Mid-Life Coffee

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Permalink Reply by Dan Dean on July 16, 2008 at 4:40pm

After three years of planning we opened our shop in october 2007. We hooked up with a licensee outfit (Bear Creek Coffee) to help us get started. I still work full-time at my job as a presentation editor as well as open the shop 5 days a week. I usually put in close to 80 hours a week between both jobs. My wife works about 30 hours at the shop while carting our 5 and 8 year old children around. It is a ton of work! We have not made a dime yet, but on the good side, in an extremely depressed economy, the shop is paying for itself. I am a bit different - I come from a low paying job to one that so far is non-paying. If you are coming from a high paying job - hopefully you have a bit of disposable cash laying around that you can use. Labor is very expensive and so is rent. We are fortunate that we have a vast array of offerings. Our average ticket is close to $5.00. Nothing we are doing is unexpected and it is very rewarding and I love every minute of it. Nothing - save for for the amount of paperwork was really unexpected.
These days corporate America wants 50-60 hours a week with no gurantee of tomorrow - just ask all the GM, Ford and Chrysler employees! For me I had to prepare for the eventual loss of my job in the newspaper industry and I can't think of a better way to transition out of my first career.
Investigate like crazy and get help with location, design and training - it will be well worth the investment. - have fun - Danno

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Permalink Reply by Donna King on July 18, 2008 at 5:29am

Shari I'm the same boat with you - I sold my house & previous business, moved to a small town, used some of the cash - will open within a week or two. I wouldn't do it on a loan, but that's just me. Good luck to you!

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Permalink Reply by Tom C on July 23, 2008 at 11:36am

Shari,

Congratulations! I might have some perspective on this. I jumped out (of investment banking), built an 11-store chain (wasn't really my intention to get that big...), and then jumped back. Now I keep my hand in by blending and roasting for a couple of wholesale customers. Go slow, have as much fun with the planning as you will with the doing. Talk to your "competitors" -- they were a very willing bunch of new friends and a huge help. Develop your store concept and build a great product, but watch the bills -- I overspent on my first store on things that could have been done much less expensively. Keep us posted on your progress!

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Permalink Reply by Shari Coia Fulton on July 23, 2008 at 11:54am

Thanks all - I am going slowly and surely - trying to do all the right research, and will head to CoffeeFest in Sept. I also attended Bellissimo's American Barista and Coffee school in Portland, which was great. Am meeting lots of independant shop owners who are great about sharing info. I really appreciate all the encouragement - just need to validate I'm not crazy for trying this! :-)
Ciao!

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