Anyone here ever owned a coffee shop?

[SlyFerret]

Starting to think about what is next.

I’m in tech. I run web services behind mobile apps. It’s been fun, but I am feeling a desire to start focusing on something a little less high tech and more local where I can have some sort of connection with my customers.

I love coffee, the equipment, the technique of different brewing methods. I also love small business. I’m working (slowly) on a business operations and supply chain management degree.

I keep catching myself thinking that a coffee shop would align well with my interests, be fulfilling from a customer relationship standpoint, and give me the opportunity to apply the concepts from my OSCM degree at a manageable scale. I could apply technology effectively where necessary to support efficient operations.

I’d be interested to hear the real poop from someone who has done this before. Is it truly sustainable for independent shops? Could I actually support a family of 4 from it and still save for retirement? What sucks that you didn’t anticipate sucking? What is awesome? Any specific advice or hard lessons learned?

Thanks!
-SF


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[johneh]

Don't know what it is like in the States but in Canada there is a Tim Horton's or Starbucks on every coroner
Don't know how they make a living !

 

[firefighterjake]

Don't know what it is like in the States but in Canada there is a Tim Horton's or Starbucks on every coroner
Don't know how they make a living !

HehHeh . . . "coroner." Pretty sure coffee isn't that bad.

 

[johneh]

Sometimes it is just that bad
sorry spell check is not worth a sh-- !

 

[AlbergSteve]

HehHeh . . . "coroner." Pretty sure coffee isn't that bad.

It is at Tim's...

 

[SpaceBus]

When we were looking at houses, we found a few coffee shops that went under and were selling their business. It's something we considered, but decided was over our heads.

 

[SlyFerret]

Don't know what it is like in the States but in Canada there is a Tim Horton's or Starbucks on every coroner
Don't know how they make a living !

That's one of the things I was thinking about. Those big chains are doing things at an incredible scale, so I was wondering if it's actually profitable as an independent shop.

-SF

 

[Tegbert]

I know a woman who bought a stand 6-8 years ago. I know she started out with just her and occasionally her sister. Now she has three. I don’t know her profit margins or if she saves for retirement but she must be doing something right if she has opened two more and has the means to pay employees at each location.


She also uses locally sourced coffee (at least locally roasted) and pastries and such. Part of her success is every now and then she does fundraisers for families or kids who have medical issues to help with bills. Those days she takes all profits and tips and donates it to said individuals. So again must be doing pretty good to still pay her employees while basically making zero profit for the day.

While I have no experience in coffee shops the stands I see fail are, usually, in my mind because of location. We had one that changed at least 6 times over two years and I think it was because it was in the middle of two towns on a busy highway. While easy to get to from both directions being in between them most people will stop in the towns to get coffee right when they leave not while they started. Also the ones that are in hard to access parking lots or crammed in a corner in a parking lot.

I’ve seen more success in local shops that have a setup like the big chains do. Yeah it has more overhead but if you provide a nice relaxing atmosphere and power and WiFi people will naturally come it seems. One even serves beer and wine.

I’ve thought about doing the same thing before but being in the PNW where there is a coffee shop every 20 feet and a stand every 2 it seems like a huge risk and I can’t just drop everything to try it but people do and it seems to work. Whether or not they make a decent living I don’t know though.





Lopi Rockport
Blaze King Ashford 25

 

[AlbergSteve]

My take is you must provide a service/product that is unique and create a bit of a niche, you can't just sell black dishwater and cupcakes. Our local, Drumroaster, has been around over ten years and serves a pretty small rural area. They're passionate about coffee, imports his own beans, learned to repair, sell and service equipment, and supplies custom roasted coffee to other shops. All of this in a 2000 square feet of space and the place is packed every day.

 

[begreen]

Coffee is in the blood here locally. It's where Starbucks and Seattle Best Coffee originated. We have a few espresso stands and several good coffee roasters in our small town of 10,000. The most successful coffee and tea shops here are based around good coffees and teas and a great place to meet, read, enjoy free wifi, hangout over a cuppa. Starbucks, et al are too sterile and corporate. Chose a good location and make it a warm friendly place to congregate and you'll have a better chance at success. Have art shows, serve a little good food and/or baked goods, maybe have a library and a meeting room to help make this a go-to place.

 

[SpaceBus]

A wood stove would help make it warm and inviting in the winter! You might have to kick people out

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

A wood stove would help make it warm and inviting in the winter! You might have to kick people out

Wood Stove Roasters. I could see that.

Now, what about summer ambiance?

 

[begreen]

Wood Stove Roasters. I could see that.

Now, what about summer ambiance?

Nice, high ceilinged old warehouse space makes for good ambience year round. Serve iceds drinks and good ice cream and gelatos in the summer.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Nice, high ceilinged old warehouse space makes for good ambience year round. Serve iceds drinks and good ice cream and gelatos in the summer.

I've always wondered if a coffee shop by day and beer pub specializing in good microbrews by night might not be a more efficient deployment of capital. Ever since spending a month in England 25 years ago, and enjoying the hell out of the local pubs, I thought that the idea would work over here.

 

[vinny11950]

Starting to think about what is next.

I’m in tech. I run web services behind mobile apps. It’s been fun, but I am feeling a desire to start focusing on something a little less high tech and more local where I can have some sort of connection with my customers.

I love coffee, the equipment, the technique of different brewing methods. I also love small business. I’m working (slowly) on a business operations and supply chain management degree.

I keep catching myself thinking that a coffee shop would align well with my interests, be fulfilling from a customer relationship standpoint, and give me the opportunity to apply the concepts from my OSCM degree at a manageable scale. I could apply technology effectively where necessary to support efficient operations.

I’d be interested to hear the real poop from someone who has done this before. Is it truly sustainable for independent shops? Could I actually support a family of 4 from it and still save for retirement? What sucks that you didn’t anticipate sucking? What is awesome? Any specific advice or hard lessons learned?

Thanks!
-SF


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

You should look for a part time job at a coffee shop first, to see if you would like it and learn how it works. I have tried to switch careers a couple of times and I always come back to what I was doing before. Over the years I have come to realize I am good at it, and I make good money doing it. I still try other things on the side, but I have learned to appreciate the job that pays the bills.

If you really want to try it, consider the cost of buying into a coffee shop business that needs a partner, versus the cost of opening your own shop from scratch. And only invest what you can and are willing to lose. There is a very good chance you will go back to doing what you were doing.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

You should look for a part time job at a coffee shop first, to see if you would like it and learn how it works. I have tried to switch careers a couple of times and I always come back to what I was doing before. Over the years I have come to realize I am good at it, and I make good money doing it. I still try other things on the side, but I have learned to appreciate the job that pays the bills.

If you really want to try it, consider the cost of buying into a coffee shop business that needs a partner, versus the cost of opening your own shop from scratch. And only invest what you can and are willing to lose. There is a very good chance you will go back to doing what you were doing.

Words of wisdom gained from experience. Nice one, Vinny.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Thought folks might enjoy. I'm on the Outer Banks and get the Virginian-Pilot. Article on how the Hampton Roads, VA area is a hub for coffee roasters. Interesting article.

(broken link removed to https://pilotonline.com/business/ports-rail/article_501417c2-f98d-11e8-b85f-4f997a34b154.html)

 

[SpaceBus]

You should look for a part time job at a coffee shop first, to see if you would like it and learn how it works. I have tried to switch careers a couple of times and I always come back to what I was doing before. Over the years I have come to realize I am good at it, and I make good money doing it. I still try other things on the side, but I have learned to appreciate the job that pays the bills.

If you really want to try it, consider the cost of buying into a coffee shop business that needs a partner, versus the cost of opening your own shop from scratch. And only invest what you can and are willing to lose. There is a very good chance you will go back to doing what you were doing.

Heh, I wish I could have kept doing what I was doing, but that's not an option to me. Until I figure out what I'm going to do, the GI bill will pay for me to take all of the trades offered at the CC. I've been working a variety of jobs since I was medically retired, but I still feel lost in the sauce sometimes. I really want to work on cars or engines and have my own shop, but I don't even know if I would like working in a shop. I've been tinkering with cars, building engines, and grassroots racing for many years, but who knows if I'll enjoy doing that with other people/a boss. I've even considered doing roadside assistance/towing.

I'm glad the OP created the thread, since I don't really know what the hell I'm going to do yet. It seems coffee shops don't work around here since there's a Dunks. A local mom and pop joint "mysteriously" burned down after a year being open...

 

[aansorge]

My wife and I owned and operated a coffee house for 3 years. We had homemade pasteries, pannini sandwiches, homemade soups, etc. It was a beautiful place and we had a small group of very loyal custormers. We made enough to survive by doing catering at night.

Once we had kids, it was back to careers. We are now both teachers and love the security of a real paycheck, having weekends off, health insurance, summers off, and a retirement plan. We also love our memories of the coffee house and don't regret doing it.

We purchased an existing business and made 10,000 profit selling it 3 years later.

 

[SpaceBus]

My wife and I owned and operated a coffee house for 3 years. We had homemade pasteries, pannini sandwiches, homemade soups, etc. It was a beautiful place and we had a small group of very loyal custormers. We made enough to survive by doing catering at night.

Once we had kids, it was back to careers. We are now both teachers and love the security of a real paycheck, having weekends off, health insurance, summers off, and a retirement plan. We also love our memories of the coffee house and don't regret doing it.

We purchased an existing business and made 10,000 profit selling it 3 years later.

Off topic, but when did stock NBs go to CS? Do you have an MSM? I haven't gone to an event for over two years after my the engine in my STR Miata let go, not that the car was particularly competitive.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Don't know what it is like in the States but in Canada there is a Tim Horton's or Starbucks on every coroner
Don't know how they make a living !

So, you basically have no good coffee then.

 

[aansorge]

Off topic, but when did stock NBs go to CS? Do you have an MSM? I haven't gone to an event for over two years after my the engine in my STR Miata let go, not that the car was particularly competitive.

That pic is from years ago. It is a '99 sport that I ran in CS then ES. I owned and autocrossed it for 14 years but sold it a year and a half ago and now run a 2008 accord v6 coupe in hstreet. It does suprisingly well but isn't a fun autocross car.

 

[sportbikerider78]

You should look for a part time job at a coffee shop first, to see if you would like it and learn how it works. I have tried to switch careers a couple of times and I always come back to what I was doing before. Over the years I have come to realize I am good at it, and I make good money doing it. I still try other things on the side, but I have learned to appreciate the job that pays the bills.

If you really want to try it, consider the cost of buying into a coffee shop business that needs a partner, versus the cost of opening your own shop from scratch. And only invest what you can and are willing to lose. There is a very good chance you will go back to doing what you were doing.

That is great real world advice.

On switching careers.....
I moved from running big manufacturing organizations (hundreds of millions every year, hundreds of employees) to a single, stand alone outside sales engineer position. I took a major pay cut to build a sales territory and haven't ever been happier. My life is just plain better. I'm healthier. I get more time with my family and my company is amazing.
Even with 2 kids, a stay at home wife, and a nice house, we are doing just fine, because I have always lived below my means. This affords me the luxury to NOT be a slave from paycheck to paycheck, but to explore different opportunities that are more rewarding. I get flack from everyone of my friends for this...they think i should be making lots of money doing what my previous career path told me to do, not what I want to do.

So..the advice of a 40 yr old who has been working for 25 yrs.....
Live below your means.
Keep cash on hand.
If you have a passion and need a change...you MUST explore it. This is what life is about.

No matter what anyone tells you....there is always a market for good products. Good products are made by people who are passionate about what they do. If you can combine passion with general common sense and a hit of fiscal responsibility/business sense...you can be unstoppable.

 

[johneh]

So, you basically have no good coffee then.

The best lowest price Coffee ( That I like) is
McDonald's . You Know the little Scottish restaurant on every corner

 

[sportbikerider78]

The best lowest price Coffee ( That I like) is
McDonald's . You Know the little Scottish restaurant on every corner

In a pinch....they are my choice as well.