Coffee News Caters To Communities

If you think nothing's free anymore, just reading this article will prove you wrong.

But not all free information comes from the Internet; there are still newspapers and periodicals that exist solely due to advertisers and positive reporting.

Coffee News is one such publication that is still going strong 25 years after it was first introduced to the public in Canada. And Safety Harbor-based publisher Susan Petersen says business is steady despite stiff competition and a sagging economy.

"We're a weekly publication that is available in restaurants and waiting areas,"Peterson, who operates four Coffee News franchises in the area, told Patch.

"We've developed a nice loyal weekly readership," she added. "It's a model that breeds familiarity."

Petersen is a longtime resident of Safety Harbor who started her local Coffee News franchises about three years ago.

She believes two things help make her paper so successful: small businesses and a dedication to family friendly content.

"My passion is helping the businesses," she said. "I'm a small business owner so I know how tough it is. This is an affordable way to have your name out there on a consistent basis."

"And all ages read Coffee News. It's all G-rated, upbeat kind of stuff. It's something you can read with the family."

One of the more popular features of the paper is the weekly "Find the Coffee News guy", a 'Where's Waldo' type of exercise that drives readers to the publication's website in order to win prizes.

Petersen also touts the fact that she will work with local merchants in order to give them a presence in the paper.

"We breed loyalty with our customers because we can offer them exclusivity as well as consistency through affordability," she said.

"For the cost of a small, one-time ad in a major newspaper you can have an ad for an entire year in Coffee News."

The combination of affordability and community centric coverage, plus the fact that it can be picked up and brought home, helps Coffee News overcome some of the obstacles typical newspapers face.

And although Petersen isn't getting rich off her investment, she feels a sense of pride and satisfaction at what she has been able to do.

"It's a very unique paper, and it can be a challenge," she said. "But you're doing something for the community, and that's one of the biggest rewards."