My name is Katlyn and I have been a mobile coffee shop owner for approximately 9 months and 24 days long, which is crazy to even say! This journey has absolutely flown by. As I am quickly approaching one year of launching and operating a mobile business, I thought it would be fun to share my confessions of being a coffee camper owner! Please enjoy the good, the bad and the hilarious things I have learned and experienced so far. My hope is to help ignite the flame in those of you who are dancing with the idea of getting into the mobile space and to also encourage those of you who are in the thick of it…. You are not alone.. (IYKYN)
Ok here we go!
1. Driving a trailer is a HUGE learning curve for most…. But it is not impossible (contrary to popular belief). The first time I drove the camper was my first time pulling a trailer….ever. Let’s just say my heart rate was at 130 the entire time. I will never forget, I had to slam on breaks for a light and felt a large bang happen in the trailer. I pulled over and when I checked the trailer, realized my generator wasn’t locked down and had moved and slammed into my cabinets. I would say there were lots of lessons learned that day (one being to lock down the generator) but since that day it has become a breeze pulling the camper. Parking can still be a struggle but hey baby steps right. Just remember to practice, practice, practice! Take it to an empty parking lot and pretend you are in drivers ed again! It will go a long way.. Trust me.
2. Being open handed is the way to go when owning a mobile coffee camper/shop. Let me explain. Things go wrong. A lot. And being open handed and flexible will help set you up for success. In talking with other small businesses, they would wholeheartedly agree. You can’t control everything. The generator won’t work or the pipes will freeze or you forget to order more espresso or you pull too much energy and your generator blows out… you get the picture. Your life will be so much easier if you can just roll with the punches. Don’t get me wrong, there will be lots of tears and freak out moments, but being able to regroup and problem solve will be a make or break for you in this world. (dramatic but true)
3. Grey water is the most disgusting thing imaginable- For those that aren’t familiar or are not an avid RV-er, the grey water tank is where all the gross dirty, milky, coffeeey, soapy water flushes to on the camper. And it must be dumped every day! Just imagine, a huge tank, full of hot, yellowish, stinky water being flushed out. I hope you as the reader are just as repulsed as I am every time I dump it. Oh and it smells horrible. It is a necessary evil and if it isn’t dumped regularly…. well you don’t want to know. It is just a way of life for a mobile coffee shop owner. Please stand in solidarity with us in our grey water dumping journey.
4. Become best friends with a local roastery- Everything I know about coffee and owning a cafe, menus, recipes, bar flow, latte art, ect has come from my time working at my local roastery! The support and knowledge and resources they have been able to give me is so incredibly invaluable! Lots of local cafes/ roasteries offer some sort of consulting when you partner with me! I would say take advantage of that and really learn from them! Our only product - for the most part- in a mobile coffee shop is….. yup, coffee. So become an expert in coffee!
5. Insert corny saying here “ Success is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the process!” - I laugh at sayings like this often but in our case it is so true! This journey of being a mobile coffee shop owner can be completely overwhelming and stressful. Permitting, logistics, marketing, sales, operations, inventory, hiring, taxes, bookkeeping, social media are all some of the things I am doing on any given day. And it is hard work. And sometimes it is absolutely discouraging! People saying no to booking you, you have a big expense you weren’t expecting, someone says “ your coffee tastes bitter and my coffee at starbucks is sweeter” (that one really hurts) or you don’t know how to scale or increase profits or delegate… I mean the list goes on and on! BUT (thank goodness there is a but) this is seriously the most fun and empowering, and life giving journey I could think of. You get to see your family, friends and community come out and support you at every step of the way! You get to serve coffee at really fun events and get to create a brand and loyal customer base. Coffee is a universal love language and you get to serve so many different types of people from all over in such a unique way. Which is incredibly rewarding! So, I repeat…. Enjoy the process!
- Katlyn Morgan, Primitive Coffee Camper
(this was written nearly a year ago, Katlyn has continued her business and is doing amazing work, check her out if you're looking to book a mobile coffee service!)
FAQ's
1. What is it like to own a mobile coffee shop?
"Owning a mobile coffee shop is both challenging and rewarding. You’ll face learning curves like driving and maintaining your coffee trailer, managing power and water systems, and adapting to unpredictable conditions—but you also get the freedom to travel, connect with communities, and build a unique brand experience."
2. What are the biggest challenges of running a coffee cart/camper?
"Common challenges include towing and parking the trailer, dealing with equipment or generator failures, managing limited water and waste systems, and staying flexible when things don’t go as planned. Resilience and problem-solving are key to success."
3. How can I prepare to start a mobile coffee business?
Learn from other café or roastery owners before launching, practice towing your trailer in safe spaces, and build strong relationships with a local roastery for support and product guidance. Research permits, power requirements, and event opportunities early.
4. Is owning a mobile coffee shop profitable?
"Yes, mobile coffee shops can be profitable with careful planning and consistent events or partnerships. Keep overhead low, track expenses, and focus on customer relationships and local visibility to grow revenue steadily over time."
5. What advice would you give to new mobile coffee owners?
"Be flexible, expect setbacks, and enjoy the process. Success comes from learning through mistakes, building community, and remembering why you started—to share great coffee and connect with people wherever you go."