CLEVELAND — Coffee is brewing at Ready Set Coffee Roasters as the anticipation grows for the NCAA Women’s Final Four. 

What You Need To Know

  • Coffee is brewing at Ready Set Coffee Roasters as the anticipation grows for the NCAA Women’s Final Four

  • David Gilbert, CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland, said he expected more than 25,000 visitors will be in the northeast region for just the Final Four

  • Jonathan Ernest, assistant professor of economics at Case Western Reserve University said small businesses can improve their profit through several strategies

Chris Allen, co-owner of Ready Set Coffee Roasters, said he is prepared for a steady stream of customers.

“It’s about person by person,” Allen said. “You know, if there’s a big line, it’s about their experience at that particular time.”

Allen said he is excited for new visitors from across the country, no matter how much coffee experience they have.

“We want this to be a welcoming place for people,” Allen said. “And whether you’re a total connoisseur and want to know more or you don’t know anything, and you want to just enjoy a simple cup of coffee and a bagel.”

David Gilbert, CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland, said he expected more than 25,000 visitors will be in the Northeast region for just the Final Four. 

“We are doing a number of things,“ Gilbert said. “One is making sure they’re incredibly welcome, that their experience from the minute they get off the plane till they get back on the streets of our downtown in our hotels is a great one. We want them feeling fantastic about Cleveland.”

Jonathan Ernest, assistant professor of economics at Case Western Reserve University, said small businesses can improve their profit through several strategies.

“So one of the really great things about small businesses is they can adapt, adjust and change really quickly,” Ernest said. “When we realize that we have this, you know, trifecta of activities that you could participate in this weekend, they can tailor their offerings to that. They’re much more adaptable and available to, you know, put out specific advertisements, fliers, host themed parties, whatever they want to do, to try to draw those people in.”

Allen said Ready Set Coffee Roasters partnered with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission to provide coffee with a special basketball touch to it.

“In terms of, you know, giving them some ideas, coming up with a fun name, which then it being buzzer beater and kind of working within again, especially with some of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission that really has their brand identity in place. It’s really easy to make that and turn that into something that’s that’s a coffee bag,” Allen said. 

As the weekend concludes, Ready Set Coffee Roasters plan to continue brewing shots of espresso as the total solar eclipse and the Cleveland Guardians home opener are set for Monday.