100 Things You Need to Know Before You Open a Coffeeshop

In the early years of our marriage Bob and I spent a lot of time drinking coffee at our favorite San Diego coffeeshop, Cafe 976. Then one day when we decided we could cut our monthly expenditures by making our own coffee at home instead of buying so much coffee out. We purchased good beans, a good grinder, and a quality espresso machine. We taught ourselves how to foam our own milk and pull our own shots. Eventually, we got to the point where the cappuccinos we made at home were even better than the ones from 976. 

But in the end, we didn't save a dime. Why? Because we still went to Cafe 976 just as much as before.

It turned out that while we thought we were going to the coffeeshop for coffee, we were really going there for the experience. We liked the cozy window seats next to the flower garden, the lively buzz of conversation, and the familiar tunes coming through the speakers. We liked being able to get away from home for awhile. We liked being in a place that was tranquil, clean, and friendly; a place where we could hang out and read and play games without being disturbed by the phone; a place where there was no need to do dishes or cook dinner or worry about the bills. 

The coffeehouse experience is the heart and soul of the coffeeshop business and cafe owners need to keep this  fact in mind at all times.  The allure of the coffeeshop rests not so much in the coffee as in the accoutrements of coffee. Roasters and road-side stands sell coffee. Coffeeshops sell experience. The better the experience you offer, the better your business will be.