One thing led to another.
That’s the way things started for the Wired Monk, Langley’s homegrown coffee-bistro franchise. And it seems that’s the way things continue to progress, with a seventh bistro slated to open in Halifax in November, more slated in the Lower Mainland early next year and interest percolating all over the province.
But since the opening of the first Wired Monk in Murrayville eight years ago, there’s been a lot of investment and a lot of hard work, says founder Brad Peters, 32, another homegrown product and a D.W. Poppy grad.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, and it isn’t free,? said Peters.
He had just gotten married and had completed a business degree from the University College of the Fraser Valley when he and his wife Danielle went for a walk in Murrayville early in 1998.
Land being cleared at the corner of 222 Street and 48 Avenue, and residential development taking place throughout the neighbourhood gave Peters an idea. He already had a business plan, for “something like this,? prepared for a senior course at UCFV.
There was nowhere in Murrayville for all the new residents to “grab a coffee? while out for a walk in their own neighbourhood.
As recent university students, both well knew the “hustle and bustle? lifestyle of young adults and students, and their penchant for coffee.
From the man clearing the land he obtained the name of the property owner.
“One thing led to another, and before you know it we were opening the doors.?
Danielle, trained as a teacher, was “really the backbone for me getting the (business) going, because she put her career on hold for a couple of years.?
“I didn’t know anything about the coffee industry,? said Peters.
While Starbucks had an established presence, there was nothing like the community-style bistro he envisioned.
“We had a chance to jump on it before the market became saturated.?
“We tag ourselves as a coffee bistro (with) fresh food and fresh baking.We didn’t want to be a coffee house.?
And of course, gourmet coffee.
Peters prepared himself by finding out about the coffee industry.
His research went back to the origins of the bean and resulted in the name. In northern Africa, a shepherd noted his flock eating the berries, and also that the sheep became quite “peppy? on the diet.
Word of the mysterious berry spread, and, according to Peters, Benedictine Monks who heard of it created a drink, to keep them energized for late-night mass, hence the name, Wired Monk.
Peters also hired the Vancouver advertising firm of Palmer Jarvis with an idea to future franchising. The ad firm loved his idea, and designed the marketing concept around the name.
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