LONGMONT, COLO. – Ziggi’s Coffee has signed a single agreement with new franchisee, Taffy Nichols of Erie, Colorado to open a new café/drive thru north of Denver. The Colorado native, who has a long history in the food and beverage industry, is finally making her childhood dreams a reality. Nichols is a wife and mother of three who currently works in real estate, but that has never been her passion. As a teen, Nichols got her first job at Taco Bell and it was there, under the guidance and mentorship of the owner, that she grew to love the restaurant industry.
“The owner was such an amazing man and he loved to teach people. It was his passion that led me to continue in the restaurant industry for over 24 years,” said Nichols.
After Taco Bell, Nichols went on to work for other fast casual restaurants but she soon found that making time for family was becoming increasingly more difficult. Nichols knew she had to make a change so, she went to work for a coffee company where she had to take a pay cut and negate the seniority she had built over the course of her career. But she loved it.
“I know in America we’re supposed to climb the ladder but I don’t want to climb the ladder anymore,” said Nichols. “I knew that I needed to not just say my family is my first priority, I needed to actually make my family my first priority.”
Knowing since her days with Taco Bell that she wanted to own a franchise, the time was finally right. Her sister introduced her to Ziggi’s Coffee and just like that, she was hooked.
“I just loved it and I love it every time I go. I have never encountered an unhappy person. I love the energy and the branding. I knew that If I could franchise anything, this is exactly what I want to franchise,” said Nichols.
From the state-of-the-art equipment to the systems and processes that Ziggi’s Coffee has in place, Nichols says she loves the structure of the franchise.
“I love that the focus is to make a consistent cup of coffee that tastes amazing but can be done in a quick environment. I love how the business is set up. It’s exactly how I would set up a business. The simplicity of it really helps ensure that you are freed up to focus more on the customer service aspect,” she said.
With her wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry, Nichols is excited to finally be running her own business and one in which she is passionate about.
“I said, ‘If I’m going to put money into something, I want to put it into an amazing culture like Ziggi’s and give back that same gift that I got when I was young.’”
Nichols is working with the team at Ziggi’s Coffee to identify viable real estate options in the Northern Colorado area.
