Over the past several years, independent coffee shops have increased in popularity among a crowd of big coffee shop chain giants.
People have enjoyed learning new ways to appreciate different blends, roasting, and pouring methods so much so that they may even consider starting their own coffee shop–after all, they may have spent their time in quarantine learning about these things and how to run a small business based on the things that they have become passionate about during this time.
But where does somebody start?
Here are some of the things that somebody can do if they are looking to start their own small but successful coffee shop- even with limited experience.
Attend courses
It’s never too late to learn new things. When you are in the pursuit of setting up a new business, it’s incredibly important to make sure that your knowledge is up-to-date. Learn everything you can so that you never caught short because of a lack of knowledge and understanding. Attend networking events, get to know people, and get as much advice as you can.
Find a venue
The first step to running a successful coffee shop is to find a venue in which it can be profitable. Too small and the risk is there that the people won’t be able to fit inside, too big and the rent could be too high to afford– especially when just starting out.
Find furnishings
For smaller start-up companies, it may not be worth spending a lot of money prior to opening. There are plenty of places where you can find second-hand coffee machines, bars, payment systems, etc. Do searches on local auction sites or selling pages on social media. You will be able to use these to furnish and decorate your coffee shop in a unique and inviting way. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to create a space that represents your business well.
Some coffeeshop owners are proud to share that ‘we found our cafe furniture at wholesale prices online’ which is always a great idea especially when you are looking to start out.
Make connections with suppliers
Even the smallest businesses will benefit from working with wholesalers in order to get the best deals on what they’re selling. However, if you are going for a coffee shop vibe with locality at its core, then it’s definitely worth making connections with other businesses that have things to sell. Washed up at coffee? If there is a bakery a few miles down the road, then you may ask to sell some of the products from the bakery in partnership with them. It’s all about making the right connections, coming up with the best deals, and supporting local way you can.
Marketing
When running a coffee shop, the premises is the first place that will aid your marketing. When doing the renovations of your venue, make sure you have signed outside indicating what space will be used for once it’s open. However, also use your tools to get on social media to do some free promotion and to reach your target audiences more quickly and effectively.
