Local Spotlight: The Willow Tree Coffeehouse

Home away from home.

There's an undeniable warmth when you first walk into Johnson City's Willow Tree Coffeehouse. Not just because it's freezing outside this time of year, but because the coffeehouse's very atmosphere exudes feelings of warmth and invitation. Worn, lived-in, cozy furniture lines the walls, while customers seat themselves in front of the small wooden tables that populate the floors. Everything about it evokes senses of home. It's become one of my absolute favorite coffee shops in the area.

I got to talk to Teri Dosher and her daughter Zoe, the owners of Willow Tree, to learn more about when they started their business, how they initially brought customers through the doors and the creative promotions they've tried in the past. Willow Tree has been in the downtown Johnson City area since January 1, 2014-- a little over a year ago. And in that time, it attracted musical talent and began putting on shows on most Saturday nights. Willow Tree is now well-known for its prominence as a music venue, and the majority of its PR writing, presence on social media, and signage emphasize that above most other things.

According to Teri, Willow Tree has also been featured in several local publications, including a presence in ETSU's newspaper, the local entertainment magazine The Loafer, and in press releases sent to the Johnson City Press.

Out of curiosity, I asked about Willow Tree's social media presence. One way they have attempted to increase social media interaction is by introducing giveaways and promotions to their followers. The response has, interestingly enough, been all over the place. Sometimes their audience will respond overwhelmingly to social media promotions, and sometimes they won't.

On one occasion, for example, Willow Tree was hosting musician Sam Quinn for a concert, and posted on Facebook, urging followers to comment with their favorite Sam Quinn song for a chance to win two free tickets to the show. Much to the Doshers' surprise, they didn't get a single comment--and the concert ended up being a sold out show! Over a year into their business, and despite having tried numerous strategies to increase involvement on social media, figuring out the best way to introduce their promotions to their consumers is still an ongoing process.

But they also have several exciting social media promotions on the horizon. Out of all social media outlets, Instagram prompts the most interaction from their audience, with dozens of likes pouring in on pictures of Willow Tree's menu items and funny and inspirational quotes. The Doshers are currently working on an Instagram series called the "People of Willow Tree," where loyal friends of Willow Tree will be photographed and personally highlighted on Instagram. Teri strongly believes that Willow Tree is a personal environment, so she wants its online presence online to feel personal too.

The Willow Tree Coffeehouse is a young business with passionate founders, and I have a lot of confidence in their future. If you live in the Johnson City area and you haven't yet been to Willow Tree, you owe it to yourself to check it out.