When Nan Eskenzi moved from the coffee mecca of Seattle to Calgary with her Alberta-born husband, Michael Going, the entrepreneur saw an opportunity in a market not yet dominated by the likes of Starbucks and other coffee giants.
In 1990, Calgary was ripe for an original, community-focused coffeehouse in a trendy, downtown neighbourhood.
With the success of their single Good Earth Cafe location, the pair spent the next 15 years expanding at the rate of about one coffeehouse a year as finances and market conditions permitted.
But as the coffee trend grew, so did the competition: Starbucks, Tim Horton’s and other chains popped up around every corner. Ms. Eskenzi and Mr. Going decided a new growth strategy was in order.
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