Layout and Design

[Ldgbr]

Having never designed a coffee shop before....I am interested in what coffee shop owners and employees wish they had thought of before their design and layout were done.
We will have a 1600 SF vanilla shell....(80' x 20'). We will be serving coffee, gelato and light food (salads and sandwiches).
We would like to be family friendly while also accommodating students and business with as much comfortable seating as possible. We will serve with real dishes. Advice on back of the house much appreciated as well. What do you wish you would have done differently ?

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Bigger space. My coffee house is 1900 sf. with full basement. We serve very light food...Not even a sandwich but we are desperate for more space. 75 percent of the spaces is dedicated for the floor seating. However we have many customers end up not staying because of the lack of space. I use basement for storage, ice machines, and office and I am thinking about converting part of the basement for the seating area.... That is the only thing I wish I had more of....

 

[Ldgbr]

Thanks Coffeejunky

More space is one thing I can't change in this location. It's a new buildout in a small stripmall that should produce a generous amount of affluent traffic. Current plans will allow for approximately seating of 34 customers at one time including patio. But most of that are small two tops only three 4 tops. I've have in storage a group of three booths = seating for 12 but thinking that the two tops offer more versatility.