Coffee Shops

[CatBert]

I have a wild idea to take over a vacant shop in my local village and turn it into a coffee shop.

The advantages are that the village is about to undergo some rejuvination, there is no coffee shop there at the moment, and I have a potential business partner.

However, having never done anything like this before, I wondered if there were any mumsnetters out there who have any advice, who may have done something similar, or know anyone who does who could give me some advice.

Thanks in advance

Actually DH and I floated this as an idea a couple of years ago, but we never got off the ground because all the places we looked at where there was an obvious need for a good coffee shop (busy high street near offices with only one other greasy spoon) had very high rents, and the places with lower rents weren't an obvious niche for a coffee shop, which meant we didn't think we'd get enough trade.

The fact there's no coffee shop in the village at the moment makes me worry that there's no call for one. Market research is the absolute key.

I would love to run a little coffee shop! Good luck

I have looked at opening a cafe too, one of the things I found out from doing research was that takings can be very low if like most cafes your hours are quite limited.

To maximise takings it can really help to take advantage of the early morning breakfast trade especially if you do takeaway.

A coffee shop in our town trades into the evenings and is very popular with groups of age 30+ females meeting for a chat. Nice place shame the service is rubbish last time I was there we ended up walking out as we were ignored for ages.

I would probably go quite often when kids are at activities like cubs and dancing if the service was better. They still seem to do OK so either they just don't like me or there is just a lack of an alternative.

My advice would be just to make sure the numbers add up and don't under estimate costs. The small business advice place is a great source of information.

There isn't a coffee shop in the village shop where I work and I would love there to be one as it would be nice to excape out for lunch every so often rather than the boring sarnie from tesco

Also there is no where to get a bacon sarnie when I have a hangover!

Thanks all for your repsonses... Been out to the circus this afternoon, so have only just got back on here late

We are looking at franchises, but I think the thing is that you are sooo limited with your own ideas with a franchise. I acutally LOVE the idea of a bookshop / coffee shop. There's a school opposite so packed lunches (made to the regulation standard - no crisps / choc etc) could be made for mums in a hurry which equate to cost of school lunches - I reckon could be done. Market research is of course key. I love the toddler mornings idea.

Anyway - it's an idea brewing, and hopefully the coffee will be too one day in the not too distant...

Oh Im so jealous!!!!!!!!

I would love to have a little coffee shop with some books and little crafts and a tea garden!!!!lol

Friends of mine have recently opened a bookshop with coffee - you might find their blog interesting.

Sorry - should have said - their blog covers mostly the period running up to the opening, so could give you an idea of some of the issues you might face.

Thanks so much for that! It looks brilliant

There is a reason that Starbucks have virtually taken over the world and that is that there is a huge mark up to be made on coffee. Not on food, which is labour intensive and expensive to produce, sell and clear up after.
That said a smartly run coffee shop with fab coffee and delicious sandwiches and cakes is an asset to any village and if you keep your overheads low and your research shows there is a potential demand you could do really well. And I agree about the opening hours, open early and close late to give yorself the best chance. Good Luck.

I would love to do this. I live in a little place that looks to me as though its crying out for a coffee shop. Good luck.