Ten years ago, after retiring from the U.S. Air Force, Mitch Peters admits he felt lost at the beginning of his new chapter in life as a civilian. Then he found his calling as co-owner of a Biggby Coffee franchise.
“All I knew as an adult was the military, so I felt like I lost my sense of purpose,” says Peters, who served the nation for 23 years. “Now, with Biggby, I feel like I’ve found a new sense of purpose.”
Peters started out doing odd jobs, then he and his wife, Cathy, did a little research and decided to open a Biggby Coffee franchise in Virginia Beach, where his wife was raised.
“I come from a family of entrepreneurs and I was familiar with the brand as I’m from Michigan, where there is a Biggby Coffee on practically every corner,” says Peters, adding that he and his wife like the chain because of their community involvement.
Mitch and Cathy Peters
Biggby Coffee started in East Lansing, Michigan in 1995. The business has more than 400 cafes in 13 states. Peters and his wife opened the first Biggby franchise in Virginia on Princess Anne Road near the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in January 2023. The coffee shop specializes in a variety of coffees, including seasonal lattes, mochas and cold brews as well as teas and hot chocolate. In addition, Biggby Coffee serves breakfast items like bagel and waffle sandwiches, muffins and doughnuts.
“I love being next to the municipal center and getting to serve veterans and first responders,” says Peters. “Everyone is ecstatic that we opened a Biggby Coffee here. We are about the old school customer service model where our baristas really get to know our customers. They know them by name and know what kind of drinks they like.”
Peters and his wife, the parents of two young adults, are in the trenches daily as well, preferring to be hands-on at Biggby Coffee. Their daughter also works at the café on occasion.
“We are in here doing everything that our baristas do and more,” Peters says.
The couple is toying with the possibility of opening more Biggby Coffee locations, though nothing is for certain yet. But one thing is for sure, and that’s the bond that they share with the 12 baristas who help make their Biggby Coffee franchise the best it can be.
“We are having a lot of fun,” he says. “The camaraderie we share with the baristas is a lot like the camaraderie I used to have when I was in the military.”
Learn more at http://www.biggby.com.
