Coffee Shops Enjoy Added Winter Business, Holiday Rush

DULUTH, Minn. – As temperatures drop and snow piles up, coffee shops have seen business pick up.

At Amity Coffee, they say they are seeing more people coming in to enjoy a hot beverage over an iced one.  “People are just looking for a place to stay warm,” says Supervisor Jaren Pykkonen.  “Just heat up and get some caffeine, get some work done.  I would say during the winter season it gets pretty good around here.”

Pykkonen adds they are doing their best to manage current challenges.  That included closing a few hours earlier each day due to being short staffed, which they hope to end once they find more employees.  There is also the ongoing pandemic and being responsible for how to keep their customers safe from COVID.

“We encourage that if people are unvaccinated to please wear a mask,” says Pykkonen, “but if you are vaccinated it’s okay.  We encourage that we still wear them, but we’re not going to require people to if they are vaccinated.  It’s been a weird time, and we just try to do what we can.”

The holiday shopping season has also been busy for them, offering coffee beans and merchandise from area roasters and businesses.  Pykkonen says many of these items, including their own gift cards, have been sold.