6 Important Tips For Opening A Coffee Shop

You love coffee, and if your day doesn't start with a steaming cup of joe, it doesn't end well. Now you're thinking about putting up a coffee shop to combine two of your favorite things: coffee, and making money. But it isn't as simple as renting a space, buying an espresso machine and some furniture, and hiring a barista. A coffee shop is still a business, and like all businesses, it should start with a solid, well-thought-out plan.
​
Here are six of the most important tips we can share on opening a coffee shop:

1. ​Create Your Business Plan – Before buying anything, you should start by creating a business plan to see how you can start that coffee shop, how it could become profitable, what is your specific customer base, who your competitors are, and how you might deal with problems down the road.
2. Study Up On The Retail Coffee Industry – Coffee is grown from several different countries, and the line between growing the beans to serving that coffee to your customers is filled with complexities. Learning more about the retail side of the coffee industry can help you in providing a better product and a better experience for your customers, as well as helping you develop a unique brand.
3. Think About What Your Coffee Shop Will Be – Do you want a bistro-type where the locals come in and meet up every day, an internet café where your customers go online while enjoying a dose of caffeine, or perhaps a coffee kiosk serving daily commuters would be more up your alley? Different types will need different plans.
4. Find The Right Location – Ideally, a perfect spot for a coffee shop would be someplace where people already pass by and spend a lot of time in, and a place where you can build your vision of a coffee shop. Realistically, finding that perfect spot would take a lot of time and legwork, more than what you might expect.
5. Focus On The Core Business – A lot of entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to do too much. If you're starting out, it's wise to focus on your core business first: coffee. Put your efforts into serving high-quality coffee first, and when your business grows, you can think about serving more food and different drinks.
6. Roasting Your Own Coffee Beans Is A Bad Idea – When you're just starting out, it's a bad idea to get into roasting as well as serving customers. Roasting coffee beans is a skill that takes years to be really good at, and you will also need to spend a lot of money on additional equipment and space. Just focus on the retail side first and get your beans from established roasters in your area.

 
An additional tip: take the time to find and get a good business insurance policy for your coffee shop. A start-up should never proceed without business insurance. It can help you deal with a lot of problems later on.

At AVA Insurance & Auto Tags, we aim to provide comprehensive insurance policies that make your life easier. We want to help you get the insurance that fits your needs. You can get more information about our products and services by calling our agency at (954) 454-5483. Get your free quote today by CLICKING HERE.