.”

In addition to stocking up on all the local coffees and goodies, Coffee Times is committed to the community and supporting local charities like Casa de los Niños, Socks for Tucsons Homeless, Ben’s Bells, Emerge Center Against Domestic Violence and Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund.

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