How Big Do Tables Have to Be in a Coffee House?

If you're starting a small boutique coffee shop then ambience is everything. You need to find a tilt that will set you apart from the corporate sterility of one of those mass "specialty coffee" stores that loves to declare itself hip. One of the biggest concerns should be how big do tables have to be in a coffee house.

What type of tables you choose depends on the look that you're going for. If you want the cozy conversation feel of a French café then look for a small spindly quaint glass table for two. Couples can cuddle up over a cup and have a nice romantic conversation. Ring the tables around the outside wall of the store or out on the sidewalk so your couples can avoid being distracted by others around them.

If you're catering to the harried corporate worker that uses your café as a surrogate office then they'll need a bit more room to lay out the laptop, PDA, cell phone and such things. A bistro table is a bit larger in width. This can let your client spread out. Try and arrange the tables so that each person can have a little privacy when working.

If you want the funky feel of a college art house coffee shop then you'll go for plush comfort. Look for low long coffee tables set in between comfy couches. This lets the crowd sit around, play board games and chat. Your customers can kick back and prop their feet up and listen to poetry slams, local bands, and open mike nights.

If you're looking for the full restaurant experience to go along with your coffee shop then you'll want to set some tables more conducive to eating than sipping. You can put in some standard dining room tables or booths that will accommodate four to six people. You can arrange different sized tables for different sized parties. Be sure to get tables that are an identical height so you can move them together for larger parties.

Setting up a boutique coffee shop is nice but to maximize profit you'll want to mix these elements together. There are a few floor plans available for it. You want to be able to cater to the corporate drone, the cozy couple, and the art crowd.

Set up your more private tables outside, in corners and along the outside walls for privacy. You can then fill in the interior of the café with your larger table set ups. For instance you can use one corner for a couple couches and coffee tables. Then set up another area that is better suited to dining. And leave an open space for a stage and microphone set up. By combining these elements you'll be able to bring in diverse crowds all looking for something better than a mass produced cup of Joe. Setting up the shop involves quite a few elements; one of them is how big do tables have to be in a coffee house. Just plan everything out and pick up the furniture you need.

By Jennifer Akre

Coffee Maker With Grinder - Gourmet Taste From Freshly Ground Whole Beans Made Easier

Choosing the best coffee maker means deciding whether to get one with a built in grinder. While most machines do not include a grinder, you can find "grind and brew" coffee makers that go from whole bean to delicious brew with the touch of a button.

This type of coffee maker with grinder is one that lets you to place fresh, whole gourmet beans into a hopper, choose your grind, turn it on and let the freshly ground beans fill your your brew basket to start the process.

The biggest advantage of a grind and brew coffee system is that you don't need to purchase a separate maker and a stand along grinder. The other advantage is that you don't need to worry about transferring the ground beans into your coffee maker from the stand alone grinder, without making a mess.

This extra convenience can be the difference between the freshest possible ground beans or grinding your your beans ahead of time and storing it for later. The easier and quicker that you can make the grinding process, the more likely you are to enjoy grinding your beans just before brewing.

Before buying a grind and brew coffee maker, know that cleaning the built in grinder can be trickier than cleaning a stand alone grinder. Also, makers be sure that the grinder holds enough whole beans to grind for a full pot of coffee. For some reason, some of the built-in grinders don't hold enough whole beans to make a full batch of ground coffee.

Experts say that the best grinder is a conical burr grinder. That applies to buying a separate, stand alone grinder or a grinder built into your automatic maker. Why might you buy a grind-and-brew coffee system with a blade grinder? Two reasons. First, the cost is going to be less, and secondly there are very few burr grinders built into makers. Most built-in grinders are the lower cost but noisier and less effective blade grinder type.

For a better grind, chose a machine with a burr grinder built in. First, the burr grinder makes a more consistent grind, which gives better flavor. Secondly, you really want a quiet grinder to that it won't wake you in the morning when you program your first, freshly brewed cup of to be ready for you to meet the day.

One last caution: be careful not to purchase a maker that simply has a grinder attached to the coffee maker. That is not a true grind and brew coffee maker and should be avoided.

For the better grind and brew coffee makers, expect to find a burr grinder built in, along with programmable features, a water filter, and even stainless steel thermal carafes. These extra conveniences will make brewing great gourmet coffee a joy to make and to drink.

By DJ Toman