Need help with setting up a new business

[Wills]

I was at my local garden center this weekend ? in their café and I couldn?t help noticing how more it was and how much better it could be. The area is full of mums with children desperate for someone to meet for cups of coffee, sandwiches and a chat. You can see where I?m leading to here?. So I resolved myself to find out who owned it ? it?s the owners of the garden centre itself. So how do I go about asking whether or not they?d sell me/rent the area out etc so I could take over the business????

Also can anyone suggest where I would start in terms of researching such a business?

I guess a good place to start would be to try and find a garden centre somewhere that's doing it right - ask on MN as of course we know everything - and pay them a visit. If they're a long way from you, I would have thought the owners/managers of the cafe would be quite happy to speak to you re logistics/practicalities. Then you can start canvassing opinion locally, starting with the existing customers of the cafe.

Good luck - hope it's near me

Good idea. First of all how do I approach the owners of the garden centre - am I asking to buy a lease?

Message withdrawn

Fab lisalisa. Sorry got emersed in work yesterday and had to take dd1 to an ear specialist.

Its a garden centre with a tea shop in it. At the moment the garden centre runs the tea shop. I want to write a letter basically asking to take over the tea shop aspect. I don't want them to employ me I want to run my own business but presumably leasing part of the property from them (its part of the main building so I can't see how I could possibly buy it). In terms of a business plan I propose to show them that I can seriously increase the number of people entering their garden center so am hoping that they will jump at the idea. However I haven't got the foggiest idea where to start in terms of the wording.

Thanks lisalisa

I would possibly suggest talking to them first - you may get lots of useful info (it's always been a drag, I'd close it if I had my way or we're having a big refurb after Summer, or the staff keep walking out etc.)...

That way you can better pitch your proposal.

I read good things about a stylish / healthy / new approach type cafe in Petersham Nurseries in Ham, next to Richmond... was written up in a gardening mag. If you're in London possibly worth checking out. Was going to drag dw there and visit the Palm Centre to to oggle the tropicals...

That link has menus, images, pricing... all perhaps useful.

Good luck.

Good link, thanks for that Hub2dee

Message withdrawn

Fab, thanks for that. I'm off to do it now. Desperate to find a way of earning money that's out of the ratrace but could ever see myself as a SAHM but at the moment barely see my kids and its getting to me.

It could also be worth considering how that same space might be used in a different way - presuming the garden centre has good footfall...

Perhaps there's no decent children's nursery in the area ? Perhaps there's no pond / aquarium / angling /pet shops ? Perhaps a group of garden designers / landscapers / maintainance service providers would appreciate some kind of 'managed' shop front ? Perhaps an outlet for local crafts / produce...

All depends on the existing needs (and demographic profile) of the garden centre visitors and the perceived need of people who might be attracted to it were xyz to be in place...

Wills, did you get any further with this?