I'm thinking about buying a coffee shop, any ideas?

Question

I live in a small town of about 8,000-10,000 and there is a "coffee shop" for sale, I've always dreamed of owning my own business, and especially something like the coffee shop that's available. I'm currently taking management courses at a University and I worked in the food business for a while at a fast food restaurant. While I'm probably not the best, I sure think I would have a lot to offer myself and the community for me owning my own business. What are some thoughts and considerations you would take if you were going to open up your own business. Do you have any ideas on a name? My last name is Wyse (sounds like WISE) so that could possibly be incorporated with the name of the business.
~I will choose a best answer!~

Thanks everyone! Loving the ideas so far! The place does not have a drive through (but it's conveniantly located on the town square) I was thinking I could do curb-side order, where if you want to call in the order I can have it all ready for you when you drive up. There are no other coffee shops in town, the closest star-bucks is about 25 miles away. The most convenient place to get a cup of Joe to go is either McDonalds or a gas station! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas again!

Answer 1

"Wyse Java", "Jitterz", "Wysest Coffee", "Java Junkie!" (ha ha)

Make sure you check out the local coffee shops, and even in the surrounding areas, to see what they offer, and their prices. Take notes on what their atmosphere is like, and the environment.
Do a check on what foods/snacks/other beverages they offer, and see how YOU can top these, and either add something more "unique" or something more appealing that would grab the attention of the customer, right away. You want to make sure that you can fulfill these on a regular basis, though, and that it fits into your budget. Be realistic, and make small goals for yourself when you get started, or you'll leave yourself short, in the end!
Be creative, and have fun with colour, different styles and develop an atmosphere that people will want to come back to, all the time (dark setting, soothing - or - lit up, lots of windows, energetic).
Have fun and good luck!!
I love coffee, and going through a drive through, like I normally do is something I only have time for, but if I were to be able to sit down and enjoy my coffee, I would like to go to a place where there is music (foreign, reggae, folk), and where there is lots of space, but privacy, too. I like an environment where the lights can either be dimmed, and where the windows can be opened right up during the day. A very flexible environment.
AHHhhh..makes me wanna have coffee now!! ha ha

Answer 2

The real estate should be purchased with the business, or the payments will eat your profit. Check with the City and County for the cost and availability of business tax and license. Check out the competition, If the good ole boys have been going to bubba's for 40 years, might pass on it. Check sanitation, and look at the balance sheet for about 2 years. Consider a partner, you will have a better chance of success with help.Last but hardly least, don't expect much profit the first year. If you don't have the money to ride it out , you will fail the first year. If you can do most of that , "java jitters" is a wyse thing to do.

Answer 3

Hopefully your small town doesn't have a Starbucks...

But if you can you should bands play there, im sure some local band from the high school would play there free for exposure. You could also have people play Jazz, and Classical something different everyday of the week. umm... for a name Wyse Perk? Wyse bucks? Star Wyse?

Answer 4

coffe shops will always make money! people need their caffeine. You should think about what you can do to make it more convenient for people in your town.. A drive thru? Internet access? Maybe sell books as well.. I like my coffee houses to be warm and inviting..I love couches and warm "homey" colors...Since your last name is Wyse...maybe a name like..Rise N Wyse (my personal fav)!! Good luck following your dreams :)

Answer 5

You are correct. Work out the numbers and open shop. Does it have a drive through? Drive throughs help sales alot. Bean Towne. I would make the name kind of manly in a small down. Locals aren't going to want to get coffee at "fru fru cafe".

Answer 6

I'm planning to open my own natural health practice. The school I'm in suppose to help me set up.

One of the biggest things about what you're planning to do is forget what you've learned in school and apply good ole fashion customer service and human relationships. All that book knowledge gonna ruin ya. I'm getting sleepy and just talking, rambling so don't pay me any attention.

signing off
good night
if you hear about an accident in south La that might be me ... driving home... dodging deer

okay good night this time.

/doc

Answer 7

I am a Coffee grower. Some ideas for your venture

You can have collaboration with a small coffee plantation, from where you can bring home grown coffee for your café and sell it in a separate a section in your cafe. You should get raw coffee beans, (not roasted) in regular quantities as per your requirement. These should organic coffee and no pesticides / chemicals should be present in it. You should arrange to get a number of good quality pictures of real coffee plants, in blossom, with red ripe fruits, coffee beans curing and so on to display in your café. Let the pictures also display workers collecting red ripe coffee berries (fruits) in plastic bags with your Café’s name printed on it. You may visit the plantation yourself if you so wish and take a few photos (it should not cost you more than $3000). You can advertise it as your “Café’s Own Coffee Plantation”. Here is my link for all these.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvYTFhqHRI8cKKrYsL7povvsy6IX?qid=20061207062434AACidOG

Use cafe software for managing your internet kiosk in the coffee shop. The software should allow you to monitor all computers in a network for usage - both time and bytes sent-received. It should calculate charges based on time/bytes usage. Here is a link to my question in this regard as well.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgDx7l_SZqCJqSduLz.Af5nsy6IX?qid=20061205100255AAAc0hQ

Answer 8

Make sure they can access the internet at your coffe shop.


There is plenty of money to be made online.


http://www.onlinebusinessideas.blogspot.com

The ideas are great. It gets you thinking of what you could do online to make money.

There are a lot of different ideas to make a ton of cash...you just need one.