Starting Your Own Coffee Shop - Important Things to Know

So you're thinking about going into the coffee/tea business. Here are some insider tips and tricks of the trade that you need to know.

Whether you've got the business plan laid out or are just entertaining the idea of starting toward your dream of opening a coffee shop, there's so much more to the industry than you ever thought possible. But don't worry; I'm going to give you some tips and tricks of the trade to get you on your way to a great business in the coffee/tea world.

Espresso machines are EXPENSIVE. However, the taste of your espresso is one of the most important facets of your business and can make or break you. You don't have to go too crazy on an espresso machine, however keep in mind that this is a worthwhile investment that you don't want to skimp on. Depending on the size of the coffee shop you want, most (if not all) coffee shops can get away with having two brewheads, so you shouldn't need to purchase a machine with three. Also, if you want the true, die hard coffee fanatics, go for a traditional machine rather than an automatic. Unless you're planning on having a line out the door for hours with unseasoned baristas, you'll be able to get through the morning rush on a 2-brewhead traditional machine, and (in my opinion) makes a much better shot of espresso.

Location is very, very key for coffee shops. When searching for a home for your coffee shop, position it within the driving path of morning commuters. Morning coffee drinkers would rather wait and drink the junk coffee at work than go way out of their way to stop for a good cup. If there's a few larger businesses in your city or town, try to position your location near an intersection close by. Even better - set up a drive through window for the on-the-go workers that don't leave much time to stop.

One of the biggest revenue builders for you is going to be the sale of whole bean coffee as well as your coffee beverages. Make a big deal to your customers about what they're drinking and give them tips and tricks for brewing the same beans at home. This might mean they'll skip a few trips to your store, but a bag of beans costs way more than their three cups of coffee for the week. Most times customers will spend more on whole bean coffee if they get hooked, or introduce it to their office. All great opportunities.

Educate your customers. I can't emphasize this enough. When customers feel like they know insider, expert information about coffee or your products, they want to share that information. So they talk to their friends about what they learned at Jack's Coffee earlier that morning - FREE advertising! It makes them feel knowledgeable and gets them engaged in discovering new coffees and continuing their education.

You'll feel the urge to expand your menu to be as large as possible - something for everyone right? Try to resist this urge. Let your customers know that they can customize their beverages and definitely take into consideration any suggestions your customers give you, but don't put too much on the menu. When a menu is too large, people get overwhelmed. Often times people new to coffee will feel intimidated by a large menu of items that they aren't familiar with and this will add to the negative feeling for them. It's also helpful to list out what each item is on the menu. This might come in handy for those are aren't familiar with what a real cappuccino is!

Make sure you offer beverages other than coffee. This may seem silly to some, and a no-brainer to others, but let me explain why. I'm all about the coffee date. Coffee shops are known as a great place to get together and socialize or just sit and read. But many times they become less about coffee and more about the atmosphere. By offering items other than coffee you're ensuring that you're catering to anyone who wants to come hang out! Also, don't be shy about putting LOTS of comfy chairs and couches in your coffee shop. You can never have too much good seating for the readers and relaxers.

By Tiffany Balz

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