By utilizing store space and menu options differently, both cafes create distinctive environments for their customers.
Blossom Cafe is located within another store known as Floral and Hardy. Although separate, both businesses work in tandem to create a positive environment for customers.
Due to this shared space, while enjoying Blossom’s coffee, you will be surrounded by plants, artisan home decor and plenty of natural lighting. This creates a natural and welcoming ambiance.
The cafe is also well decorated with signs that match their specialty drinks and frame their menu, drawing customers’ attention to the fun drinks Blossom Cafe has to offer.
Blossom’s layout also encourages socialization without congestion through its seating upstairs and outside of the building. This allows people to sit and talk away from the buzz of the Floral and Hardy store downstairs, creating a calming and quiet atmosphere.
In contrast, Backyard Beans brings a more corporate feel.
Rather than having its seating away from the noise, the barista station is located in the center of the store. This makes it hard for customers to find an area that is more secluded and quiet.
Where in Blossom Cafe customers are socializing, people in Backyard Beans are working. Many customers are on devices with headphones in, making the environment feel more productive and high-stress rather than relaxing.
At Backyard Beans, there is less decor, and the menu is located high up on the wall, causing some confusion and even frustration when ordering.
Both stores also differ significantly in their coffee roast and menu options.
Blossom offers a smoother black coffee that is far superior to the acidic blend Backyard Beans had to offer.
Blossom’s drip coffee has earthy top notes, with slight undertones of walnut and dark chocolate. Although not extremely bold, the flavor profile is still unique and intricate.
Differentially, Backyard Beans’ coffee is bold, with a tangy, acidic taste. The undertones are nutty, but not as smooth as Blossom Cafe’s blend.
Although Blossom’s coffee is better in taste, Backyard Beans’ coffee is superior in temperature. When first served, Blossom Cafe’s drinks are scalding hot, while Backyard Beans offers its drinks at the perfect drinkable temperature.
The final defining feature of each restaurant is its creativity in its specialty drinks. Both cafes have unique items on their menus; however, Blossom surpassed Backyard Beans in originality.
At Blossom Cafe, they offer a “Gilmore Girls” themed menu for their seasonal drinks, featuring drinks such as “The Rory” and “The Lorelai.”
“The Lorelai” is a caramel and pecan latte with whole milk and a caramel foam top. This drink creates the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, while still maintaining the smooth, earthy feel of the black drip coffee.
Despite lacking some flavor, “The Lorelai” is a great seasonal pick for any fans of the show or of caramel.
Backyard Beans’ specialty menu features animal and winter-themed items such as “The Bear Hug” latte.
This drink has a sweet cinnamon taste with slight hints of caramel and a foam top with bear-patterned latte art on it. Although the latte is visually appealing, it is nearly impossible to taste the coffee with the amount of milk in the drink.
On top of this, the overall concept of an animal-themed drink is far more common and less exciting than basing seasonal menus on iconic television shows, as Blossom Cafe does with “Gilmore Girls.”