Cafe Ole!

I've decided to look into how I might be able to open up a coffee shop. Tonight was general link hunting. The net has a lot of how-to sites. I even found a couple of women entrepreneur sites as well. Nothing's scaring me yet, so that's a good sign. I want to download a business plan template to familiarize myself with what information I'll need and what I should be thinking of.

Right now the idea is to get a place near the college to house a coffee shop and used book store. I figure if I situate myself close to the uni I could get customers a) doing homework and having an after class coffee, and b) looking for books for classes. There is also the theatre right at the corner and I could get the people in before and/or after they take in a movie. As for advertisement, I would definitely put a 10% off coupon in the free daytimer that the school hands out. I might even be able to give discounts to customers of Renaissance as another feature of their membership card. And of course, both local papers would hear from me.

The more I think of it, the more it makes sense to me. The moment I saw that offender cussing out his parole officer at the prison I knew I wasn't interested in that field. Maybe forensics, the laboratory stuff, but not actually working with offenders. I don't want to be cussed at all day, I don't want to force someone to make a better life for themselves when they don't want to. I want to share happiness, smile and chuckle with the people, meet new people every day. I also don't want to take out my piercings and stop tattooing myself. I always thought that -one day- I would open up a coffee shop, that -one day- when I was retired I'd do it. I've come to question myself. Why can't I do that now instead of later? Why do I have to put off my biggest dream until I want to stop working? Isn't that the point of retirement - to stop working? Why should I have to wait until then to persue my long-time desire?

Time is on my side at this moment. I would like to clear up my credit before any of this happens, and that will take a while. I'd also like to research a lot more. Figure out my target market (20somthings or 30+) and what I'm up against financially. What would I be able to make? How much will start up cost me? We'll see as time progresses.

xo
+o)