[GeorgettePkg]

I think it depends on the goals you have for your business - there's a huge gap between little local spots that don't invest in being memorable, and major chains that everybody knows. Thoughtful branding is a major part of the bridge between the two. We work with a lot of ambitious, but small businesses that are keen to grow, be valued and loved by their communities, and be known for specific areas of expertise. Sharing that story is what branding has always been about. The price of a cup of coffee generally has a lot more to do with the experience and story (think Starbucks) than the cost of the beans, the hot water, the cup...

[usrusr]

It's good that you are seeing your market not in one of a kind shops but in small chains (e.g. n=1 but growing). The excessive branding of large chains is only a disadvantage for smaller chains (but not for one-of-a-kind shops) because location is such a strong part of memorability. Branding is just a hack to transfer a small fraction of that memorability across locations, most obviously exemplified in how Duane Reade got their brand name.