Thinking of starting up coffee shop/deli, advice please!!!!!

[Dynasty]

DH and I are thinking of starting up a coffee shop on our local (busy) high street selling freshly made baguettes, organic bits & bobs, and good coffee.

An ideal location has come on the market, but we would need to get a loan to start up.

Does anyone have an experience in this that they could offer? Thanks in advance.

No experience but one has just started up near my work. Friend and I got talking to the owner yesterday - we talked about:

Heating. The cafe itself was freezing

Proper mugs - I loved that they had these rather than cups and saucers.

Getting onside with local companies - I work in the massive college on their doorstep. No college eating facilities so ideal time for her to take round tasters and menus

She's going to have an email ordering service so people can email orders to pick up / come round and eat in but not have to wait

I like to see a couple of fresh things per day rather than a massive selection of heated stuff

A cafe in town has stuff on - book club one night, cake making class another, a sewing club etc

*no college eating facilities because it's half term

Thanks Bob, some great points there. There is an amazing health food cafe locally that makes sandwiches to order with really tasty things (roasted peppers, falafel, different kinds of homous) rather than coronation chicken, grated cheese and margarine.... Obviously we are going for the former!

Definitely getting fresh local ingredients, big brightly coloured mugs, a selection of good coffee etc...

Nothing to add but best of luck. I adore the smell of the local one in my hometown, that delicious, warm coffee bean mixed with lovely food smell! I am envious.

I'm in NZ and we take our coffee really seriously here, so good coffee, well-made, sort of goes without saying. It is big business, and the city I live in is dominated by independent cafes, all serving amazing coffee. Not chains.

And so ... I have to disagree with mugs. To me, mugs = Starbucks, and Starbucks are shit.

Coffee here is pretty much always served in cups and saucers. Often quirky cups and saucers, but I can't remember the last time I was served coffee in a mug. Mostly because a mug is usually way too big and suggests a bland, milk-heavy coffee that doesn't really taste of anything. A-la Starbucks, really.

Other than that, just a small, rigorous menu of good, local, seasonal food. Made well.

Good luck!!

I'd love to do this - can you tell?

Go for stuff with a high mark up so home made mini pizzas cost pennies to make but sell well for lots more.

Have baby / toddler meals as well as kids meals - a cafe in town has (frozen) home made little portions fpr £1.50. Much better than wasting a kids meal.

Watch the Restaurant man currently showing on BBC2 - very enlightening.

Thanks, I'll look into it.

My advice is to do a business plan (which you will most likely need anyway if you are applying for a business loan) that has a very detailed financial section, my first thought is that organic food costs more and often has a shorter shelf life so that would need to be factored in...speak to someone (maybe in a neighbouring town or city) who has set up a cafe in the last year or so as they will have lots of invaluable tips from their experience.

Good luck :-)