Want to Open a Coffee Shop? Keep These Owner's Tips in Mind.
Photo courtesy of Ben Lehman (far right) Co-owner,
Crema, Nashville
Maximize online
"Don’t forget the internet!," says
Lehman. "There are many tools that can be easily used to capture
additional revenue by offering your most unique
products online.”
What can a coffee retailer do online? Plenty! Lehman’s site,
Crema-coffee.com,
sells bags of beans, gift certificates, coffee subscriptions, home-brew
necessities from respected brands and even books and travel guides --
because coffee can be a lifestyle as much as it is a drink.
Photo
courtesy of Daniel Mendoza, Corvus Coffee Head Roaster
Phil Goodlaxson, Owner, Corvus Coffee roasters, Denver
Phil Goodlaxson, Owner, Corvus Coffee roasters, Denver
Listen to your customers
"Define your identity, but adapt,"
says Phil Goodlaxson, the owner of Corvus Coffee Roasters. "When
we started, we only did pour-over. Morning customers asked for a quicker
option, so now we brew by the batch, too.”
Do the math
Wondering about sales needs? To start, Goodlaxson estimates:
- $40,000 in equipment
- $10,000 in marketing
- 30 to 35 percent of monthly revenue should go to monthly operating expenses once you’re established
When considering a location, Goodlaxson uses this metric:
Within one or two years after your shop opens, sales should be 10 times your
rent -- so, if your rent is $4,000 a month, you should be selling $40,000.
Can’t do it? Consider a different spot.
Photo Credit: Rachel Stauffer
Jess Steffy, owner of coffee roaster and retailer Square One
Coffee, is a certified Q Grader and WBC judge.
Train your crew
"Empower some of your key people with the education
needed to keep your staff’s skill level high and your drink quality
consistent,” says Jess Steffy, co-owner, Square
One Coffee, Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pa. She suggests the
following:
- Partner with a roaster that provides a comprehensive barista course with a Coffee Quality Institute-certified instructor.
- Enroll in the Barista Guild of America’s Level 1 Certificate program to learn milk texturing, brewing and extraction principles, cupping, and more.
- Pick up extra skills with a SCAA Coffee Taster’s Certificate. Learn about farming, processing and green coffee grading.
Should you roast your own?
It’s the question many coffee shop owners will eventually
contemplate.
Yes, do it!
Roasting your own beans gives you more control over cup quality
and can ultimately lead to wider margins. All three of our featured experts
roast their own. Lehman’s primary reason: He’s able to source coffee from
producers he trusts. “There are many business benefits to this as well, like brand building,” he says.
Nah, no need.
If you don’t have
buckets of startup capital or prior experience with
sourcing and roasting, you’re better off working with a trusted local or
regional roastery -- at least to start. “Roasting requires an entirely
different skill set than running a shop and preparing drinks,” says Steffy.
“Don’t put yourself in a position where your roasting learning curve is up
against your shop’s opening deadline.
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