How important is location?

[bamaster]

When opening your shop, how much has location contributed to your success/struggles?

 

[LiftOff]

99.9% of succesful shops will tell you that location contributed to their success and 100% of struggling shops will tell you that location contributed to their struggles.

 

[celement]

Depends on the shop to. Starbucks recently acquired a building that I had looked at. It was a former fast food franchise with a drive through lane. I opted against it due to the 5k a month cost and the fact you had to use one of two driveways that were for other businesses to get to it...the ingress and egress (sp) were terrible - but alas for starbucks I'm sure they have no trouble making the draw...I would have had a problem becuase I don't enjoy that kind of brand awareness.

Drive through accentuates the need for a premium location in my opinion. A sit down coffee house just a little less. For a sit down coffee house it might be more important to have foot traffic, proper businesses and shops around, etc. But its still location....its critical.

 

[Boaz Bagbag]

Location is the key for startup! Unless you are Dunkin Donuts