What you need to know to open a retail outlet. How to open your own store and which store is better to open

Anything can happen in life. If a person suddenly loses his job, then there is no need to despair. Now there are many different ideas for starting your own business. For example, if you open a retail outlet in the market (even a small one), approaching this issue wisely, this will give a person a permanent job and a stable income for a long time. In other words, even if someone has no experience in this area, it is still worth trying this actually interesting type of activity. It's better to start small to reduce risks. After all, it’s never too late to expand your business.

Of course, for a business to start generating income, you must first think it through carefully and then invest a lot of work. The owners of successful businesses were also initially inexperienced and started with small trade, but patience, hard work and skill brought them fruit in the form of stability and prosperity. A huge advantage of running your own business is independence from your employer.

How to decide what to sell in the store

To open your own point, you need starting capital. If it is not there, then you can take out a loan. But before you run headlong to the bank, you need to decide in which market the trading place will be located. Everyone knows that there are food, clothing, construction, automobile, mixed and other fairs.

After a market has been selected and, accordingly, an approximate category of goods (in a clothing market, for example, you cannot sell spare parts for cars), you need to study what is most in demand among the population. You also need to take a closer look at whether the traffic in the chosen location is good (the presence of a sufficient number of buyers), what goods are missing there, you need to study the prices and, using your intuition, decide what exactly will be sold in the planned store.

That is, in order not to burn out, it is necessary to do in-depth marketing research.

An important point is that it is located near the market and how popular the place is.

It is better to sell a product that a person is well versed in. If, for example, someone has a pharmaceutical education, then it is possible. Or a person has extensive experience in a construction organization - then the best option for him would be to open a point in the construction market. A win-win option that does not require large expenses is a food outlet. That is, even if the market is new and has not yet gained popularity, there will still be no problems with the clientele. For example, if you open a mini-cafe, then the sellers themselves will eat there.

After carefully segmenting the market and deciding which product will be sold, you need to start looking for wholesale suppliers whose selling price is low and the quality of the product meets high requirements. That is, using the Internet, newspaper advertisements or other methods, it will be necessary to study in detail many manufacturers, negotiate with them and look at samples of what they offer. Only after analyzing everything well can you make a final decision with whom to cooperate. In doing business, this moment is almost the most key factor influencing the success of the entire business.

Return to contents

Necessary information for opening any retail outlet

So, regardless of what market is chosen and the product that will be sold, there is a basic set of rules that any aspiring businessman needs to know. After making the final decision, you need to contact the market administration and find out the conditions regarding the rental of the premises. It should be noted that in each market they may differ from each other, especially when it comes to rental prices. At the first stage, you can take not the entire room, but, for example, half of the pavilion.

Then you will need to officially register your business. For retail trade, the most profitable is the UTII, or patent system. Until the business gets off the ground, it is best not to hire a large number of salespeople at the initial stage, since it will be difficult to pay salaries at first. Therefore, one assistant will be enough. Working on your own can save you money to pay your taxes.

Naturally, an important point is to design the point in such a way that it matches its format. The presence of various advertising banners, booklets, business cards, a varied assortment of the store, promotions and bonuses - all this will attract the buyer. He tends to return to places where he was treated with care. The product must be stored in dry and ventilated areas, otherwise it may become damp and moldy - this will definitely scare off the buyer.

The profitability of a store will be different for each individual case. But approximate calculations can be made. For example, for large goods, experts advise marking up no more than 20-30% of the purchase price. You can bet 100% on smaller items. The payback will depend on how much is paid for renting the premises, on the product itself, since it may be of such a format that in some seasons its sales increase, and in others they may fall. And also from other equally important factors. On average, a small retail outlet pays for itself in approximately one year, and a larger one in two years.

How to open an outlet in a shopping center - we will analyze the most important sections of a business plan + 6 bonus tips from experienced entrepreneurs.

Capital investment per point: from 8,000,000 rubles per year.
Payback of business in a shopping center: from 1 year.

Opening a point in a shopping center scares newcomers with the amount of capital investment.

However, they forget to take into account how many bonuses such placement gives.

The higher the rent, the more popular the location.

And this is synonymous with a large flow of people who can become clients.

It will be easier to attract them than if the store was located in a separate room.

These and many other advantages of locating in shopping centers are understood by many hardened businessmen who open sales points there.

Business plan for a point in a shopping center- the first document that is required in organizing a business.

In it, information about the store will be analyzed, systematized and calculated.

Why do you need to open a location in a shopping center?

If other people's experiences do not convince you, evaluate the pros and cons of locating in a shopping center yourself.

There are indeed many strengths, but there are also a lot of disadvantages.

It is important to analyze them thoughtfully so that in the end it does not turn out that a considerable amount of rent was wasted.

What documents are needed to open an outlet in a shopping center?

It is impossible to open an outlet in a shopping center without the appropriate documentation.

Prepare for what you will need:

• or LLC (depending on products, number of founders and other details).
• Indicate the OKVED code corresponding to the activity.
• Choose a tax system.
• Obtain permission to trade at the point.
• SES and Rospozharnadzor must issue permission to operate (this is the responsibility of the shopping center administration).
• To manage a shopping center, you will need projects, estimates and diagrams.
  The list of papers in this case is individual, and it must be clarified when signing the contract.
• Among other things, you need to obtain quality certificates for goods from suppliers or manufacturers.

Planning for opening a retail outlet in a business plan

Opening an outlet in a shopping center is difficult not because of the sophisticated organizational algorithm.

And because of potential serious risks that could lead to financial losses and even closure of the store.

They can be avoided through detailed activity planning.

Planning refers to a system of activities aimed at obtaining a complete picture of how a business can develop.

This includes analyzing the target audience, visitors to the shopping center, calculating the size of the future average bill, establishing the supply process, and choosing a marketing strategy.

• realistic – based on dry facts and reflections;
• optimistic – ideal development scenario;
• pessimistic – what the business will look like if problems arise.

They will help the entrepreneur prepare for any outcome of the case.

Analysis of the shopping center before opening the outlet

The profitability of renting space in a shopping center is not always noticeable.

If you choose the wrong landlord, you can only get negative results from cooperation.

Choosing a shopping center is easy.

It is enough to devote two days for personal observations and analysis.

Draw conclusions based on the following indicators:

Purchasing power.

You won't be able to look into people's wallets or shopping bags.

But even an hour of observing visitors will allow you to note how often they make purchases.

Perhaps most come for fun and relaxation.

This will be good for organizing fast food, but not for selling fur products.

Competitors.

It is important that there are no direct competitors nearby.

But large anchor points on similar topics will be beneficial.

For example, many supermarkets carry pet products.

But they offer a meager assortment there.

What a personnel table for a small store might look like:

This number of people will ensure the daily operation of the point from 10:00 to 22:00 (standard working hours for most shopping centers).

It is better to hire people yourself.

You need to personally evaluate the person you trust to be the face of the store.

Hiring a salesperson with experience is much preferable.

But keep in mind that young and energetic guys more easily accept new rules and trends, and often bring “fresh breath” into business.

To motivate employees to work better, introduce a payment of a fixed percentage of sales or bonuses for achieving set results.

Marketing section of a business plan for a point in a shopping center




Without competent promotion, it is difficult to build a successful business, even if you locate a point in a shopping center.

Consider these options:

• Preparation.

  While you are preparing the point for opening, it can become a means of external advertising.

  Close the repair work with a banner on which you will announce the start of work, indicate the name and opening date.

  Mutual benefit.

  When an agreement with a shopping center is concluded on the basis of a percentage of turnover, and not a fixed fee, you can ask for the possibility of free promotion for the first time.

  Management can accommodate you halfway, because their income will depend on your success.

  Inside, the service costs much more, and its effect is lower.

  Attract “your people.”

  Create special discounts for center employees.

  This will draw their attention to the point.

  And if they like you, your fame will quickly spread among your friends.

  Convert to “permanents”.

  Also motivate your customers.

  Enter a loyalty program or a system of cumulative discounts.

Financial section in the business plan of a point in a shopping center


Without a financial section in a business plan, an entrepreneur will not be able to calculate how much money it will take to open a store.

It should be noted that until the payback period, the store will need to be “sponsored” from your personal financial cushion.

How much money does it take to open a store in a shopping center?

Expense item	Amount (rub.)
Total:	RUB 7,625,000
Paperwork	15 000
Payment for renting a point (per year)	500 000
Purchase and installation of commercial equipment	250 000
Design of a point and production of a sign	75 000
Employee salaries (per year)	250 000
Store opening advertisement	5 000
Advertising campaign in the future	20 000
Creation and replenishment of inventory	6 000 000
Office expenses	10 000

After watching the following video, you can choose the right place in the shopping center to open your point:

“If you require someone to give their time and energy to a business, then make sure that they do not experience financial difficulties.”
Henry Ford

1. At the point, shelves should appear stocked with product, but still allow customers to move around calmly and safely.

You need to take care of your inventory immediately.

Until you understand exactly which items are the most popular, it is important to have at least a few units of production.

Try to position yourself near the so-called anchor points.

These are the stores that attract the majority of mall visitors.

A striking example is the Auchan, Obi, and Perekrestok supermarkets.

Just as an adult cannot be completely “remade,” the audience of a shopping center cannot be changed.

The portrait of the average buyer that you draw up during the analysis of the shopping center will remain the same after the opening of your point.

You should not console yourself with false hopes about this.

2. If you need to save on renting space, pay attention to island accommodation.

Remember to look at the point not only as a manager, but also as a buyer.

This will allow you to notice the disadvantages of service.

How to open a point in a shopping center you know now.

With due persistence, anyone can create a profitable business.

Useful article? Don't miss new ones!
Enter your email and receive new articles by email

There are a large number of queries on the Internet about what is on the market, but specific answers are difficult to find, so in this article we will try to give a comprehensive answer to this question. So, before opening your point on the market, you need to decide what you will trade.

This may be a food group of goods or a non-food group. If your goal is to make money on turnover, we recommend starting to trade agricultural products (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc.). And if you plan to make money on price, then start selling clothes.

To open a point on the market, state registration is required, there is nothing complicated here, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur and choose a simplified form of taxation.

It is also worth taking care of choosing a supplier; now it is not easy to find a good supplier, but it is quite possible.

Extra charge:

Not all goods have the same markup; for some goods it is 20-30%, and for others it is 100%. For small items such as pens, key chains, you can put a 200 - 300% markup.

And for fruits and vegetables - from 5 to 15%. How much can you earn per day at your outlet in the market? It depends on many factors: seasonality, traffic, even the weather.

For example! In vegetable markets, turnover can be 1000 – 2000 UAH/day. And for clothing (depending on the season) 3000 – 7000 UAH/day.

And a couple more tips for trading in the market. The administrator in the market is the main person! Therefore, try to establish friendly relations with him.

Open more points. The more points you have on the market, the more profit. Gradually open more and more new points.

Agree to rent a warehouse - if there is a lot of goods, and at first you can store it at home or in the garage.

Of course, such amounts of earnings are available under very good conditions, but 200 - 500 UAH from one point is quite realistic

Don't trust anyone! I took a loan, so I have to pay it back! and if your product is damaged or confiscated! what's next?

Everything is detailed and clear, but for this you need initial capital and not bad!!!

If you need capital, take a loan from a bank. If you are not confident and afraid, then there is no place for you in business.

Sergey, you ****. Loans for peasants.

Even if so, what’s wrong? Who doesn’t want to live well and in abundance? I think if you take out a certain amount of credit for your business, you can make money, but at first it won’t be easy

Indeed...sitting with a penny in your pocket and dreaming of business is stupid!! Many started with loans

Damn, what if you’re getting into business precisely because you’ve already taken out consumer loans?

Dmitry, then open a thrift store. You don’t need to pay for the things that are brought to you initially. The goods are paid for only upon sale. price things as low as possible and set your own markup. or take things for sale.

a consignment store for CHILDREN'S clothing will bring more profit

Is it really possible to trade on the market without a cash register?

Do you need a loan of any kind? do you need a loan to start your business? do you need a loan for any purpose? Here is your help, as we offer loans to individuals and businesses at low and affordable interest rates. Interested loan candidates please contact us at [email protected] to get their loan today.

If you approach the question of how to open a retail outlet correctly, over time you can develop your own large business. But to do this, you need to carefully select the assortment of goods, constantly study the moods and preferences of customers, and also resolve all possible organizational issues in a timely manner and with minimal losses.

Registration of activities

First of all, a business plan for a retail outlet should provide for the legal registration of your activities. Being an officially registered entrepreneur, it will be easier for you to interact with the market administration. You can register as an LLC or as an individual entrepreneur.

The latter is more convenient, since the registration procedure is as simple as possible, takes the least time and costs only 800 rubles. state duties. To apply, you only need an application, identification code and passport. You will also be able to choose a simplified taxation system and maintain all your accounting records yourself.

Product selection

An important stage in starting this business is to decide on the product that you will actually sell. There are two ways - to make money on turnover or cost. In the first case, your product will be products, most often seasonal vegetables and fruits. They are sold at a small margin and generate income due to large sales volumes. In the second case, these are clothes and other things, the profit from which is obtained due to a high markup. In the latter case, it is necessary to expand the range with related products, which reduces risks. Their sales can account for up to 30% of the total turnover.

However, in both cases you will have to face high competition in the market. Most often it is recommended to focus on selling household chemicals. The advice is based on the following considerations:

• household chemicals have a long shelf life;
• she is always in demand;
• most units do not require certification;
• implementation does not require the purchase of special equipment.

Features of assortment formation

But, even having decided on the direction of the business, you still need to find out what exactly the offered range should cover. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to find out this in advance. To find the exact answer to this question, you need to actively work at the point for about three months. Then you can say exactly who your buyer is and what his needs are.

Therefore, first you need to purchase the most diverse product, but in small quantities. Having decided what exactly your customers need, you can increase the volume of purchases, reducing the amount of unpopular goods.

To reduce the initial risks, you need to understand that exclusive and expensive items sell extremely slowly, and the point on the market is focused primarily on high turnover.

Markup on goods

The main income from a retail outlet on the market will come from mark-ups on products. It is different for all products. For example, for fruits, vegetables and food products it is 15-30% depending on the season. At the same time, for clothes and other things it is approximately 100-200%. Usually the highest markup is placed on linen. If we talk about small goods, then their selling price can increase by up to 300%.

Accordingly, the profitability from points of different goods will be unequal. So, from selling vegetables you can earn about 6 thousand rubles per day, and for things - more than 20 thousand rubles. But even with a 25% markup, the investment pays off quite quickly.

Suppliers

How to open a retail outlet on a market without suppliers of goods? Almost impossible. But this issue must be approached very carefully. On the one hand, the cheaper the product, the greater your revenue can be. But on the other hand, they won’t sell a good product cheaply, and a low-quality one will undermine the credibility of your outlet. It is important to find the optimal balance in this matter.

To increase the profitability of your trade, try to negotiate the most favorable terms with suppliers. For example, purchasing goods in installments or for sale. With long-term cooperation, you can raise the issue of discounts.

Many suppliers are willing to deliver goods for free. Check this question as it will allow you to save on the driver and loader.

Selecting a location

A lot depends on the location of your point. You need to choose the most accessible place. Pay attention to what they sell at neighboring points. It is clear that it will not be possible to exclude competition, but it is advisable to choose in advance the place where similar products are least likely to be found. To increase the profitability of a business, it is worth opening several points in the market. This will help you test different locations and choose the best one.

If the item is oversized or small, it can be stored in the garage or at home. In other cases, it makes sense to sign an agreement with the market administration for the use of local warehouses.

In any case, the market administrator is the person with whom you should always have a good relationship. Then most organizational issues will be resolved quickly and painlessly.

Staff

A significant portion of the success of your business depends on the seller, so you should not save on it. It is advisable that the seller has some experience. But it is equally important that he be courteous with customers, be able to find out what they need and sell the product beautifully. Please note that he must have a health certificate.

You should not expect that you yourself will be able to sell goods and run a business at the same time. For a point to generate income, it must be open at least 8 hours a day. If you trade yourself, you will not have time to resolve ongoing issues and develop your business.

Basic calculations

It is difficult to outline more or less clear investment volumes. They depend on what specific product you decide to sell, how many points on the market you plan to open, etc. But if we talk about average indicators, when you rent 10 sq. m. If you have one seller and an accountant, then the expenses part will look something like this:

• Renting a point per year will cost approximately 192 thousand rubles.
• purchase of goods – 1 million rubles. in year;
• salary – 190 thousand rubles. in year;
• other expenses – 50 thousand rubles. in year.

Total - approximately 1 million 232 thousand rubles. in year. But the amount may vary greatly depending on the region.

90% of people are sure that opening coffee to go is easy. On the one hand, they are right. The only clarification is that you can simply and easily open coffee to go only if you know how to do it correctly. Despite the fact that at first glance the format of coffee to go seems simple, like any other business, ignorance of the subtleties and nuances can turn a profitable and promising business idea into an unprofitable enterprise that operates at zero and sucks out the last pennies.

To avoid such a situation, you need to know where to start and which stages of the business you should pay utmost attention to.

For example, you need to start by identifying the target audience for coffee to go. By asking yourself who will buy your coffee, you can adjust the design, strategy, and concept of your small enterprise to the needs and requests, interests and desires of specific people - your future customers.

The target audience for coffee to go is mainly young people from 18 to 24 years old. In 70% of cases these are girls.

Students, young professionals, low-level managers - these are your potential clients. They value low prices, friendly service, efficiency and social activity. Of course, older people shouldn’t be discounted either; there are also fans of takeaway coffee among people over 50. But if you face the truth, answer yourself the question: how many of these fans will pass by your takeaway coffee outlet every day and how many of them will think about purchasing?

But it is the number of people passing by, coupled with their “quality” (belonging to the target audience) that is the key to the success of a coffee to-go outlet. Finding a place like this is half the battle for coffee to go.

However, we should not forget about another important fact for the coffee to go business. This is the taste and quality of the coffee itself. If you prepare delicious invigorating drinks, people will come back to you and recommend you to friends and acquaintances. This way, you can ensure that spontaneous purchases are reduced and the number of regular customers increases.

We will talk about all these subtleties and other important details further.

Investment size

Opening a takeaway coffee shop can be considered a business with small investments. According to the experience of entrepreneurs who have opened their own takeaway coffee points, you can spend 200 thousand rubles, and the upper limit of starting capital is unlikely to exceed 400 thousand rubles.

This difference in initial capital is explained by ample opportunities to save.

Of course, the amount of funds required to start will largely depend on several large expenses, without which it is simply impossible to open a takeaway coffee shop. Firstly, this is rent, which we will talk about a little later. Secondly - equipment.

Coffee machines for coffee to go

If the flow of customers depends on the choice of rental location, then the ability of the point to quickly and efficiently service this flow will depend on the equipment on which you will prepare coffee.

A professional coffee machine and coffee grinder are the main means of preparing and selling coffee to go.

There is no point in bringing a home coffee machine or even a super-automatic coffee machine to your coffee spot. Firstly, such equipment will not be able to provide the required quality of the product, and secondly, it is not designed for constant and uninterrupted operation. And if the coffee machine breaks down, you won’t sell a single cup of coffee anymore. Remember, the miser pays twice: time wasted, money wasted.

That is why many entrepreneurs try to purchase high-quality, foreign equipment, the cost of which can be 150, 250 thousand rubles, or more. If you don’t have that kind of money, but working with professional equipment is still a priority for you, renting equipment or buying used coffee machines can come to your rescue.

Typically, coffee equipment is provided for rent (even free of charge) by coffee bean suppliers, subject to the purchase of a certain volume of coffee from them. At the same time, they also advise on the selection of the necessary list of equipment depending on the expected amount of work (for example, single- or double-chamber coffee machines) and provide maintenance and repair of equipment. However, even in the case of free rent, many companies require a security deposit - from 20 to 50 thousand rubles.

As for used equipment, its purchase will cost no more than 100 thousand rubles.

What else will you have to spend money on?

You will also have to spend money on a sales counter or the design of a rented kiosk. Naturally, when developing the appearance of a coffee to-go outlet, you need to pay attention to ensuring that it attracts attention and attracts glances. The appearance should evoke a reflexive desire to drink coffee or tea. The name on the sign should not subtly hint that an invigorating drink is being poured here, but shout about it, so that a person understands at first glance that you are offering coffee, and not selling donuts or SIM cards...

Returning to the investments required to open a coffee-to-go business, it is also worth mentioning all sorts of little things that are nevertheless important for comfortable work without failures or hiccups.

Purchase of consumables for preparing a variety of coffee drinks - milk, toppings and syrups; additional assortment - snacks, sweets and snacks; purchase of disposable cups, lids, spoons; purchase of bar equipment.

By the way, there is an option to save on the purchase of consumables - for example, disposable tableware, if you can cooperate with other takeaway coffee owners who purchase unbranded cups.

Step-by-step instruction

Having calculated the required amount of investment in the coffee-to-go business, it’s time to start taking action.

To begin with, register your business legally. It would be best to register yourself as an individual entrepreneur and submit an application to the tax office to choose the UTII taxation system. This tax will allow you to pay less due to the lack of employees and the small rented area on which the activity is carried out. Taking into account the minimum required area of ​​a coffee to-go outlet of several square meters, you will pay an average tax of about 3,000 rubles. In addition, for individual entrepreneurs on UTII, a cash register is not required, which means you can issue a check only upon request using a regular CPM (check printing machine).

The OKVED code for the coffee-to-go business is 55.30 “Activities of restaurants and cafes.”

Despite this OKVED, there is no need to obtain any permits, since there is no full-fledged kitchen, which means there is nothing for the supervisory authorities to check. All that is required of you is to notify Rospotrebnadzor about the start of activity. You should wait for inspections from the SES only if there are complaints. If you are lucky, you will have your first meeting with inspections only in three years.

Attention to the workplace

It’s worth taking care of ordering a sales stand in advance. Its design and production will take at least two weeks. Provided that you already have a chosen rental location.

The process of installing a counter, bar or kiosk equipment can also cause difficulties and problems that will lead to a postponement of the planned opening date.

For example, you need to take care of proper energy supply in advance. If it is not there, you will have to call an electrician and install an additional line, which will need to be agreed upon with the landlord. Therefore, all issues related to electricity, heating or water supply must be resolved at the stage of signing the lease agreement. At the same time, the contract itself should not be concluded for a long period: your expectations about traffic may be erroneous and in practice the pedestrian flow will not be converted into buyers and clients...

From coffee to cookies: how to choose a supplier?

Naturally, in parallel you need to look for suppliers of consumables and raw materials.

And first of all, you need to decide on a supplier of coffee beans. If your customers don't like your coffee, everything is lost. Delicious coffee is one of the main components of the success of a coffee to go business. There are a huge number of coffee varieties that suppliers can offer. Your own taste, advice from the suppliers themselves, and analysis of competitors will help you navigate your choice.

If you purchase your own coffee equipment, you will not depend on a specific coffee supplier and the range of varieties offered may be much wider.

Find out whether the variety you choose is suitable for classic coffee drinks, since it is the usual espresso, latte, cappuccino, Americano and mochaccino that you will specialize in. The volume of the initial purchase will depend on the conditions under which you sign an agreement with the supplier, whether you will rent equipment, etc. There is no need to be afraid of numbers of 10 kg or more.

A small 200 ml glass of coffee requires 9 g of coffee, and 18 g for a 400 ml glass.

Thus, the purchased 10 kg of coffee will cost just over 1,100 small glasses of coffee. At the same time, an operating coffee to-go outlet in a passable place sells much more per month.

In addition to the coffee list, it is necessary to create a menu and a list of additional assortments. Will you sell a variety of chocolates and sweets, or maybe ready-made sandwiches or even baked goods?

If the answer to this question is affirmative, you should look for profitable suppliers or partners who could provide you with the required amount of products, usually not too large. You can buy chocolates or oatmeal cookies at wholesale markets and stores, as well as in stores such as Metro, Lenta and Auchan.

Of course, the main component for a coffee to-go outlet will remain coffee as a drink, and various sweets and “snacks” are necessary rather only to increase the average bill and the convenience of the client. You are unlikely to be able to make money from chocolates or baked goods. Still, the margin on resale of other people's products is small.

In general, the volume of additional assortment does not exceed 5-7% of turnover.

The assortment of snacks and coffee accompaniments will change - some items will disappear, others will be added. It is definitely necessary to experiment with the assortment, but only when the operation of the outlet stabilizes and the changes do not entail a sharp decline in revenue.

Barista for coffee to go

An important factor in the success of a coffee to-go outlet is the professionalism and competence of the barista. This person must not only prepare delicious coffee, but also serve customers correctly, communicate with them, and be able to upsell, thereby increasing the average bill. Finding and hiring such a person may pose certain difficulties both at the launch stage and during the first time of working with take-out coffee.

When opening their first to-go coffee shop, entrepreneurs often personally stand at the counter and serve their first customers, working 12 hours a day without days off or lunch. But such work on two fronts quickly becomes exhausting. In any case, an entrepreneur will need a replacement or a full-time employee. At the same time, hiring a professional barista is not always possible. Mostly young people who don’t have the slightest idea about how to prepare coffee correctly apply for the vacancy of a barista at a coffee shop to go. She is attracted by the flexible schedule, hourly pay, etc.

Careless young baristas bring their friends to work with them for coffee so they don’t get bored. And instead of working, they organize a booth.

A special feature of working with the staff of a coffee shop to-go is a high staff turnover - which will stop only when you hire the right person - friendly, honest, hardworking and responsible, who will also quickly master the art of making delicious and high-quality coffee. Agree, such people, especially young ones, are rare today...

Therefore, the future owner of a takeaway coffee will initially be faced with the task of finding and training a reliable person who can replace you at the counter. Subsequently, if you do not stop at opening one coffee shop to go, the need for employees will increase. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately determine the stages of selection and training of employees, as well as develop a shift schedule, a system of motivation and control.

One of the options for motivating baristas is bonuses or premiums for exceeding the sales plan and the absence of comments (a percentage of total revenue or a percentage of each coffee sold above the plan).

But even the motivation system does not insure against unscrupulous workers who do not show up for their shifts, create a booth at the point, or simply treat work superficially. The owner of a coffee to-go is faced with the acute issue of monitoring an employee or shift worker.

Alternatively, you can install a surveillance camera at the coffee to-go point and thus monitor the employee online.

Regardless of which option for working with staff you choose - carrot or stick - when opening a coffee shop with you, be prepared that at any moment you will be forced to personally stand behind the counter and work as a barista.

If you are planning to open a takeaway coffee shop, know that all your profit will depend primarily on the location. At the same time, choosing a suitable location for a coffee to-go outlet can be one big problem.

A couple of years ago, when no one had heard of takeaway coffee, landlords, especially large shopping and business centers, did not understand how you could make coffee in three square meters and refused to rent. Today, almost all the tasty places in more or less large shopping centers and business centers have long been occupied.

However, the rental market is quite competitive and involves a change of tenants. It's just a matter of price. If you find a sweet spot, but it's occupied, it's worth starting negotiations with the owner or rental department, find out the rental rate and offer to pay more, or convince that your coffee to-go spot can generate additional traffic and attract a certain audience.

By the way, you can open a takeaway coffee shop not only in big cities, where the lifestyle encourages people to do everything on the run, including drinking coffee, but also in small towns. Moreover, it’s even easier to find a good place for coffee to go in a small town - there are fewer points with high pedestrian traffic in small towns, which means the likelihood of choosing a bad place is reduced.

However, it is still quite easy to make a mistake when choosing a place to rent for a coffee to go outlet. It often happens that a location seems to have high traffic, but it is only possible to evaluate its quality once you start working. For example, it may turn out that there is simply no target audience among the traffic passing by. Or the point itself is not located in the flow of people, as it should, but “around the corner.”

When considering locations for coffee to go, you don’t need to limit yourself to rental options in shopping or business centers.