NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In The Nations, Stay Golden owner Jamie Cunningham said he is doing everything possible to keep customers' daily cup within reach.

Cunningham operated his business in Berry Hill for seven years before moving last year to The Nations. He said the move was about keeping his shop alive.

"For the most part, things are good," Cunningham said. "But it's definitely been a challenging first year."

Part of that challenge comes from the price of coffee beans. Coffee prices nationwide jumped more than 20% since the same time last year, the largest annual increase since 1997, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Droughts in key coffee growing regions have hurt production, but new tariffs on major producers like Brazil have also pushed costs higher.

Cunningham said he has already seen costs rise by 10% at his shop and expects tariffs to drive them higher.

"It's coming from our roasting company," he said. "They'll try to mitigate it, but it is 100% being passed on to us. In order to survive, we have to find ways to pass some of that on to the customer."

Stay Golden raised its prices this year for the first time in three years. Even then, Cunningham said he kept increases modest, trying to survive with affordability.

"I know I'm not the cheapest. I know I'm not the most expensive," he said. "So I am going to do my best to stay in that middle ground and charge fair prices, but I have to make sure I am getting money back."

Cunningham said there are months when margins are razor thin.

"There are months where if I make one cent on every dollar spent here, I would consider that a win," he said.

While coffee chains dot the area, Cunningham said it's not about competition; it's about providing a place where people feel like they belong. He thanks his customers for that.

"We have one little boy who comes in every day with his family, and he loves our kitchen manager and asks for him by name," Cunningham said. "We love our guests and just the people who appreciate what we do."

It's those little moments and memories shared over a simple cup of coffee that give a place like this its name. It's a name Cunningham hopes will last.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/coffee-prices-increasing-rapidly-but-this-nashville-shop-holds-the-line/