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Date: 11 Sep 2006 13:24:53
From: Bill N
Subject: Coffee House startup
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Hi All
I'm hoping some of you coffee shop owners may have some insight. I live
in a rural town in upstate NY. I'm talking about cow country, USA. The
closest thing to specialty coffee is Dunkin' Donuts. I have been
thinking about opening a coffee shop downtown, and a very attractive
building has opened up. The building is located directly across the
street from an abandoned-but-soon-to-be-renovated hotel/conference
center. It (my building) has three fire damaged apartments that would
pay for the mortgage. It would take a lot of work, but I think it would
be a destination location. Pros- building is cheap! and the location.
Cons- very little parking on the street. My question: what have others
done to make their shops destination stores? This is opposed to "I'm
walking down the street and HEY! There's a coffee shop. Let's go it!" I
envision a shop with a comfortable setting, wireless high speed
internet hub, offering coffee(duh) and fresh roasted beans for
consumers. I also envision doing coffee seminars every month- cuppings,
home roasting, etc.
If anyone has any insight, or things I should be thinking of, let me
know.
All input is much appreciated.
Regards
Bill
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Date: 13 Sep 2006 13:03:00
From: Bill N
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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The Other Funk wrote:
> Finding the keyboard operational
> Bill N entered:
>
> > Hi All
> > I'm hoping some of you coffee shop owners may have some insight. I
> > live in a rural town in upstate NY. I'm talking about cow country,
> > USA. The closest thing to specialty coffee is Dunkin' Donuts. I have
> > been thinking about opening a coffee shop downtown, and a very
> > attractive building has opened up. The building is located directly
> > across the street from an abandoned-but-soon-to-be-renovated
> > hotel/conference center. It (my building) has three fire damaged
> > apartments that would pay for the mortgage. It would take a lot of
> > work, but I think it would be a destination location. Pros- building
> > is cheap! and the location. Cons- very little parking on the street.
> > My question: what have others done to make their shops destination
> > stores? This is opposed to "I'm walking down the street and HEY!
> > There's a coffee shop. Let's go it!" I envision a shop with a
> > comfortable setting, wireless high speed internet hub, offering
> > coffee(duh) and fresh roasted beans for consumers. I also envision
> > doing coffee seminars every month- cuppings, home roasting, etc.
> > If anyone has any insight, or things I should be thinking of, let me
> > know.
> > All input is much appreciated.
> > Regards
> > Bill
>
> Rural area with no parking? Bill you better have a lot of foot traffic. =
In
> the thousands. We have about 2500 people walk by on a busy day. We get ma=
ybe
> 500 of them to come in. What makes it for us is the people that drive in =
and
> park in the back or on the street.
> The thing that makes us a "destination" is the decor, gifts, free movies.
> My advice is to take a chair and sit in front of your location and look at
> who is going by. Where are they going and what are the chances they will
> stop for coffee.
> I do wish you good luck.
> Bob
> --=81
> --=81
> Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times
> www.moondoggiecoffee.com
Thanks all for the input. I know that parking is going to be an issue.
When I say there isn't any parking, I should have said, the store
doesn't have a dedicated parking lot. There is a (small) lot less than
0=2E1 mile from the store, and there is street side parking in front,
beside and behind the store. My ace in the hole is the hotel and
conference center across the street. This isn't a major highway we are
talking about, just a four lane road through the center of town. I
guess my other ace is the fact that there is no competition, unless you
count Dunkin Donuts. For sure they will have the drive through crowd.
Again, Thanks.=20
BIll
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Date: 13 Sep 2006 20:50:15
From: The Other Funk
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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Finding the keyboard operational
Bill N entered:
> Thanks all for the input. I know that parking is going to be an issue.
> When I say there isn't any parking, I should have said, the store
> doesn't have a dedicated parking lot. There is a (small) lot less than
> 0.1 mile from the store, and there is street side parking in front,
> beside and behind the store. My ace in the hole is the hotel and
> conference center across the street. This isn't a major highway we are
> talking about, just a four lane road through the center of town. I
> guess my other ace is the fact that there is no competition, unless
> you count Dunkin Donuts. For sure they will have the drive through
> crowd. Again, Thanks.
> BIll
Bill I'ld be the last one to crush someone's dream. Believe me I wouldn't.
Your ace in the hole maybe looking at a royal flush. Are you sure the hotel
/conference center will NOT have a coffee shop? Even if they don't, can
people cross a four lane road easily for coffee? Really easily?
DD will definitely get the drive thru business. As in the people will not
park, walk a tenth of mile, get coffee, and walk a tenth of a mile back when
they can just whip thru DD.
Do you have a college nearby? Movie theater? Do you have enough room in your
store for musical acts?
I haven't even touched on build out costs. Ours were about 1.5 times the
estimates. Not our budgeted, the estimates.
Bill I'ld like to help you, why don't you drop me an email. Use my name at
the URL.
Bob
--
--
Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times
www.moondoggiecoffee.com
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Date: 12 Sep 2006 01:14:37
From: The Other Funk
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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Finding the keyboard operational
Bill N entered:
> Hi All
> I'm hoping some of you coffee shop owners may have some insight. I
> live in a rural town in upstate NY. I'm talking about cow country,
> USA. The closest thing to specialty coffee is Dunkin' Donuts. I have
> been thinking about opening a coffee shop downtown, and a very
> attractive building has opened up. The building is located directly
> across the street from an abandoned-but-soon-to-be-renovated
> hotel/conference center. It (my building) has three fire damaged
> apartments that would pay for the mortgage. It would take a lot of
> work, but I think it would be a destination location. Pros- building
> is cheap! and the location. Cons- very little parking on the street.
> My question: what have others done to make their shops destination
> stores? This is opposed to "I'm walking down the street and HEY!
> There's a coffee shop. Let's go it!" I envision a shop with a
> comfortable setting, wireless high speed internet hub, offering
> coffee(duh) and fresh roasted beans for consumers. I also envision
> doing coffee seminars every month- cuppings, home roasting, etc.
> If anyone has any insight, or things I should be thinking of, let me
> know.
> All input is much appreciated.
> Regards
> Bill
Rural area with no parking? Bill you better have a lot of foot traffic. In
the thousands. We have about 2500 people walk by on a busy day. We get maybe
500 of them to come in. What makes it for us is the people that drive in and
park in the back or on the street.
The thing that makes us a "destination" is the decor, gifts, free movies.
My advice is to take a chair and sit in front of your location and look at
who is going by. Where are they going and what are the chances they will
stop for coffee.
I do wish you good luck.
Bob
--
--
Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times
www.moondoggiecoffee.com
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Date: 11 Sep 2006 22:18:12
From: Barry Jarrett
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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On 11 Sep 2006 13:24:53 -0700, "Bill N" <NOSTROM1@juno.com > wrote:
>Cons- very little parking on the street. My question: what have others
>done to make their shops destination stores? This is opposed to "I'm
>walking down the street and HEY! There's a coffee shop. Let's go it!"
right here you have a conflict. how do you have a destination store
without parking, unless there is a huge amount of foot traffic walking
down the street?
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Date: 11 Sep 2006 15:45:27
From: Randy G.
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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Barry Jarrett <barry@rileys-coffee.com > wrote:
>right here you have a conflict. how do you have a destination store
>without parking, unless there is a huge amount of foot traffic walking
>down the street?
>
Speaking of foot traffic, when will the Riley's website be back up?
Randy "take a walk on your computer week" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com
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Date: 12 Sep 2006 00:31:46
From: Barry Jarrett
Subject: Re: Coffee House startup
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On Mon, 11 Sep 2006 15:45:27 -0700, Randy G. <frcn@DESPAMMOcncnet.com >
wrote:
>Barry Jarrett <barry@rileys-coffee.com> wrote:
>
>>right here you have a conflict. how do you have a destination store
>>without parking, unless there is a huge amount of foot traffic walking
>>down the street?
>>
>
>Speaking of foot traffic, when will the Riley's website be back up?
>
i'm working on an update right now, coincidentally. the full-blown
store will take a might longer, but should be worth the wait.
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