3 tips for making your business feel like home
When the combination coffee-and-garden shop Maypop first opened in 2018, it was unlike anything St. Louis, Missouri, had ever seen. Maypop’s Administrative Coordinator Julia Valleroy, who was just a customer at the time, remembers thinking: “How many places can you go where you can get coffee and also buy some flowers for your front porch or a tropical houseplant that you’ve been dreaming of?”
In the years since, Maypop has become a community staple known for its cozy ambiance, as much as its dual business model. The brand’s thoughtful design choices have helped turn customers into regulars, inspiring them to share photos and reviews online.
Below, discover three design principles that have helped catapult the business to local fame—and see how these choices show up in many of Maypop’s 5-star Yelp reviews.
1. Lean into your location’s existing architecture
Customers love to visit and photograph unique spaces: a garden shop in a two-story home, a pickleball court with a stylish lounge, or a brewery in a historic schoolhouse. Showcasing your building’s historical features, or curating upcycled furniture and art from local artists, creates a harmonious design that gives your business some character.
Julia: “From the moment that you walk up, the curb appeal just takes you in. It’s an old home. We’ve not torn down any walls or anything. We have the original fireplace intact, and the staircase leading up to the second floor, where we’ve opened up… a quiet room with another fireplace. It’s just very cozy and welcoming. And since it’s in a home, it just gives you that vibe too.”
Yelp reviewer: “What a one of a kind place! The coffee shop portion was small, intimate, and felt like being in a friend’s house. I’d come back for the ambiance.” —Yelp Elite Jordan L.
2. Curate different spaces for each type of customer
A successful business appeals to different types of customers—so your space should too. Maypop provides something for everyone by creating a designated quiet zone and organizing products by customers’ specific needs, such as pet- and beginner-friendly plants.
Julia: “We have a lot of students that come by themselves or you’ll see two or three friends together studying with their laptops. On our second floor, we have a quiet space where we invite our customers to come in and read a book while they’re up there.
“I’ve seen people [who come in] every month and celebrate the anniversary of their first date. I’ve seen moms come in [with their kids]… and they have their Legos set out on the table, or they grab one of our children’s books and read to their kids. It’s a really neat thing to see people coming together.”
Yelp reviewer: “Love the peacefulness of this place. I took my turmeric tea upstairs to the newly opened quiet room. I found a quiet peace to accomplish a writing project I had a deadline on.” —Yelp reviewer Shona S.
3. Switch it up to keep things fresh and exciting
Give your regulars something to look forward to by changing up your space with rotating displays and seasonal offerings—or even a full-floor makeover. Hosting pop-ups or community events, like Maypop’s quarterly Maker’s Market, also brings in new customers and allows your existing clientele to see a new side of your business.
Julia: “We like to switch things up and keep things changing. Every week whenever I come in on Monday, especially in the garden center, they’ve moved things around and their displays, making it so when you come in, it feels new and fresh. [We are] always evolving around at Maypop, always trying to do better.”
Yelp reviewer: “I went to a special cocktail event out in the garden shop. There were three cocktail locations set up and you mingled at your own rate. While the tickets were a bit pricey, it was a nice evening and gave me a chance to view the plants I hadn’t looked at before.” —Yelp Elite Suzanne D.
Bonus tip
Do: Use your staff’s expertise to create social media content, educate customers, and showcase your brand’s personality.
How: “[Get] your face out there so you’re not forgotten, and just have fun with it. Don’t take yourself too too seriously. I envision whenever I’m typing up a post that I’m speaking to my friends.”
Result: Entertaining, educational content that engages your social media followers—such as this Maypop Instagram reel on how to plant a cactus without pricking yourself.
These lessons come from an episode of Behind the Review, Yelp & Entrepreneur Media’s weekly podcast. Listen below to hear from Julia, or visit the show homepage to learn about the show and find more episodes.