Coffee Business Noob running numbers for a shop in November

Randy

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Mar 25, 2013
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Hello everyone! My post below is a reply I sent to Mr. Shave a few minutes ago. It seemed appropriate to introduce myself now that I have posted a couple of times. This is a great forum and I'm looking forward to learning a lot and hopefully helping some people out as well. I plan on serving high quality coffee and teas (5-10 selections of each) and small coffee snacks. Pao de Queijo (brazilian cheese bread) being the main snack.

A little background on me, I spent 5 years in the Marine Corps., a few years in banking, and 5 years in sales. I'm finishing my degree in Accounting in May and about a month ago (yes I'm a fresh newbie lol) I decided to start running numbers on a coffee shop. I prefer business settings and working morning and lunch crowds so the spot I'm researching is Downtown. Basically there is a 7 mile tunnel network under downtown with restaurants, shops, you name it. It's open Monday - Friday roughly 7 am - 6 pm. There are a few Seattle's Best and Starbucks but no independent high quality coffee and tea shops. The part I've started negotiations for a space in claims roughly 3,500 pedestrians every lunch day but I obviously need to verify counts and see what the heavy hitters are doing. Due to heavy heavy renovations I wouldn't be able to move in until November but that gives me plenty of time to get counts, research roasters, get training myself, and hire a top notch barista with 5 years experience so my clients get 1st class from day one. I plan on working the shop everyday as well but I won't pretend to know everything about daily operations and will more than gladly pay for it so I can learn and my clients can benefit. I have a million and one questions like most people on here but I'm first pulling together my research, checking topics that have already been posted, and trying to get a general idea of whats out there before I become "that guy" that asks something that has been posted 1,000 times. I have quotes en route from a few roasters as well as ball park figures for rent so once I compile all of that I plan on posting on a regular basis as kind of a living journal during this journey.
 

CoffeeJunky

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Dec 7, 2012
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Randy,

Great start.... This is fun time but also after the proper research, many people get turned off or realize how difficult it is to run a successful business. I hope you find all the answers and open a very successful coffee shop....
 

PinkRose

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Feb 28, 2008
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Hello Randy,

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website.

Thank you for writing such a nice introduction. It is very helpful to know a little about you and see that you're serious about opening a coffee shop.

I appreciate your consideration by not diving in and asking questions that have been asked over and over again. Now that we've gotten the impression that you're really serious and actively doing research, I'm sure most of the experienced members of this forum will go way out of their way to help you and give you some direction.

Rose
 

Randy

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Mar 25, 2013
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Thank you Coffee Junky and Pink Rose. It's very nice to meet both of you and I look forward to getting to know you.
 

CanadianBrian

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Jun 13, 2012
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Welcome Randy;
Have you found out if it is even possible to rent in this area? Alot of times the big boys will get exclusivity into their leases so that is something that I would question right off the bat. Next question is why isn't there an independant there? You might want to go for a coffee at these national locations and even try to talk to some of the employees. You could also try to get some info from them regarding their numbers. You would be surprised at what these people will disclose from the big chains. I have even "hired" employees temporarilly as consultants. Independants tend to be harder to get these numbers from.
Brian
 
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