Clothing designer looks to capitalise on NZ coffee culture
A high-end streetware clothing store is now selling barista-made coffee. This poses the question – will others follow suit, and how might this affect traditional coffee spots?
A clothing store has added coffee to the available products at their Ward Street flagship store.
Established in 2012, Crate is a streetwear label designed around top-end clothing.
Owner and operator Blair Wigglesworth says he maintains a high standard in their clothing through intricate design work.
And, somewhat unusually, as of this week, customers can pick up not only some new threads but also a designer coffee made in-store.
“It was actually our plan from the start; when we signed this lease seven months ago,” Wigglesworth said.
“Our store has a real boutique feel and coffee is kind of an art as well…aesthetically, it’s like a natural fit.”
Although not intended to immediately boost the amount of counter sales in store, Wigglesworth hopes the coffee stop will one day garner more online sales.
“It’s getting people familiar with the brand,” he said.
“If they come in for a coffee and they see our designs, then they walk down the street and they see someone [wearing one] and be like ‘oh, that’s one of those Crate t-shirts’, and then all of a sudden they see something on Facebook and then eventually they may be like ‘oh, I need to buy something for Bob for his birthday,’ and then they may consider us.”
The addition poses the question as to whether other businesses will jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the New Zealand coffee culture.
Head of quality control and education at Rocket Coffee, River Vili, thinks more and more businesses will eventually get on board.
But, he warns, more businesses serving more coffee will have mixed results on the progression of the industry if the stores don’t offer a quality brew.
Vili believes “progression for progression’s sake” won’t necessarily be the best way for the coffee industry to develop.
“It doesn’t tell us too much about the quality or the progression of coffee,” he said.
“If progression happens by a virtue of quality coffee then that’s better.”
Vili puts emphasis on quality over quantity, believing people will still go to their favourite coffee spot to buy their beverage if the stores don’t cut it.
“It’s all about communication,” he said.
“We’re not selling fast food stuff.”
The coffee industry is one that is growing fast in New Zealand, and the Crate experiment is worth watching.
