Four Benefits To Opening Up A Coffee Shop

Are you one of those people who says to their co-workers every morning, “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee?” Does it take you a couple cups of joe to get energized in the morning?

If that describes you, you’re not alone. In fact, coffee has come roaring back in popularity since a mid-90s decline. Forty six percent of American workers say coffee helps them stay productive at work and more than half of Americans older than 18 drink coffee every day.

If you’re a coffee connoisseur who loves different roasts and blends, opening a coffee shop can help you share that passion. Coffee shops—both chains and local places—do billions of dollars in business every year and there are plenty of positives to opening a coffee shop in your area.

• Making Money: Following your passion is one of the best things you can do in life, but if you can make money at, that’s even better. If you’re going to open a coffee shop it shouldn’t be all about the money, but coffee shops can be big business. The retail value of the U.S. coffee market is estimated to be at $48 billion with specialty coffee comprising approximately 55% value share. Additionally, independent coffee shops have about $12 billion in sales. You don’t have to be on the level of giants like Starbucks and McDonalds, but with a good business plan you can still make money.
• Making A Difference: Scores of Americans stop by their local coffee shop, pick up a newspaper, grab cups of joe and something for breakfast. Local coffee shops are the places to be especially for folks in a small town. People opening coffee shops can make a big impact right away in their community by making their business a must-stop place for people every single day.
  Coffee shops are places to meet and socialize. The sweet smells of coffee and the warm environment make a local coffee shop a very inviting place to be. Thinking about what an impact you can have on a community by opening a coffee shop.

• Freedom: If you’re considering opening a one-stop coffee shop, doing so can give you a tremendous sense of freedom. You can turn your business plan into a real, live coffee shop. You’re the boss, you set the hours, you design the menu and ultimately you can run your business the way you want.
• Sharing A Passion: If you’re a coffee fanatic and you open a coffee shop, chances are pretty good that you’re going to find dozens of locals who are exactly as passionate about java as you are. In fact, 65% of all coffee is consumed during breakfast hours, but the remaining 35% can also be consumed between meals or with other meals. That means people are drinking coffee a lot throughout the day.
  If you love coffee, opening a coffee shop is a great chance to share your passion with your (hopefully devoted) customers and create a shop the way you want. Are you looking to add specific blends of coffee? Are you going to make homemade sandwiches and pastries to go with the coffee? Are you looking for customers to step into more of a traditional coffee shop or are you looking for something wacky that reflects your personality? Whatever you decide, your passion will shine through in spades.
  On the equipment side, you’ll get to choose everything in the store from stirring spoons to cups to machinery. Maybe you want to serve coffee in small paper cups with lids. Perhaps you want paper coffee cups for customers with the name of your business to help it stand out.

Bottom line—the sky is the limit if you’re going to open a coffee shop. If you’ve got a workable business plan and creativity and passion in spades, you’ll be able to turn your coffee shop into something really unique. With Americans consuming nearly 400 million cups of coffee a day, you’ll be able to turn your establishment into one of the popular gathering spots, especially if you’ve got a great product to sell.