cornercafe Senior Member Joined: 1 Jun 2008 Posts: 19 Location: NJ Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Jun 1, 2008, 3:31am Subject: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
Hi all, I'm new to the forum. My wife and I are thinking about buying a existing coffee business, my first question to all of you is, Is this the right forum to be asking this find of stuff? I see great info on coffee but is this place really for folks getting into the business (related questions on s=getting started?).
MarshallF Senior Member Joined: 1 Jun 2003 Posts: 476 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Dalla Corte Mini Grinder: Cimbali Max, Solis Maestro Vac Pot: Hario Nouveau, Bodum ESantos Drip: Bodum French Presses, Chemex Roaster: None
Posted Sun Jun 1, 2008, 12:51pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
cornercafe Said:
Hi all, I'm new to the forum. My wife and I are thinking about buying a existing coffee business, my first question to all of you is, Is this the right forum to be asking this find of stuff? I see great info on coffee but is this place really for folks getting into the business (related questions on s=getting started?).
Regretably,"no." This is a consumer-oriented forum. You will get lots of advice, but very little of it from people who actually know what is involved in running a coffee shop. Same thing on Home-barista.com. Pros do participate from time to time, so you may get some input from battle-scarred veterans. Unfortunately, the sites for professionals, such as Coffeed.com and SCAA.org, have restricted access.
One suggestion. Check out the seminar recordings SCAA just posted from its most recent annual conference. They are not free, but are much cheaper than attending in person. Good luck. Click here
[Full disclosure: I am one of the SCAA presenters.]
JeffPersson Senior Member Joined: 11 May 2008 Posts: 109 Location: Goodyear, AZ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Bialetti Moka Pot Grinder: LaSanMarco SM-90A Vac Pot: Yama 8-cup Drip: VP17-2 Roaster: Poppery I
Posted Mon Jun 2, 2008, 7:16pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
My local espresso cafe (which also serves wine and gelato) uses a La Marzocco 3-group espresso machine for their brewing. I've seen good reviews of the machine, but their staff needs to learn to use it better. I was watching them pulling shots and the petite young ladies were holding the portafilter with one hand (in the air) and pushing down lightly with a tamper in the other hand. I don't think they were able to get the right amount of pressure that way to compact the puck correctly. In the cafe's defense though they have Heather Perry coming in this month to train them, so I'm looking forward to going back in the middle of the month to see how things have improved.
I'm one of the consumer types Marshall mentioned, but I suspect the bigger potential for headaches is going to be the actual management of the business aspects of the cafe. So while it is important to make sure you have all good equipment and training for any employees it's also important to be sure you are up to speed on the legal and business aspects of running the place and complying with any local food service requirements.
I don't know your or your wife's background so forgive me if I'm pointing out the obvious.
KimberlyMacIntosh Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 32 Location: Washington the State Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Isomac Millennium, Salvatore... Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MCI... Drip: French Press Roaster: Behmor 1600 & Fresh Roast 8
Posted Mon Jun 2, 2008, 7:55pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
I have managed a coffee shop, many many years ago, and I am currently self employed. Do you and/or your wife have the experience to train your staff on how to make good coffee/espresso? If you don't I suggest one of you go to work for someone else for a while to learn how yourself. Or somehow get the experience needed. It will save you a lot of headaches if you aren't dependent on someone else for training, and in a crises you can work the counter yourself. Next and I can't stress this enough! Get a good bookkeeper! You need an accountant! The IRS doesn't accept "I didn't know that" as an excuse. And you won't really know how much money your making or where it is really going if you don't.
Posted Mon Jun 2, 2008, 8:23pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
Marshall gives good advice. I'd think about joining the SCAA (you can do this even in your research phase) which gives you full access to their library.
cornercafe Senior Member Joined: 1 Jun 2008 Posts: 19 Location: NJ Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Jun 3, 2008, 12:05pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
great info coming so far, so thanks for that.
Related to the bookkeeping, Ive got that covered. (my accountant is a real pro)
Ive been in corp america for 28 years, a professional IT manager resposible for staff's over 50+, budgets, customer relationships all in the Financial Services industry on Wall street. With that all being said, running our own business is a bit new to my wife and I. I did run a consulting business a few years ago. But never a retail business. I have worked in retail sales many years ago.
So i feel I am coming into this with eyes wide open.
My daughter actually works in the shop we are considering and she trains all the new staff.
It really about can we grow the business by offering a better product then is offered today. That would be my goal, making it a 'third-wave' coffee shop. We are looking to upgrade the beans and products and services offered (like doing cupping events) and upgrade the equipment used (if needed).
this is great stuff folks. Again, I know this is not a commercial site but its great chatting with you all (maybe a few potenial customers out there to boot, lol).
Posted Thu Jun 5, 2008, 9:08pm Subject: Re: Thinking of buying a existing coffee business, this this the right place?
Try specialty-coffee.com. The forum has a lot of shop owners talking more about the business of running a shop than coffee itself. Some good advice on how to evaluate existing businesses from some of the folks there. It's free to register.
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