The explosive growth of the coffee shops across the country has been phenomenal. Few people realize Coffee is now the largest food import to the United States! There is money to be made on those beans! Here is the manual you need to cash in on this highly profitable segment of the food service industry. This new book is a comprehensive and detailed study of the business side of the specialty coffee and beverage shop. This superb manual should be studied by anyone investigating the opportunities of opening a coffee cafe, tea shop or coffee kiosk. If you enjoy meeting people and love coffee, this may be the perfect business for you, but keep in mind Specialty coffee retail looks easy, but as with any business, looks can be dece (more…)
June 15th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop” by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Aduser, and Douglas R. Brown is great for beginners looking into possibly opening a coffee shop. The book touches on a lot of information that is generic to any business, but it is a good starting point. It provides basic information on writing a business plan, scouting out a location, buying equipment, hiring a staff and more.
I wish the authors would have delved further into the various aspects of writing a business plan. As it is, it simply lists what types of topics should be covered in a business plan and basic information on what the terms mean. There is nothing comprehensive about how to create pro-forma income projections or any of the more intricate parts of the business plan.
While parts of the book seemed to just be stating common sense knowledge, the authors did provide a number of helpful websites and resources. They talk in-depth on ordering coffee, but I wish the book would have included more coffee/espresso specific information - such as numerous drink recipes, maybe tips from those that have started their own coffee shop. Things like that would have been useful.
The book’s flow is also a little disappointing. Many times the writing seemed redundant because the topic had already been touched on. For some reason the authors will discuss a subject, such as using a website to enhance your business and then touch on the subject again a few chapters later without adding anything significant to the mix..
All in all, I think the book does provide a good deal of useful information to anyone looking to open a business in the food industry. I just wish it had more meat to it or that the authors would have gone more in-depth on a few key issues.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short, Sweet & to the point w/ handy practical advice.
This is a great book chock full of “to the point” advice.
I like the fact that you can use it not only as a “reading” book but also a “reference” book.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
great book, shipped very quickly
This book is great and doesn’t treat you like a “dummie”…..it
was delivered much quicker than I expected. Excellent!
June 15th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference book.
Lots of good information. Some things I would never have thought of. I was very glad that I purchased this book and continue to use it frequently.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW!
This is the best book if you are serious about opening your own business! They thought of everything. LOVE IT & recommend it completely!
June 15th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really helpful
Organized in a simple to comprehend and use manner, this book is likely to be beneficial to anyone who is thinking about opening a coffee or tea shop.
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
While adoring coffee or tea may help, it is not enough to make your new coffee and tea business an instant success. This reference book, written by successful authors Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Arduser and Douglas Brown, should be your starting point. The predictable chapters are here - inventory and labor cost control, location assessment, public relations and bookkeeping - but there are also tidbits of information not found in similarly marketed guides. These include Internet marketing strategies, the pros and cons of buying a franchise and strategies for recruiting and retaining skilled employees. The personnel section is particularly helpful as employees are often the cornerstone of success, especially in a business where exemplary customer service is imperative. If you are not familiar with beverage and food service operational details, you will want to make it a priority to bookmark chapters 5 & 6 as they provide helpful hints on selecting gourmet coffee, choosing appropriate equipment - such as grinders, espresso machines and steamers - and a quick “cheat sheet” on tea types. On the included CD-ROM you will find a sample business plan for “Cupa Joe”, as well as pertinent business forms and a coffee and tea shop supply list. This book is easy to read, offers invaluable tricks of the trade and helps prepare you for the rewarding task of opening your own coffee and tea shop. Highly recommended.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:55 am
“HOW TO OPEN A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL COFFEE, ESPRESSO & TEA SHOP” by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Arduser and Douglas R. Brown.
Coffee is a huge industry across the country and around the world. In the introduction of “How to open a financially successful coffee, espresso & tea shop” the authors point out that the coffee industry is a $5 billion industry, which is growing more and more every year.
Anyone who is interested in starting his or her own coffee, espresso, or tea shop is going to be fascinated in this book. The authors start at the beginning with developing a business plan. The give examples and even offer a CD program that has preformatted documents. Licenses, business name, choosing suppliers, and equipment requirements are all discussed in the opening chapters.
Many aspects of running a successful coffee, espresso & tea business are discussed throughout this book. The authors have done a tremendous job in giving an introduction to opening this type of business. They talk about profit planning and advertising, as well as choosing the best equipment and managing your operating costs.
Without a doubt this is a definite must have book for anyone even thinking about starting this kind of business. The author’s are able to skillfully introduce all the major concerns with opening a coffee, espresso & tea business. They provide a wealth of information that will help clarify a person’s views of what is actually required to open, operate, and run a financially successful coffee, espresso & teashop.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:09 am
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compact book with lots of info
Compact book with lots of good information. The added Cd-rom, that is included, with a business plan that can be edited in WORD is an added benefit.