205 : Inside the World's Oldest Coffee Shop, Caffe Florian, Venice, Italy

300 Years! That is how long Caffe Florian in Venice, Italy has been in continuous operation serving Venice and the world. In those years Cafe Florian has served as the cultural hub for millions of Venicians and travelers privileged to experience its art, events, unique service of food, coffee, drinks, and chocolate. Today it is all carried out in the original way past patrons like Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, and Casanova would have experienced it.   To celebrate today's 300th broadcast of Keys to the Shop (including our shift break ep.) I sat down with the resident authority on all things Florian and Venice, Stefano Stipitivich. Stefano is the Art Director for Caffe Florian and has worked there for 33 years! We will be speaking to him through a translator, Cristiana Rivolta, the Sales & Marketing Manager at Florian. (You will hear Stafano in the background mostly and Cristiana in the foreground.) In our conversation we discuss the history of Florian, how it has evolved, the secret to it's longevity, how they hire and train their staff, how they keep up with the times while being true to the past, the values that drive their dedication to delivering a perfect customer experience, and more. I have read about Caffe Florian in coffee history books and to get to speak with them is surreal and an honor indeed. It all really impresses upon me the the kind of impact coffee houses have had over time and will continue to have through you and I.  Enjoy!  Links:  Caffe Florian Website Caffe Florian Instagram   Related Episodes: The Evolution of the Cafe w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris Designing the Guest Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service