Coffee shop, is it a good mix with framing?

[J Phipps TN]

I was just wondering how many of you are next to or even have a coffee shop right in your store.

I saw an article in one of the trade magazines of one gallery that had coffee too.

How many of you offer coffee for free and how many actually offer it as part of your sales.

I've always thought the atmosphere in the my little frameshop was perfect for a small coffee shop too.

Do you think the two could co-excist and it be a win win thing? graemlins/beer.gif

Just curious if any of you have this situation in any form in your shop now?

I do see the problem of "spilling" so they would have to have two totally different counters,

But what do you think of the concept?

Talk about the foot traffic.....

Just thinking outloud :D But am wondering if any of you do this?

[JbNormandog]

I think every situation is different. My shop sells homey gift type things also. This at least gets people in and looking that don't have art in hand. I get some face time to tell them what we can do and sometimes they come back. Gift sales aren't stellar compared to framing but it is quick money usually.

With something like coffee I can see a couple of problems like... what will you do if you are designing with a customer and someone comes in for a coffee. Are you a one person shop and would you leave your sale to serve coffee? as a framing customer I would be put off by you leaving me for a coffe sale. If your not a one person shop are you really going to send a trained framer to go sell a cup of coffe? I would not work for someone that also wants me to serve coffee.
Or would you hire an employee to only run the coffee side. Then you have the added expense of an additional person.

There are a bunch of sides to sell besides framing that can get people in and won't require the mess and setup time that a coffee bar would.

I sell expensive clocks, handmade jewelry, artistic glazed mugs etc.

Everything is higher end to give the impresion that we have high quality standards. (because we do)

Whatever you end up doing (on the side) make sure it is VERY good quality. If I sold a wall clock that breaks in a month, I have the time and hassle of taking it back and I think it may make me look bad to my customer that it was of poor quality.

Food (of any kind) and framing to me is a bad mix. There are always exceptions and I am sure it works great for others but to me the hassle outweighs any benefit.

Good luck with what you do and let us know what you try.

[Judi]

I don't know about sharing the same space , but my next door neighbour is a Second Cup - Canada's version of Starbucks. They are the best neighbours I could ask for. They provide a steady stream of traffic by my door all day long, even when I'm closed. Many of whom make a detour in to my shop because of something that caught their eye. The best thing is that their clientele is very much my target market. It isn't everyone who wants to spend $4 on a cup of cofee every day.

They do bring their coffees in all the time, usually with lids so it is not a problem. The plus side is that when i am too busy and someone has to wait for my attention, they have a pleasant waiting place.

Judi

[J Phipps TN]

Judi,

you have the ideal situation. smile.gif I would love that. I think even if the stores had a door opening between them would be great.

I guess the best way to do that would be a partner situation. One specializing in coffee and the other framing and art. Both working togather and learning how to do the others main focus. graemlins/beer.gif

We have a coffe shop in town that has a artist twist to it. He asks local artist to display thier art in his store and it is all for sale.

Add framing to that and what a great mix. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

(Couldn't work with him though) graemlins/faintthud.gif

[j Paul]

Can you sublease a section of your store so someone else actually runs the coffee shop but you benedfit from the draw and the extra income of the sublease?

[smantecon]

I have 2 coffee shops, one on either side of me. That also brings a lot of foot traffic by. The one directly across the street has a great view of our window displays and people come in just because they saw that. I offer a gift certificate for a cup of coffee if they have to wait while I'm with other customers. It works great.

[Pat Murphey]

Think of all the fun you'll have meeting code requirements for food service, health inspections, etc., stocking all of the designer coffees that people want today, and lawsuits for hot coffee spilled into laps. Sounds like fun for a small increase in income. But, then think of all that traffic.

Pat :D

[PaulSF]

Coffee smells. The roasted beans smell. They really smell when being ground. They don't smell bad, but they smell very strongly of coffee. So unless you want all your framing projects to smell very strongly of freshly-ground coffee, don't bring a coffee operation into your store.

[PaulSF]

Also, do you really want to get up at 4:30 every morning? Because coffee is an early morning business. Which means you will have to be opening up your store at 6 AM every day. I looked into opening a cafe before deciding on doing this instead, and a big factor was the realization that I'm just not a morning person. I much prefer opening for business at 10 AM.

[5675]

I worked in a location where a starbucks was in the same store, it was a large store. I was able to frame their certificates for free coffee certificates for guests. It was a great marriage. As for the smelling, I don't really think that is an issue to consider. It is all good. graemlins/kaffeetrinker_2.gif

[5675]

Oh yeah.....they opened at six the main store and our counter opened at 10 so there wasn't any conflick. Unless you are operating the coffe bar you would not have to open early. Also if it was in your shop and you were the sole operater then you, of course, have the option of opening whenever you want! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[trapper]

Well I know that your not going to want to hear what I have to say, but maybe it will ring a bell. I say "NO" and for all the reasons already given. Why compete with someone who already has the hassles and is right next door to you. Be original and do your own thing..don't copy someone else. Over the years I have started other people up in their own business. The first thing I always advise everyone is to " Burn all their bridges" Doesn't set to well with some if not most. Scared to not have something to fall back on..just in case scenario. Tells me a lot about that person. In every single case without exception the person who does follow this advice is still going strong and making money. Do one thing well and do it better than anyone else and you are guaranteed to succeed. You chose framing..then be a framer and the heck with anything else....! couldn't be any simpler than that. Every day I am reminded of this..everyday I am tempted to try something else..add this on or that...everyday I see someone making money selling something that I honestly can't understand why it would even sell one. I get tempted but have to remind myself what it is I am doing and to stick with it, especially hard in the tough times, but in the end well worth it.
Your a framer..then be a framer.....if your a " barista" then be the best **** barista this side of nowhere possible.
Best of luck!

[Val]

My husband's a baker, and we have discussed having a combination frameshop/gallery/bakery. Who here on the G has this combination under one roof? He's the framer, she's the baker, different floors though, I believe, and it works for them? Or does it?
Sounded tempting to think about, but, as mentioned earlier, two totally different sets of regulations (health dept, etc.), hours, habits, etc. My husband already gets up at 2:30 a.m. to be at work by 4, and is in bed early in the evening, sometimes before I even get home from the shop, and we just pass in the night. Sucks.
I agree with Trapper. I have my hands way full just being a Framer. Food business is a LOT of work!

[adkres]

We have a Tea Room in our gallery/frameshop.
There is seating for 12 incorporated into the gallery space. People love the idea that they can get up and look around the gallery. Others come in for framing and stay for tea & scones. Have to admit though, Has it`s own set of headaches, Health dept, differant tax breakdown,hours,Manning it, advertising, But must say very unique idea where we are. We`re loving it
So is my waistline.
Skip
TipTopFrame Arts Center
The Adirondacks Of N.Y. graemlins/kaffeetrinker_2.gif graemlins/kaffeetrinker_2.gif

[RoboFramer]

We offer it for free,

We always had a pot of fresh coffee on the go for ourselves, so we moved it into the shop. It's a catering machine - 2 tier.

When the general store has two-for-one offers on buscuits and cakes - we put the 'free' ones out as well.

We don't advertise 'free coffee' - just when people are taking time choosing a frame, browsing, we let them know it is there - self service.

No-one, bar a few regulars just help themselves.

Goes down very very well.

[Baer Charlton]

The set-up I would think works nice would be a coffee gallery next door to the framer, in a neighborhood that has a lot of foot traffic.

We just missed a golden opertunity two years ago when a bakery with a pass through into a large coffeeshop when belly up. It would have given us about 1200 sq ft and onsite good coffe..... unfortunately we waited about 3 days to speak up and that was about 71 hours to long.

We have framed some of the artists shows down there.. but it would have generated some more awareness.

[johnny]

Customers love our free coffee. I highly recommend it. It takes up almost no space.
http://home.alltel.net/framecenter/coffeesm.jpg

If I had a coffee shop next door I'd stop giving out free coffee, but I'd try to work out a plan to buy free coffee coupons to give to customers who spent over a certain amount.

[Sister]

Originally posted by trapper:
You chose framing..then be a framer and the heck with anything else....! couldn't be any simpler than that. During the winter months we have coffee and/or spiced tea for ourselves and will always offer it to our customers as well. We keep it in the office area so it can spill on tax papers, invoices, etc. instead of on our mats or worse yet on customers' art.

Other than just being hospitable, what is the connection between coffee, bakery, tearoom and framing? Do you make enough profit to outweigh the headaches? graemlins/shrug.gif I mean those as sincere questions, not smart@$$ ones. I can only imagine that your shops are much larger than mine and can accommodate the extras. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[PaulSF]

Sister, there's no connection at all, except that with the coffee business, you are going up against an 8000-lb. gorilla called Starbucks. So if you aren't prepared to devote 110% of your time, energy and attention to the coffee business, Starbucks will clean your clock. It's a very difficult business, with no discernable crossover to framing. The inventory is perishable, and not only will give off a very strong and recognizable aroma, it will absorb the aromas of things around it. Also, it's a high-volume/low-ticket business. You'll need to bring in hundreds of customers a day, who will each spend somewhere between $1.00 and $4.00. And you do almost ALL your business between 6 AM and 10 AM. So to respond to Ruth, up above, if you choose to open your coffee counter at 10 AM, rather than at 6 AM, you might as well not open at all.

It's a very serious business, not a hobby. Unless you're a millionaire already.

[5675]

My sediment was, if there are more people working the coffee counter then they could open at different times. The frame counter would open later than the coffee counter. I worked in an environment that did this and it did, and still does, graemlins/kaffeetrinker_2.gif work. A starbucks next door would be awesome for your business. They do like differnt types of art hanging in their shops. An opportunity for you to hang your preframed pieces. We use the sushi restaurant accross the parking lot and have had much success. Also starbucks baristas get certificats often. This is also an opportunity to show off your framing styles in their shop. And the aroma is heavenly!

[J Phipps TN]

This has been great advise! Thanks to everyone.

I think what I have decided is to wait and see if Starbucks is coming to our town and then hope and pray to get a spot next to them!!!!


Thanks again!!

[Elaine]

My shop is located next to a Bookstore/coffee shop. Separate buildings, lots of traffic. Good visability for the framing.


Can't stand the smell that permeates through the windows when they roast the coffee beans. Can't even imagine that in a frame shop!

[deaconsbench]

Originally posted by Elaine:

Can't stand the smell that permeates through the windows when they roast the coffee beans. There is something very, very wrong with that statement - but I can't seem to put my finger on it...
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[Elaine]

1) I don't drink coffee

2) I like the smell of SOME coffees

3) That's how strong the oder is when they roast. I can stand by the window where my glass cutter is and smell it with the windows closed. It's worse outside!


I drink Diet Pepsi and other drinks...

graemlins/beer.gif

[Gumbogirl]

This would be my dream set up, but like all of the replies above, I don't know how workable it really is. If I had my preference, it would be to entice an up and coming fab coffee house into a space near you...you know, between them and the parking spaces, so they have to pass your shop to get there.

There are a few coffee shops here that can hold their own against the great Sbux, cyber cafes seem to be the ticket.

Unlike Elaine (ohmigosh I've heard of people that don't like chocolate, too!), the smell is transforming for me, in a good way.

I do have a rep that loves my coffee, and I make sure it's plentiful and fresh when he visits.

[J Phipps TN]

OK,

The smell would be a plus for me! graemlins/kaffeetrinker_2.gif

I even like to go thru the drive thru at the Starbucks in the next town just to get a fix!

Oh if Starbucks would just ad on to every store and rent to framers only!!!!!! Wouldn't that be fabulous!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif