Prabhjot Singh
A Spoonful of Tips and A Mugful of Ideas
Is there anything more satisfying than having a nice cup of coffee in the morning, noon, evening or anytime around the clock whenever the craving hits you? Well, there’s something up in the air: your love for coffee has towed you to decide to open your own coffee shop… Gee, that’s great! You got the nerve to leave that 9 to 5 corporate world to live your dream. The dream that every third person fantasies and keeps watering until it blooms and ripens up to give that satisfaction! Yes, the same satisfaction you get after one sip of Espresso; ah!
Good on you that you are finally about to run a business—coffee is like the fuel that keeps all of us running all day; we need coffee; in fact, “Coffee is Need!” Oh, Jeez, before I write an entire essay on coffee, let me take you on a journey “From a coffee shop dream to a Dream Coffee Shop!” Grab your large coffee, because you need to read this…🤭
Know the base first
Running a coffee shop or a cafe is one of the most thrilling yet tedious dreams. It is no secret that almost every culture across the globe has long been centered around coffee, and this pattern doesn’t seem to be going away soon. It should be no surprise that the food industry’s fastest-growing sector is the coffee shop industry. Why wouldn’t someone want to operate a coffee shop when the sector is expanding significantly?
However, keep in mind that joining this expanding coffee shop business can require more time, money, and resources than you initially think before you start placing bulk orders for aprons and portafilters.
Research
Before starting a cafe, it is important to do your research and understand the market. This includes learning from other cafe owners, visiting other cafes, and understanding your target customer base. It requires a significant time and financial commitment to open a cafe.
Visiting a number of cafes to get an idea of how you want your business to operate. Think about what will set your shop apart from other coffee shops and which idea you will borrow from them. Discover more about your customers like;
- How will they see your shop?
- What needs do they have?
- When will it be the busiest during the day?
Knowing your target audience thoroughly will help with planning, developing a menu, determining pricing points, and really everything!
Before freezing a location for your coffee shop, research whether that place has enough footfall to uphold your coffee shop business. Also, see the demographics of that place to ensure secure business. Here are a few factors you can consider while deciding the location of your coffee shop:
Accessibility
If your shop is situated in an accessible area, customers can reach there easily, and will often visit if they like it! Prefer a location with spacious parking space, as parking is the major issue these days.
Customer base
Identify your customers, and then decide the location suitable for the preferred customer base.
Visibility
Establishing a coffee shop in a visible location is important to ensure a high stride. Assure that the shop is on the main street and can be spotted easily.
A coffee shop and three options to choose from
A franchise
Purchasing a franchise is the best way if you wish to kick-start with a built-in business model. Choosing a franchise means that most of the major business decisions will already be made for you. You will be provided with a caretaker in a location chosen by the franchise provider. People mostly choose this as an existing brand would give you a brand name familiar to the customers.
An existing coffee shop
Investing in a shop or store for sale or needing a revamp is another way to acquire a turnkey procedure. An existing establishment allows you to make amends according to your desire and needs. However, finding a profitable business for sale is not as easy as it sounds—even if you find one, you gotta do a lot of research and changes to make that place of your kind.
Start from zero
Starting your own coffee shop from scratch requires much effort, but the results of this business are positive if done right! It proffers flexibility and the great potential to maximize profits in any way.
The starting capital for a coffee shop
Big or small, no matter what type of coffee shop you are planning to, saving enough funds to start your own coffee shop is important. Make sure you have enough saved up in your coffers from the start! Initially, small businesses aren’t profitable for the first few months to a year sometimes, so plan ahead. Make sure you have sufficient funds to endure after so much of your wealth and energy has been driven into starting a coffee shop.
Coffee Coffee Coffee!
I mean, does this even need an explanation? Your entire business is primarily about one thing: Coffee! A place of your choice that supplies coffee you love the taste of and trust it. It is essential to determine from where you will source your coffee…
You can do something like; choosing coffee from local distributors; this could be heartwarming for many local customers. Browse local coffee distributors to see if any of their brands will work best for your coffee shop. Taste the coffee before selling it, and organize a tasting session for your close friends and family members. Try out the coffee and the related products before displaying it to the world!
The show is not over yet!
It’s just getting started…
Now that you are sure about the funds and coffee, it is time to look for other important necessities and investments like;
Floor plan: When it comes to rebuilding, renovating, or building a shop, you need a floor in hand. Perhaps you have the vision of your “dream coffee shop” in your head, but you really can’t explain that to the builders! So to make sure what you have imagined would come exactly to life– make a floor plan!
Cafe logo: Of course, everything has a name and a symbol that describes it well. Likewise, your shop, your own coffee brand needs a kick-ass logo that mirrors what you are selling. Something that captivates the customers to come and have a taste of it!
Equipment: Coffee machines, espresso grinders, blenders, ovens, toasters, refrigeration systems, countertop display warmer, shelving, food prepping tables, and miscellaneous items; the list is long! Make notes and buy everything you need!
Furnishing: An ideal coffee shop makes you feel more like a home, comfortable, peaceful, and cozy! And who else knows this better than you? So make sure you furnish the space with all essential amenities; from the color of the walls to the color of the mugs, everything should be aesthetically pleasing.
Staff: Even if you want to do it alone, you still need at least two helping hands! Cleaners, chefs, baristas, and a manager if necessary! Well, you can start with one helping hand and then expand the team as your business grows.
Marketing: Seriously, if there’s anything any quick way to get your name out there, that is marketing! Word-of-mouth, flyers, radio commercials, and all that jazz; start your marketing even before you open the coffee shops! In fact, you can start an Instagram page or your own coffee blog; people love to see such things!
The last sip
Your coffee isn’t over yet! Well, the last sip is always satisfying yet brings that bittersweet feeling; what say? Anyway, I’m wrapping it up here; I hope you got what exactly you were looking for. And if not, you can comment here; I would love to serve you with more information if needed!
And hey, congratulations on your new coffee shop… You are gonna enjoy sharing your passion for one of life’s greatest pleasures… Coffee! Make me smile by sharing the name of your coffee shop in the comments below! 🙂
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