Coffee Shop Start UP Guide [General]
2008 Sep 27
LOL, here I am up early on a Saturday morning, drinking my coffee, thinking gee I really should set up a coffee shop on that only corner (without a coffee shop) left on main street... ya a new franchise, really expensive very British, and to set it apart from all the 1000s of other coffee shops... with every cup of coffee you get a FREE order of SPAM to go...
I think I'll call it "Joe & Faux"
Any takers?
;-)
I think I'll call it "Joe & Faux"
Any takers?
;-)
2008 Sep 27
Hee F&T! This reminds me of an absolutely fascinating interview I watched on CBC's The Hour with Frank O'Dea, cofounder of the Second Cup coffee chain: www.cbc.ca
Some things that make the story interesting... He spent some time homeless, then opened an outlet selling coffee beans and grounds. It didn't do too well until he started offering free sample cups of coffee with each purchase. Then, in a stroke of genius, he started charging for the free samples and the business really took off! And the final improvement was charging a ridiculously high price to make people think they were getting a special product. This is the business model that has made all the trendy coffee companies rich and we've all been suckered in. :-)
Frank O'Dea no longer has any ownership of Second Cup so he's pretty candid about all this...
Some things that make the story interesting... He spent some time homeless, then opened an outlet selling coffee beans and grounds. It didn't do too well until he started offering free sample cups of coffee with each purchase. Then, in a stroke of genius, he started charging for the free samples and the business really took off! And the final improvement was charging a ridiculously high price to make people think they were getting a special product. This is the business model that has made all the trendy coffee companies rich and we've all been suckered in. :-)
Frank O'Dea no longer has any ownership of Second Cup so he's pretty candid about all this...
2008 Sep 27
Fresh Foodie - Yes, I am familiar with that story, it is a great one. I think he wrote a book too if I recall (sorry I didn't watch the clip this time round).
The only thing I've always thought though is that he probably was so successful because of his age, I would think that if he had been 30, 40, or so, that he might not have found the resiliance (or gumption) to move forward. I do admire what he has done with the rest of his life, his philantrophic work is legendary (although not as celebrated as his coffee story).
So.... what's the verdict is this going to be a Joe to stay, or will we see Joe go?
The only thing I've always thought though is that he probably was so successful because of his age, I would think that if he had been 30, 40, or so, that he might not have found the resiliance (or gumption) to move forward. I do admire what he has done with the rest of his life, his philantrophic work is legendary (although not as celebrated as his coffee story).
So.... what's the verdict is this going to be a Joe to stay, or will we see Joe go?
2008 Sep 27
Well I added [spam][/spam] delimiters to the original posting. Is that good enough? I hesitate to obliterate accounts when the spam is somewhat on topic (coffee shops are foodie-related). For now, I don't believe we have a formal policy against advertising in the forums.
Rest assured that the spammers who post ads for knockoff nike shoes get deleted as soon as I see them! :)
Rest assured that the spammers who post ads for knockoff nike shoes get deleted as soon as I see them! :)
2008 Sep 27
Fresh Foodie - I was just curious because sometimes I see these things "disappear".... but now that I understand what your determining factor is it makes sense to me (I learned something new). And like you, I'm enjoying all the great conversation on coffee shops this has already generated.
2008 Sep 27
Opening my own coffee shop and being my own boss has always been a dream of mine. Still a long time coming but I constantly think about little things that I could offer that would set me apart from all the other coffee shops around, especially Ottawa. I really dig the coffee shop/bicycle shop on Wellington(?) I think...can't think of the name but that is probably the only place that has a truly different idea.
2008 Oct 2
You know, that's one of the things I miss most about Seattle.
In Seattle there are espresso trucks everywhere, just as we have chip trucks. Even small towns have espresso trucks. They make a mean cup of coffee and the pastries are lovely or Costco.
I miss all the tiny coffee shops and finding them all over.
In Seattle there are espresso trucks everywhere, just as we have chip trucks. Even small towns have espresso trucks. They make a mean cup of coffee and the pastries are lovely or Costco.
I miss all the tiny coffee shops and finding them all over.
New User 1278
Great book about setting up a coffee shop business that will make you money from the start - Don Clarke’s practical and illustrated book "How to set up a coffee shop". Please visit at howtosetupacoffeeshop.co.uk
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