Patrick and Spencer Clapp were born for the coffee business. Growing up near La Tigra National Park in Honduras, they often spent mornings drinking coffee roasted with hand-picked beans from their neighbor’s farm. And for a while, coffee simply remained a morning luxury — until inspiration began to brew in 2012.
After moving to St. Louis to work construction, the brothers were quickly disillusioned with the coffee options in the city. Their childhood friends from Honduras started a coffee export business, and they saw a viable way to get back to the coffee they craved: starting their own business.
The brothers officially launched Coffeestamp in 2018 as a pop-up at local markets, and thanks to a devoted following, they quickly established a brick-and-mortar store in 2020. With plans to expand their menu to include sandwiches, empanadas, and more, they searched for a sophisticated tool that could help them track inventory and share how their new menu options performed. So, they turned to Square.
The impact of switching to a technology partner that’s more than a POS
“In the beginning, we were using Shopify, but we needed a system where people could order in person,” Patrick explained. “Once you get to Square you get hooked with payroll; you get hooked with the online menu system that’s incredible.”
Opting for a true technology partner rather than just a POS has led to big, sustained growth for Coffeestamp.
Before we started using Square, our first year of sales was less than $30k. Then we opened our brick-and-mortar with Square, and we went to almost $200k our first year, then more than $400k, and now we’re at $600k. ”
Patrick Clapp → Coffeestamp owner
Simplifying the process of training employees
Outside of sales, the brothers appreciate how quick and simple it is to train employees on the platform. Patrick noted the interface as “clean, easy, and accessible” in comparison to others he’s tried. This is especially important for the coffee shop’s second location at Washington University, which is required to use the college’s system.
“You go to the Square screen, and it’s easier to use than a knife,” he says. “If you go to other POS systems, it’s horrible. It looks like Windows ’98. It’s just very confusing for training new people.”
Analyzing real-time reporting features to foster growth
Patrick and Spencer also love the real-time reporting they get from the platform. In-depth sales and performance analytics offer them critical insight into where the business is excels — and where they can improve to fine-tune costs and fast-track growth. “The reporting makes life exciting. What’s selling good? What’s not?” Patrick says. “And it’s live. You can go in right now and see what sales are going on.”
They also use these reports to keep a close eye on inventory, and when they’re out of a particular item, they simply turn off its availability with a click. This ability to control exactly what customers see on their online menu ensures no one orders something that’s sold out and helps Patrick and Spencer pinpoint what they need to make or buy more of.
Using one easy-to-use integrated solution to streamline operations
Detailed reporting, simple interface, and sales growth aside, perhaps the biggest game-changer for the Coffeestamp brothers has been how easy it is to manage all those things and more from one place. “What I like as a business owner is that everything’s in there,” Patrick says. “People can clock in, track their time, and split their tips, and I can just pay them all at the same time with direct deposit. We also have started working with simple insurance from Square, just to be able to offer benefits for employees.”
What it really comes down to, Patrick emphasized, is simplicity. “If you don’t have everything in one place, you have to hire multiple companies. It’s more expensive. It’s more time-consuming. And then everything’s separate.”
