By Jenna-Lee Neff
Love it or hate it, coffee is a hot topic with a big industry. One raging debate is between local mom-and-pop coffee shops or the larger corporate owned entities. For one Phoenix company, not only is the answer local, but they are making it easier than ever to support small businesses through an app created solely to direct the hopelessly caffeinated to the nearest local shop.
GoLocal, LLC recently released the GoLocalCoffee app, designed to bring users directly to a shop that fits their needs without having to sort through Google results and guess at which one will fit their particular style.
“You know what they say, ‘There’s an app for that,’” says GoLocalCoffee creator Clint Van Wuffen. “Well, if you like your coffee from local coffee shops, now there really is an app for that.”
For Van Wuffen, the decision to focus on local shops came after six months of data collection and app development, all to make sure coffee lovers could unite somewhere comfortable during work or play.
“I always support local,” Van Wuffen says. “With the GoLocalCoffee app, you will have the most up-to-date information on every local coffee shop near you, no matter where you are.”
“As an avid coffee lover, I discovered the need for this app while traveling for work several years ago,” he adds. “Unfortunately, the apps I had available often led me to locations of coffee shops no longer in business. It was frustrating. Although the major chains are always nearby, some people don’t want corporate additives, politics and environment. Instead, they prefer the mom and pop atmosphere along with supporting local businesses.”
“This app will allow people to find a local coffee shop no matter where they are,” Van Wuffen continues.
In 2018, WalletHub ranked Seattle, Washington and New York City, New York as top two best coffee cities out of the 100 largest cities in America. So how did Arizona stack up? Phoenix ranked in at 38, a full ten spots behind Scottsdale, which ranked in at number 28. Other cities in the state ranked as follows: Chandler (46), Tucson (56), Gilbert (59), Mesa (80), and Glendale (87).
With three rankings in the top 50, it’s no wonder Van Wuffen prefers to keep his coffee routine focused on local, small business offerings.
Once you have downloaded the app and created an account, you can search for locally owned coffee shops up to 20 miles from your current location and view them on an interactive map or convenient list format. Filters let you search for shops based on places good for working, group friendly, kid friendly and dog friendly, and it even offers dietary considerations such as dairy- free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Other popular filters are types of payments accepted, seating, Wi-Fi, alcohol, and attire options. While more socially conscious filters include minority owned and gender-neutral restrooms.
“If you are looking for a wonderful coffee experience, or maybe you are just tired of the big chains, then you need this app,” Van Wuffen says. “GoLocalCoffee has made it simple and fast.”
According to Van Wuffen, he isn’t stopping at coffee. Later this year, GoLocal, LLC will begin working on more GoLocal apps, including GoLocalRestaurant, GoLocalTacos, GoLocalThai, GoLocalBurgers, GoLocalPizza, and GoLocalBeer.
The GoLocalCoffee app is now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play and comes with a three-day free trial and a $1.99 per year recurring fee.
For more information on GoLocalCoffee, visit golocalcoffee.com. For the latest news and information, follow along on Facebook @GoLocalCoffee and Twitter @GoLocal6.
