Meet The Owners Behind Clarksville’s First BIGGBY COFFEE
Today, we’d like to introduce you to BIGGBY Coffee, the new coffee shop coming to Peachers Mill!
The new coffee shop will be located at 2155 Peachers Mill Road, Suite C in Clarksville. The trio is also planning to open nine more locations within the next six years.
Neil and Parth Patel (not related) met in 2020 and started a real estate business together, which eventually led them to explore other business opportunities. In 2022, Neil met Bobby and the three formed a partnership based on their complementary skills and common goals.
Driven by a positive experience with BIGGBY Coffee in Memphis, they decided the high energy coffeehouse was the perfect fit. Bobby, Neil and Parth are now on track to open their first BIGGBY café in Clarksville in November and plan to open a total of 10 locations over the next six years.
Originally from Michigan, BIGGBY Coffee is known for its community-oriented focus and well-rounded menu offerings, like specialty coffee drinks and light food options.
With their anticipated opening coming up soon in November, we recently caught up with Bobby, Neil, and Parth, the 3 owners behind Clarksville’s first BIGGBY Coffee location.
Let’s get to know them a bit!
TCM: Clarksville residents are big on knowing who’s “behind the brand”. Can you each take a moment and share a bit about yourselves, your backgrounds, your personal interests, and what specifically made you decide to become partners?
Bobby, let’s start with you!
Bobby: I am in healthcare but have always wanted to have my own business and share my passion in the service industry. I enjoy being a part of my community, getting to know my neighbors, helping others and growing with my community. My wife is also in healthcare and both my children are UTK honor business students.
My wife’s family are all business owners and I am so thrilled to be an extension of that philosophy. Although my partners and I have such a large age gap, we share the same cultural and ethical values and that really fueled our individual passions to unite and be at the forefront of something special, that’s really how our business venture began.
Plus, we all are gym rats, which is really more about pushing your mental limits as it is about physical attributes. For me, there are specific key qualities that make a good business partner. Most importantly, trust and honesty is the foundation of any strong partnership. We have mutual respect for each other’s views and bring diverse skill sets to find constructive solutions at times of opposing views. We complement each other’s strengths and limitations by adapting and leaning on each other. We are all hard working and we appreciate a challenge and create effective solutions to overcome obstacles.
Awesome, Bobby! Thank you.
Neil, what about you?
Neil: I’m originally from Camden, Tennessee, where my parents are local business owners. I studied Biology and Entrepreneurship at Belmont University. During that time in Nashville, I connected with my current partners.
Parth and I have been partners in real estate since our senior years in college, and we met Bobby through a mutual friend. What made us all become partners is our shared values and ethics. We all feel comfortable voicing our opinions to one another even when it may not be something the other person wants to hear, and we all believe this is key in a partnership.
Fantastic, Neil! Thank you.
Parth, how about you?
Parth: As someone who grew up in an entrepreneurial family, I’ve always been surrounded by the spirit of innovation and hard work. This environment naturally led me to pursue a Business Administration degree at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where I honed my skills in management and leadership.
My passion for sports, especially basketball and tennis, played a significant role in shaping my character during high school and college. One key factor that led us to become business partners is our shared mindset.
We align on many important standpoints, including work ethic, family values, a fearless approach to challenges, and a strong desire for growth and self-improvement. With all three of us striving for the same goals, it was only natural to help each other grow.
TCM: Can you share the journey that led you from your primary occupations to opening a BIGGBY Coffee shop? What motivated you to jump into the coffee shop business?
Bobby: In addition to a variety of coffee drinks, BIGGBY Coffee offers a selection of tasty pastries and snacks for all palates. The store we visited in Memphis had a relaxing atmosphere where friends were meeting to connect and have a good time. That moment gravitated us to BIGGBY Coffee as the perfect partner brand.
Neil: BIGGBY stood out to us when we were going through the process of deciding which franchise we wanted to work with. Of course, their product was phenomenal, but more than that, we were drawn to the culture of BIGGBY. We felt welcomed and comfortable when talking with everyone from the company. This was a key factor for us when starting a business because it’s not if you need help, but rather when you want to surround yourself with people you are comfortable with asking for help.
TCM: Opening Clarksville’s first BIGGBY Coffee is a significant milestone. How did you identify this market as ready for a new coffee experience? And how do you anticipate navigating the “Clarksville doesn’t need another coffee shop” crowd that’s prevalent on social media?
Bobby: We don’t want to just be another coffee shop. We want to actively engage in being THE coffee shop, the local hang out, the local connection for friends and family or that working parent in the morning headed to drop the kids off at school before work.
We wanted to be that destination for that quick treat from a long day or just to treat yourself for the day.
The location we chose was purposeful. We chose a storefront that backs into a neighborhood and faces elementary, middle and high schools. This juncture fits so well into what we envision our mark into the community.
TCM: What were some of the key factors that influenced your decision to make Clarksville home to your first BIGGBY Coffee location? How do you plan to integrate your coffee shop into the local community?
Honestly, why not Clarksville?
It is an expanding city with a significant population and economic growth with an attractive living environment. Home of our military at Fort Campbell and an honor to serve our service members and veterans.
Overall, the demographic diversity, supportive local culture, and strategic location make it a promising place to open our coffee shop for our community.
TCM: As entreprenuers, how do each of you bring your unique skills and experiences to the partnership? Can you share how you complement each other and the difference roles you’ll assume in running the business?
First, we are more similar in our ethics and philosophical beliefs. Honest, open, communicative and we challenge each other to be our best through assessing our strengths through our past experiences. We are all strategic.
I (Bobby) bring my knowledge from the healthcare business sector and my partners bring their strengths from running multiple other successful businesses.
We want to lead and continue to learn everyday with every interaction. We over communicate to ensure we are aligned in our roles and responsibilities.
We address critical decisions together and find solutions that align with our vision. We are all fiscally responsible and we all want to continue to serve our communities through our various roles and channels.
It was a perfect partnership waiting to be established.
TCM: Why did you choose Peachers Mill Road as the location for your first BIGGBY Coffee in Clarksville? What makes this location ideal for your cafe?
The location we chose was purposeful. We chose a storefront that backs into a neighborhood and faces elementary, middle and high schools. This juncture fits so well into what we envision our mark into the community.
TCM: Can you give us a sneak peek into what customers can expect from the Clarksville BIGGBY Coffee experience? Will there be any unique offerings or events tailored to the local community?
While we still are gaining a broader understanding of our franchise offerings, we promise you that you will be impressed with our storefront in every manner.
Our integrity rests on the promise to our community as a safe, clean, friendly and inviting atmosphere for everyone. We want to support our local schools across the street, our neighborhood in the back and all walks of life that just want a place of retreat for a healthy dose of community with our beverages and tasty treats.
TCM: How do you plan to maintain the energy and quality that BIGGBY Coffee is known for as you expand to multiple locations?
We do want to expand, it is a vision. But our primary responsibility will be to our Clarksville storefront. We want to bring the same level of energy from day one. This begins with us the partners, the operational managers.
The storefront is a reflection of the three of us and we will not compromise on core values – we want everyone to be treated equally, with respect and dignity and to feel welcomed.
TCM: Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for your BIGGBY Coffee franchise in Clarksville? How do you envision your role in the community evolving as your business grows?
Our vision is to create the same model of the first storefront as we continue to evolve.
It is not about the franchise but rather the people and community of Clarksville that we want to serve and hopefully expand to other Tennessee markets that share the same background as Clarksville.
About The BIGGBY Coffee Franchise
Based in East Lansing, Michigan, BIGGBY Coffee was started with a single store back in 1995. A year later, and on the brink of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall decided to franchise the concept.
Beside having connoisseur-worthy drinks, BIGGBY baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life and community that they love.
Follow along with BIGGBY Coffee at the links below:
