How To Open A Coffee Shop: The Definitive Guide
How To Open A Coffee Shop: The Definitive Guide
How To Open A Coffee Shop: The Definitive Guide
a coffee shop
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE
Contributors
Bruce Milletto Matt Milletto
Justin Borge John Leinonen
Business Plan
that you’re serious about what
you want to do, you’ve done your
homework, and gives structure
to an otherwise intangible idea.
One of the most common questions we get is: It’s the road map that gets you
“Do I need a business plan?” from A to Z.
But where do you get started?
The answer is usually… it depends. Some people may have gone
to business school to prepare
Usually when someone employees to embody, and so on. for this moment, but a great
asks this question, they’re All businesses start with majority of our customers
talking about a fully fleshed an idea. Maybe your idea is haven’t.
out financially-deep, written entirely unique; you’ve never
business plan – the type that seen anything like it anywhere. “A business plan
you’d take to a bank during the Maybe your idea isn’t entirely shows that you’re
startup phase while securing unique, but it IS unique to your
investors or a loan. While that’s area. Whether you want to open
serious about what
useful if you’re trying to secure a large cafe or a coffee cart, you you want to do, you’ve
a large loan from an investor need a game plan. done your homework,
(and wise to consider finances Your business idea and plans
in the long-term), the type of can run the gamut, but without and gives structure
business plan we believe to a plan, it will likely always be to an otherwise
be most beneficial in the early just that: an idea. A perfected
stages of opening a coffee shop? business plan brings life to
intangible idea”
It’s more of a general gameplan your ideas, and forces you to
and guideline that helps you consider everything you need to That’s where our business plan
understand how you position consider in order to both show comes in. More than anything
yourself in a competitive market, others how seriously you’re else, it is to keep you and anyone
what makes you stand out, the taking your dreams, but also you work with organized
brand identity you need your to provide a roadmap to follow and focused on your goals,
One Tip
You may find your concept changing as you work
through your business plan – that’s normal! You
may even find out your idea just doesn’t make
If you’re looking to be one
sense on paper. You can theoretically spend lots of
of the first coffee shops in
time and effort on something only to find that your
your area and without much
idea isn’t working out half way through – it can be
competition, you might be
demoralizing, but working through a business plan
able to get away without a
makes sure you’re not investing thousands of dollars
structured plan. But if you’re
in an idea that’s doomed from the start. At the end of
looking to open a coffee shop
the day, it’s better to lose a little bit of time and effort
in a competitive market – you
than potentially delve into a big, expensive business
will need to have a truly original
endeavor that never had much of a chance to begin
idea, and to understand your
with. Working through these things sets you up for
audience as best as humanly
success when you finally do have that winning idea
possible. THAT is how you’ll get
and location.
Skills
By investing in your barista
education and training, you
naturally improve your ability
to train your future employees.
Prepare for running your business. Investing Remember, even your best
in yourself is one of the most valuable things baristas will likely not work for
an entrepreneur can do. you forever. It is up to YOU to be
able to train future employees to
be able to provide consistently
Barista Skills skilled manager, and then relying
great products that keep your
on their schedule for any other
Plenty of people with varied customers returning happily
employees. You also won’t be
backgrounds or entrepreneurial over and over again.
as informed when it comes to
spirits want to open a coffee
the products you offer because
shop even if they’ve never
you won’t have the firsthand
worked in one, and that’s fine!
knowledge of creating them and
Strictly speaking, you don’t need
seeing how customers react.
to have been a barista to open a
Certainly, you could work as
coffee shop, but it really helps.
a barista for a period of time;
Business Skills
A part time barista job while
many people do. Working as a
you work on your coffee bar
barista is a great method to see
can at least get you started with Maybe you’re in the opposite
if a coffee shop environment
the knowledge you’ll need. Not position: you’ve been a barista
is right for you. You learn the
being able to jump behind the and want to open up your own
skills, get practice working with a
bar or train employees yourself shop. Barista skills are vital, but
team, and when it comes time to
can be a huge disadvantage a coffee shop needs a lot more
hire employees you have a better
when opening a new coffee than that to run well. Here are
idea of what to look for, but if
business. You’re guaranteeing some of the business skills you’ll
you want those skills without
the need for a partner or a need to be confident in:
Networking
Network early and network often.
You never know who might become a valued partner or a
customer. It’s no secret that a lot of people drink coffee. It’s also
obvious that to many consumers who don’t have developed palettes,
there are plenty of options for “good” coffee. It’s easy to pick out
bitter, sour coffee, but identifying the subtle nuances of coffee
beyond it just tasting better is beyond many people, so having
a coffee shop that stands out for other reasons helps bring in Network early and
customers. One way to stand out and start networking is by being network often.
present on the floor and in your community. Humans are communal
creatures; we like seeing other humans. If we associate a face with You never know who
a business instead of just a brand, we are far more likely to want to might become a valued
return to that business.
Additionally, word of mouth is one of the most powerful means partner or a customer.
of getting new customers. By grabbing the attention of one person, It’s no secret that a lot
you might also grab the attention of their friends and family. This
goes a long way towards building up your shop as a real member
of people drink coffee.
of a community. Once you’ve attained that status, you know your
networking is succeeding.
And never underestimate the power of reviews. They say that
a negative review reaches five times the amount of people than a
positive one. By being present in your business, you can drastically
improve the amount of control you have in ensuring your customers
have a positive experience.
Menu
The most straightforward way
to grow is having a menu with
popular staples and rotating
specials. When creating specials,
consider seasonal flavors and
unique combinations. In the
age of social media, the visual
appeal of a drink also can’t be
understated. A drink that looks
fun and iconic and tastes good
is a better marketing tool than
a drink that tastes amazing
and looks normal. Of course,
an amazing looking and tasting
drink is ideal, but if you have to
make a sacrifice, don’t take visual useful than others. Do you have a lot of customers
appeal for granted. Websites in their teens to mid 20s? An
Your menu should also take aesthetically pleasing instagram
Don’t try to get by without
into consideration what your feed and a snapchat geotag
a website. A few businesses
customers want and where are probably worthwhile
manage to do it, but they are the
you’re located. If you have a lot investments.
exception. You want a site that
of parents with kids, consider Are your customers just a little
is above all easy to navigate.
offering some kid friendly older? Don’t neglect Instagram,
90% of your visitors are there
options. If you have a lot of but it doesn’t need to be as big
to see your menu, you address,
busy business people, consider of a focus. Instead, encourage
your hours, or your contact
offering subscription services customers to leave Google
information, so make those
or refills in your branded mug to reviews and consider investing in
things easy to find. If you want
make their daily coffee trip as some targeted paid advertising.
to add more info about your
easy as possible for them. Are your customers middle
story, staff, or anything else, do
aged and older? Maintaining
Marketing for it! Having several pages on your
site is generally a good idea, but
your Facebook page becomes a
Coffee Shops you just need to make sure your
little more important, and good
service is a huge focus.
Marketing is a crucial part most important info is easily
It’s important to try out
of owning a coffee shop accessible.
different social media platforms
that many business owners Social Media and methods to see what sticks.
(understandably) don’t always Everyone wants a good A lot of baristas are younger
devote enough time to. There social media presence, but how and probably more invested
are hundreds of ways to market important is it to your specific and up to date with current
your shop, but some are more business? social media, so ask for their
Conclusion
The coffee industry is a
fascinating and rewarding place.
Coffee professionals get to
meet all kinds of people, and
building your own space is a
totally unique feeling. We hope
this article is a great starting
point for taking your first steps
into this amazing industry. If
you have any more questions,
we have a variety of resources,
workshops, and expertise to help
you through any stage of owning
your own business. Once again,
we’re here to help.