Is Owning a Coffee Shop Right for You?

Thinking of opening a coffee shop? If you love coffee and get energized by making others feel energized, owning a coffee shop might be the right business for you.

You can serve the best-tasting specialty drinks in town and create the community gathering place that everyone talks about.

Best of all, you can go home every night smelling like coffee!

However, a love for coffee can’t be the only thing that propels you into business.

Prepare yourself to work long hours, deal with hiring, training and firing staff, handle customer complaints and juggle dozens of tasks and business decisions daily.

Does this sound better than your current career? If so, it’s time to learn more about running a coffee shop.

Explore Your Options for Owning a Coffee Shop

Begin by doing your research! Gather as much information about the coffee industry as you can. Read coffee magazines, newspapers, websites and blogs, like this one.

Visit coffee shops in your area and around your state. Note what is and isn’t working.

Time the barista as she prepares each drink. Rate the quality of the drinks, the cleanliness of the store, the menus and store layout. Compare the price of drinks from neighborhood to neighborhood. Chat up customers about what brings them to the shop.

As part of your research, we recommend reading Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry. Written by Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert, this commonsense guide covers everything you need to know before starting your own coffee shop. It will help you answer questions such as:

• Do I need a coffee shop business plan?
• How do I find the right location for my coffee shop?
• Can I afford the rent?
• Where will I purchase coffee, syrups and other products?
• How do I create a winning menu?
• What should I charge for my drinks?
• What coffee shop equipment do I need?
• How will I train my staff?
• How will I attract customers to my coffee shop?
• How much will it cost to open a coffee shop?
• and much more!

After you’ve done some research, you might know whether owning a coffee shop is right for you. But you’ll likely still have questions.

The Crimson Cup team is here for you! Our seasoned coffee pros have helped over 200 entrepreneurs in 30 states open their own independent coffee shops.

Call us anytime at 888-800-9224, or fill out this form and one of our coffee consultants will get back to you.