Small Town / Rural Coffee Shops
Just wanted to connect with some shop owners operating in a rural area or small town (pop <5,000).
We are opening up as soon as the inspector says ok. We have about 1800 sf of space of which 1/3 is used for kitchen and storage for now. Since traffic is different in a small town, I'm just wondering if you do anything unique... lunch? dinner? have a second business within your shop? or maybe you stick to morning hours only?
One semi-rural coffee shop (35 miles away) closes from 2-5pm and re-opens as a wine bar in the evenings. They also do an event once a month called Pinot and Pinterest where the customers pay $5 for supplies, do a craft, and drink wine.
I know of another coffee shop that sells upscale, hard-to-find clothing, as well as Merle Norman cosmetics. Yet another coffee shop is also a soda fountain and ice cream parlor.
In addition to espresso-based drinks, we are doing bagels for breakfast because you can't get them around here, soups and sandwiches for lunch, and being an outlet for local foods and artisans.
~K
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Fadorsen on
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My shop is Chesterland ohio population <3000. We do breadkfast sandwiches, bagels from the bronks New York, lunch and a Home made soup bar. We are open 6am till 9 pm monday thru friday. sat 7am till 9 and Sunday 7am till 5. We took over a shop that the old owners would close or stay open based on the last hour of business. We have fought a battle to get the afternoon business back and we are doing good for breakfast and lunch. Also the night tends to fill up with meetings from different groups in the commuinity. We had to make it clear they need to purchase coffee or snacks to make it work for us to stay open. I also have joined every group I can I am a trustee for the Chamber of Commerence and have several business driven groups. Also have learned to donate my coffee for every function in the local area. School events, ribbon cuttings for other business, easter egg hunts ect... you get the idea. Also for the first year we tried opening on all the holidays and my husband and I would work to save payroll and soon decided it was not worth it so we close on all holidays but if we say we are open till 9 we are open till nine being consistent is the key. I can remember the first couple of years sitting in a empty store from 10 am till 5 pm everyday now it is much better in afternoon and people tend to get the espresso based drinks in afternoon as a treat I guess. So the check average goes up. We also sell Ice Cream and real milk shakes.
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Permalink Reply by Nathanael Johnson on
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I have a shop in a small town and have been for 6 years. I would be more then happy to help you. his is my email: n180turn21@hotmail.com
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