Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Denise Smith on May 19, 2008 at 8:57pm

Check the different coffee schools on here. I attended The American Barista and Coffee School. It has been our best investment to date! We have also attended two Coffee Fest. of course 2008 will be in Hawaii so I'll miss it. Also check out CoffeeHouseTalk.com for shop owners forum. Trust ABCs/ Bellisimo or others with great reputations (ask on here) if you go with a coffee consultant DO NO put cost as your first priority in selection... you will get what you pay for!
Go with trusted names and people in the business... how will you know? Do your homework, subscribe to trade magazines like Specialty Coffee Magazine, Barista Magazine, Coffee Talk...

And Above all... have a business plan! There is a very good reason it is called the "Specialty" coffee industry. It is Art, Science, and passion all rolled into an entirely different culinary art field.

I know, we have not even broken ground... We spent three years finding the right location and though I do not recommend it it for most, we are building from the ground up. We bought our property in Feb 2007 and have been working with an architect (and as you can guess and disappointing consultant... I should have hired Bellisimo). Feel free to email me. Read as much as you can on here and learn from others on here. These folks are so cool and so amazing and they are all over the world from big city to small town.

Permalink Reply by Paige Morris on May 20, 2008 at 7:11am

Thanks for your advice, Denise! I will definitely take your ideas to heart!

Permalink Reply by AJ on May 20, 2008 at 9:40am

Hey! I have a 2 group Rancilio Epoca DE that I purchased last July (2007) and am looking to sell it. It is a semi automatic and a great starter machine and is in awesome condition. I bought it for $5600 and am looking to get $4900. The only reason I am selling is because we have grown our business and are looking at purchasing a super fully automatic to keep up with our morning rush.

Have your water tested first. Your coffee supplier should be able to hook you up with an reasonable water filter system, depending on how good/bad your water is.

You can email me at ajsolome@gmail.com if you have questions about the machine or would like to see photos!
Good Luck

Permalink Reply by Michael Buhler on May 20, 2008 at 10:25am

Denise, I see this from a different perspective: find a good full-service roaster, and let them help you. When I help someone set up a cafe, we start with the coffee. Then we look at the budget, expected volume, and choose the equipment (and a roaster can sell you the equipment at a nice discount). Next, we check the water, and indeed, all espresso machines (especially in the hard-water midwest) require water softening of some sort to protect the machine and stay in warranty. Finally, as a full-service roaster, my staff and I teach you about coffee, from green bean to espresso, including how to properly make shots and drinks. We operate a busy cafe, and often train new owners with our staff (and customers!).

You will definitely want a 2-group machine. You will never want to use pods (only whole bean, freshly roasted espresso).

Let me know if you would like more information, I'm always willing to help!

Mike

Permalink Reply by Matt Milletto on May 20, 2008 at 11:31am

Finding a great roaster is very important and utilize them for coffee knowledge. However, a roaster is generally not the one who can teach how to run a successful business, and it is not necessarily their responsibility. Many people can teach you how to make a great coffee, but great coffee alone will not make you successful. Do your research and cross every t and dot every i ... there is SO much to consider in the planning stages beyond what equipment to buy, or coffee you plan on serving. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Paige Morris on May 20, 2008 at 7:18pm

Thanks, everyone for your great advice!