Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Petrick.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been a vinyl junkie since my junior year of college. After graduation, I cultivated my collection in my spare time while spending nine years in corporate America. After my stint working for ‘the man’, I decided to go out on my own, determined to work at my passion. Having never worked in the music industry, and having frequented more than a few record stores that have gone under; I knew I needed to do something different and exciting in order to succeed. Looking back, I laugh at how long it took me to realize that coffee has always been a routine in my vinyl shopping. I would always locate the nearest independent coffee shop to whatever record store I was heading to and grab a cold brew. I always had a cup in my hand while I was digging through the record bins.
After getting positive feedback from like-minded friends about my idea of selling coffee and records under one roof, I decided to get a job at the local coffee shop while building up a business plan. At this point… I had no knowledge of specialty coffee. The shop I worked at was slinging a dark-roast blend to university students day in and day out. Fortunately, a friend of mine told me that his little brother was deep into the London coffee scene (certainly one of the most progressive coffee cities in the world). I went over there to check things out. We hit about 25 unique specialty coffee shops in four days. It only took one pour-over of a Kenyan coffee to catch the bug. The first taste of berries in a black coffee was an experience that I will never forget. All of the sudden, it was the coffee side of things that I was most excited about. My London tour guide was very excited about my idea and we decided to go into business together upon his return from London.
After over a year struggling to realize our vision, we opened up shop at 2140 W.Division St. on April 6th, 2017. We have developed a meticulously curated specialty coffee menu usually featuring four-five different roasters every day. Our approach to records is the same; we strive to curate a unique, yet accessible, selection of new and reissued vinyl records spanning all genres. We’ve learned a lot in this past year and now truly feel like we have established our unique identity and are hitting our stride.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As mentioned… it took a long time to realize our vision. Finding a good space in a good location in Chicago proved a lot harder than we thought. Then, the standard bumps in the road with design, licensing, and construction.
We are learning every day. There is a lot of stress but we have a great staff of trustworthy individuals that are as passionate about coffee and music as I am.
Beyond that… just getting people aware of our shop is a constant focus. I feel confident once they make it, they will want to come back.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Purple Llama Coffee & Records – what should we know?
We strive to deliver the finest specialty coffees alongside a highly curated selection of new and reissued records. We are known for offering a broad selection of national and international coffee roasters.
I am most proud of customer service and staff. Our product is superior (thanks in large part to our partners)… but I feel we separate ourselves from other multi-roaster coffee shops and record stores with a welcoming approach to all different types of customers. Whether you are new to coffee/vinyl or are a total vinyl junkie and/or coffee geek, our staff is always excited to deliver a great product with a welcome approach.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think a welcoming atmosphere and an open-minded approach is most important to our success. We have a beautiful space and a superior product, but I think most of our customers keep coming back because of the culture we have created at the shop.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2140 W. Division St.
Chicago, IL 60622 - Website: www.purplellamachicago.com
- Email: info@purplellamachicago.com
- Instagram: @purplellamachicago.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purplellamachicago/
- Twitter: @ride_the_llama
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/purple-llama-chicago
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