Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris O'Connor on August 21, 2008 at 11:08am

Smart plan with waiting to hire additional staff until business picks up enough to justify the expense. My guess is that everyone's growth is different based on location, marketing, advance PR and a host of other factors. in our case growth was slower than expected and we would have been wise to have started with shorter hours and less staff.

My advice to anyone in the business is to treat every penny like it's your last. Expense control and marketing are the two biggest tools you have to balance income and expenses.

Permalink Reply by Brew Awakenings on August 21, 2008 at 12:53pm

Everything you said is true and I appreciate you taking the time to reply!

I realize all of those factors will change the outcome, but that is why I asked specific questions. So anyone who would like to furnish me with some actual numbers would be great!
I did a lot of research, but nothing beats talking to the actual owner vs relying on percentages!
If it took 2 years to reach your goal, tell me about it. If it took 2 weeks, tell me about it.

Thanks in advance!

Permalink Reply by MDU on August 22, 2008 at 5:59am

BEEN OPEN FOR 2 MONTHS HAVE 12 REGULARS.
QUESTION FOR YOU IS ,HOW MANY CUPS ARE AVERAGING .
MDU

Permalink Reply by Brew Awakenings on August 22, 2008 at 8:13am

I average about 25 sales/day.
On my best days, typically saturdays I do about 37 sales.

Permalink Reply by Chris O'Connor on August 22, 2008 at 2:44pm

What you are asking is a valid question but you really need to understand that what someone else experienced will most likely be very different than what you will (are) experience. If you have a kiosk in the C Concourse at Ohara International airport and have 50,000 or more people walking past it will be very different than if you are in an empty strip mall hidden by buildings in front of you. We were the latter. Initial business grew from 30 tickets the first day to an average of around 70 tickets per day when we closed last month. We probably gained 2-3 new semi-regular customers a week for the first year. I could pull a report off my POS and give you exact daily counts if that would be of any interest but again, it is highly unlikely it would have any relevance to your operation.

Permalink Reply by Dan Dean on August 22, 2008 at 8:16pm

Hey Brew,

We opened October of 2007 - we were advised to hire a miniumum of 10 emplyees to start - I thought it was crazy - but we did over $700 our second day - there was parade right outside our door that we didn't even know about - we did our first $1,000 day the first weekend of December. We are in an historical downtown - about 7,000 total residents in a county with the highest unemployment - in the state with the highest unemployment in the nation - but we are on a busy intersection on the way to the freeway. But the thing that has helped us through the first year is our variety. We serve soup, sandwiches, salads, fresh-baked goods and ice cream. We have a small 8-can ice cream cooler and offer ice cream from a local dairy farm. If you are trying to make it on coffee alone as an independent - you really need to be in a location where people are literally tripping over you all day long. If not - I would run as quickly as possible and buy a panini grill and start offering sandwiches. Our average ticket is around $5.00. We are now averaging about $500 a day through the summer - we are down to six employees - but we are much faster, and far better at what we do now, than when we opened.
Give your customers a great cup, great customer service at a great location and they will come. I work about 35 -40 hours a week at the shop in addition to working a 40-hr job. My wife works between 25-30 hours a week.

And if I may stand on my soapbox for a moment - Being in business for the love is great - but love doesn't pay the bills.

I personaly would not get too wound up in the whole purity of coffee thing. Or at least let it affect sales in any way. You can serve the best, direct from the farm sourced coffee, and still be real for the customer who wants a regular cup of joe.

Specialty coffee as many on the exchange see it - is pretty new - most customers - except a few perhaps on either coast - are used to a regular cup and not so interested in where it came from and the social aspect of the farmer who grew the coffee. Or if they do - it is because they may feel a need to belong to some elusive, exclusive, feel-good community. I always like is so much better to have a customer get really excited about the great cup they just par took of and wonder aloud why it is better than others they have had. ...

Give them a fresh roasted, fresh ground and fresh brewed cup served by a real and honest barista and they may not know all the nuances of what they are tasting but they'll know one thing - it beats the heck out of the gas station, McD's, Tim Hortons, Dunkin' Donuts and the big chains that they have had in the past and they'll keep coming back - and as they do - slowly introduce them to what they are actually drinking and why it is so damn good.

I really feel for the purist - but I believe the changing of the customer is best done - one at a time - in grassroots fashion by viable, healthy independent shops that are being flocked to because they have great coffee and service - not because customers want to feel good about belonging to some exclusive, PC club - sipping their 12 oz only cup. Let them enjoy the beverage because it is - awesome not because it is exclusive - coffee - if nothing else should be inclusive!

So Brew - more than you really wanted - I know - sorry for going off on the tangent - but I am really passionate about great coffee and I wish you all the luck in the world in your endeavor!

Take care,
Danno

Permalink Reply by Brew Awakenings on August 23, 2008 at 11:59am

Danno,
Thank you!
Don't get me started on the self-proclaimed coffee purist... haha
You said a lot of great things even though I am not totally sure what prompted the tangent! haha
While I realize that love doesn't pay the bills, doing it for any other reason also doesn't make you happy so why do it? If i didn't love coffee I would be doing something else. What I meant is that this industry is inundated with people who think it's easy and a quick way to mack a buck. I simply meant to separate myself from those people.
You are entirely right when it comes to coffee being inclusive. Educate, but dont berate or belittle. There is too much animosity and arrogance clouding this industry!
Humility, integrity, good intentions, quality customer service and great products and a solid location should get me pretty far!

I'll keep anyone that is interested updated and thanks again!

Permalink Reply by Shawn on October 18, 2008 at 6:23am

Carol,

I am on day 3. Things are very slow, but picking up. What specifically did you do to advertise? I am being approached by TV, newspaper, radio.. dont know what to do. I am running the message boards out front, but they are still driving on down to my competitor. How do I get them to try me? Shawn




cite>Carol Kerchner said:

I have worked alone for the last 5 years, Long hours, and oh did I say Long hours before.... Are you advertising ? Start Coffee cards now, buy 9 get the tenth one free. Do alot of fun things, Mocha tuesdays , Chai thursdays, Keep going, I opened with $50.00 days and it does get better, I seem to feel like a stand up comic when the days are busy, just to make the buck. If you need more help , let me know
Carol