Cheap Cars

Choosing cafe furniture can seem like an easy task – after all, you just need to find something that goes with your decor and looks good, right? If this is the attitude you take you may find your sales dropping and customers leaving without any real explanation. Believe it or not even furniture that looks great can make people’s dining experience a bad one. Let’s take a look at some negative attributes your new furniture might possess:

Shape

A chair that stands out because of great design can be extremely uncomfortable to actually use. Imagine if the chair is quite slim and unyielding – how would a larger customer use it? Likewise very tall bar stools, if they don’t have footrests, can be almost impossible to climb onto for shorter people or anyone who’s not in their prime. You should choose furniture based around average heights and weights to make it comfortable for as many people as possible.

Material

The material you should choose depends very much on the climate in your area. Aluminium chairs for example can be very cold in winter, and leather chairs can get very hot in summer. This can be uncomfortable for your customers even if the chairs themselves look great. The chair covering should also be durable no matter what your clientele – spills and stains are inevitable and a durable material will fare a lot better than a delicate one, not to mention being easier to clean. (more…)

So you have decided on starting a coffee shop! Congratulations! In my coffee shop business plan package, I go into more detail regarding equipment but due to space here, I am only going to give you some basic ideas of what to consider when looking at your equipment needs.

First of all, do yourself a favor and DO NOT buy any used equipment unless you know the exact age, where it came from, who used it, and that maintenance records are verifiable. I am only referring to anything with a motor or compressor. Used sinks, tables, counters, etc are fine as long as they are in decent shape. All other equipment, be VERY careful!

Even if you get it from a friend, you might be assured by them that the equipment was maintained properly and often, however did they get it used and can they get that guarantee from whom they bought it from? And how old really is it?

As you may have guessed, I fell into this trap and had things breaking down when I did not expect it shortly after I opened my coffee shop. Yes even my espresso machine. I was in a bad spot then! Luckily I had access to a one group machine for backup and a local guy was able to fix the other fast but you may not be as lucky. (more…)

If you dream of that cozy little café on the corner enticing visitors to come inside, it may not be as far as you think. Making the decision to open a café is not an overnight choice. A lot of thought and planning must go into any business undertaking. Mapping out a complete and thorough business plan is always your first action.

A business plan will allow for a greater description of your café. If there is a certain theme or style you wish to apply to the café it will need to be expressed in as much detail as possible. Investors and business partners want to see that you have clearly thought out all aspects and possess a strong vision. The choice to purchase or lease your structure will come in here as well. There are pros and cons to each so you need to know what will be most beneficial to your situation. A lease is often easier to obtain and does not leave you with a building to sell if the café isn’t successful.

When selecting your location, choices should be based on your chosen target market. For example, some may open a café on the side of the highway because their chosen consumer is the travellers and truck drivers. Alternatively, you will also find cafes in quiet neighborhoods where they are accessible by foot as well as car. Location plays a huge role in deciding who will walk through your door with money in hand.

You want to be careful when planning your menu that you are as original as possible. (more…)