Hey BX friends:

 

A friend and I are working on combining our business models to mesh together a hip, kid-friendly coffee shop (think Chick-Fil-A or McDonald's enclosed play structure), with a high-end, espresso-centric specialty coffee shop with in-house roasting. Also combining weekly story times, craft times (during the day parts when parents are out with their kids but still between meals and not when its morning or evening rush) for repeat customer base. Also offering either brief coffee seminars on roasting, cupping, tasting & brewing or a full-on dedicated seminar where they can rent it with their friends for a hands-on coffee seminar done just for them. This sort of incorporates activity for kids - so parents can come in and enjoy a great non-Starbucks coffee experience - as well as opportunities for adults to also expand their coffee knowledge. All in a high-tech and comfortable setting that has the space for all that.

 

Any of you know of currently existing shops like that? Any in California? West Coast? Any that tried but failed?

 

We are in an area where demographically more than 50% are female and the vast majority of families within a 3-mile radius have children under 13.

 

It seems to us like an idea who's time has come.

 

Thoughts? Feelings? Input? Advice?

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Some good points on a similar topic on cf

http://www.coffeeforums.com/forum/coffee-shops-espresso-bars-cafes/...

I haven't seen anything like that, at least where I live.
Just keep in mind how niche you are going on what percentage of potential customers you may be alienating.

Best of luck and keep us posted
While this is exactly the same model as you're considering, you should contact Tim Noble at Town Hall Coffee in Philadelphia.  Tim has a shop with a dedicated childrens area, programs designed for mothers (and fathers), serves excellent coffee and works with an educated demographic.
While we will be kid friendly, we won't do it at the expense of other customers.
This isn't a fun house that serves coffee - but a coffee house that has a separated play are for kids of some of our patrons.

nohoana said:
Some good points on a similar topic on cf http://www.coffeeforums.com/forum/coffee-shops-espresso-bars-cafes/...

I haven't seen anything like that, at least where I live.
Just keep in mind how niche you are going on what percentage of potential customers you may be alienating.

Best of luck and keep us posted

Kirk this is a concept i'm hearing more about.  Two of my current customers are doing this now.  Playgrounds in Glendale Az just opened up and is doing something similar as is Four Kids Coffee in Massillon Oh.   (By the way - Ed Viser from Cafe Design & Architecture helped out with the Playgrounds and is familiar with this type of store.  They are great to work with).

 

This is one of those ideas that requires the right demographic to work.  Also, figuring out how you can safely handle the kids while Mom and her friends have coffee can be a challenge.  Some of these stores charge a fee for the play area and then have it supervised etc.  

Good luck! 

You are smart to be doing research on the particulars of this concept early. As a former stay-at-home dad I've spent a bit of time in places that attempted to achieve the indoor separate play area. None have achieved good enough separation to make the non-play area a place I'd choose to spend time in without my son.

 

More background: My family's shop has always been family-friendly, reaching out to Moms' groups and providing a welcoming environment for kids - including a variety of stuff for them to keep themselves entertained. Many parents have reacted positively, and many use the space responsibly. Sadly, a very large number have not. I've worked enough shifts on "Mom's group day" to expect chaos to ensue... and the rest of the customers to head for the door when it does. Expect the same lack of consideration that we see when it comes to outside food, wifi abuse, and general lack of consideration for other people, and have a plan to respond when it happens.

 

Remember also that anyone coming in to your space will have certain expectations about how things will work at a "kid friendly" place. This will be based on hours spent in places like McDonalds, Chick-fil-a, local bookstore story times, etc. This is relevant, cause you're going to have to figure out how to modify or accommodate those behaviors.

 

That's clearly your big challenge - designing the space and developing policies that will help create the atmosphere you describe. Frankly, I think its going to be hard to pull off. When parents meet for coffee, they often want to be separated from their kids playing together as much as they can get away with. They will probably not lounge in an "isolation area", but will park in a common area so they can watch. This insures a steady stream of little ones coming in because "someone isn't playing nice" or "their sock is twisted funny". That's what I recall from lunches at Chick-fil-a. I'm sure you'll do better than they will... my question is, how?

 

An additional challenge with policy-related issues... mommies groups are frighteningly well networked. If one member of your staff yells at someone's kid for climbing the bookcase they're all gonna know it that afternoon. You're going to be highly dependent on this demographic, so remember - if you piss them off, you're done for.

 

I'm sure none of this is new to you. You've probably already spent lots of time hanging out where your target demographic current does. You know all of this already, and have a good plan to deal with these challenges. My question for you is, how? I'm asking more out of curiosity than anything else... cause I think it is a neat concept that could do well if properly executed.

 


Kirk said:

While we will be kid friendly, we won't do it at the expense of other customers.
This isn't a fun house that serves coffee - but a coffee house that has a separated play are for kids of some of our patrons.

nohoana said:
Some good points on a similar topic on cf http://www.coffeeforums.com/forum/coffee-shops-espresso-bars-cafes/...

I haven't seen anything like that, at least where I live.
Just keep in mind how niche you are going on what percentage of potential customers you may be alienating.

Best of luck and keep us posted

Brady raises some good points here.  My conversations with other people looking at this concept seem to indicate that most people are keeping the play area as a membership or paid option that is supervised with activities or play items.  More of a children's museum than a McDonalds type of thing.  The goal for the other people was to create a space where the child could go on a playdate or just have fun but not be wandering around the rest of the cafe.  

 

Kirk, I think we are all interested in seeing what you develop! 

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