how do you successfully run a cafe?
26943
It appears that the question period has expired.  If you have received an answer that meets your needs, please choose one of those as a 'best answer.'  If you haven't received a good answer for your question, you may want to consider the following,\n\n1) Re-post your question.  Newer questions get more activity on Yahoo! Answers than old ones.\n2) If you do re-post your question, consider why it wasn't answered the first time.  Could it be more specific?  Could it be worded better? Were there grammatical or spelling errors? Was it in the best category?\n\nIf it doesn't seem likely that re-posting your question will help you, then here's a listing of my favorite 'answer sites'.  Maybe one of them will help you.\n\nAnswers.com http://www.answers.com/\nBartleby http://www.bartleby.com/\nYahoo Reference http://education.yahoo.com/reference/\nHowStuffWorks http://www.howstuffworks.com/\nWikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page\n\nSince I really haven't answered your question, it is not necessary to give me any points.  Regards.
137176
be honest\nserve your customers well
221711
start small, speak with the owner, try to get in good with a smaller shop first, work your way up.  and don't give up!
235431
When I started a business I went tot he library and checked out a ton fo books. I talked to freinds and the city I lived in and found out the licences and certificates I needed. \n\nMake sure your personal financial house is in order. You are going to want to ask banks to loan you money if you want to expand and they are more likely to do that if you have good credit. \n\nMaybe have a look at a Martha Stewart biography. She began her "empire" with catering. \n\nRealize the restaurant business is very difficult. That doesnt' mean you can't be a big success, just be aware of all the failures that came before you. \n\nHave fun and GOOD LUCK!
367792
1. Write a lot of programs. Like everything, practise is essential -- the more, the better.\n2. Strive to understand how and why everything works (or doesn't work). Avoid cut'n'paste solutions.\n3. Learn basics from the bottom up (bits, bytes, and such) and from the top down (high level languages, power tools). At some point top and bottom will meet and you will recognize when that happens. (They may not meet in the middle; it's different for everybody).\n4. Pay attention to details.\n5. Lots of late nights, coffee, cola -- limited social life.
211868
That depends on:\n1.The area your in.\n2.If you use your own equipment and products.\n I would call all the services in your area, ask them how they go about bidding on jobs, and how much they charge, (per building, per office, per sq. feet), etc. They don't know if your a customer or not right? \nHere's an excellent website that should give you what you need in inhttp://www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.htmlfo. and more. Good luck!
832232
OK, first you rent out a MEDIUM or SMALL sized space that is up for rent.\n\nAsk your local church if you can do a clothing drive, and tell them your cause.\n\nAsk your friends for their kids old clothes\n\nTake your old clothes and your kids\n\n\nSearch online for a company that will sell you merchandise for a good price. Then search for how to run a steady business
1063751
With the continuous growth in competition in retail sector and retailers even struggling for survival, new and new techniques are being applied to set-up, establish and run the show successfully.\n\nYou have many suggestions above and there are hundreds of examples in real life, yet business are not the same over period of time with the retail stores and they keep on modifying with the changing pace and market situations.\n\nSo many factors would determine your marketing and business running techniques such as your competition, location, type of products - consumable or durables, your resources, flexibility in business model......Have you thought of seeking professional advice on the subject?\n\nYou have options of trying hit and trial methods, from amongst the various suggestions applying your logics or you can avail qualified and experienced business advice. It is ever changing market and you need to be continuously on alert and not just once to start and make it move a business.
39856
cafepress.com---gives step by step directions-pay or they have a free version too--no cost to you-i have a shop there too-
962292
Here are the steps for success in opening a shop.\n\n1. have a business plan.\n\n2. make sure you have three months rent and utilties in the bank\n\n3. build a clientel through service, and the sales will come!\n\n4. If it is not reparable, just tell them, don't bury yourself in the job.\n\n5. All the salesmen who will call offering you "Special Volume Discounts" on from their distributor will be profiting from you.\nDon't over stock.  learn from the big guys, order for the build, ship overnight at the customer's expense... Who can't really wait 3 days?  If servicing businesses, you should stock some common parts to get them serviced on the priority basis.\n\n6. The showroom shelves are stocked with empty boxes, with a brick inside, or a piece of 2x4 wood... \n\nNo shoplifting problems, when there is nothing in the box!  \n\nEverything else is under lock and key.  \nSet up live and active video cameras.\n\nProsecute all shoplifters, post neat little signs that you do so.\nMake sure there are NO blind spots where stuff can be stolen and the perp is not on a large parabolic mirror, or on camera.\n\nOpen at 10, close at 7, have your phone forwarded to a cellphone.\n\nSet a labor rate, like $75 per hour, and Road calls/service calls at $85... \n\n Here is my inventory:  \n3 hard drives, 80Gb IDE\n1 hard drive, 160Gb IDE\nto fix the older stuff...\n\n2 SATA hard drives of 80 to 250Gb.\n2 DVD writers, such as Pioneer 111D dual layers.\n\nA small assortment of upgrade memory, like some 256Mb, 512Mb, and 1 Gb sticks.  \n\nSome external drive enclosures, an assortment of popular cables, ethernet, SATA, USB, and converters...  Don't go overboard on the number, as 1 or 2 of each is fine...\n\nStock some mice, and keyboards.  \n\nIf you know of a 'two for one' deal at a weekend sale, sometimes, it can undercut the wholesale price you would pay...\n\nMany of the manufacturers sell wholesale over the Internet, through distributors. You should do the searching.  Check out the prices at http://pricewatch.com and you should stock for the persons who need instant gratification, at prices that bring a profit to the store.  Incorporate, and, have liability insurance. \n\nAnyway, good luck in the store!
577172
You'll need a local vending license, a truck, a supplier of produce, and then a lot of let work to find clients. Try the smaller restaurants to start with.
438960
If you want to help, you can place an ad in the newspaper on business supl. depending what kind of food, you can also ad in different languages. The other point is to send inforamtion about this restaurant to others restaurant's owners, sometimes they want to expand and they don't care if the revenue is ok or not. But tell the owner he has to invest some money to sell it!!!
5234
Vision:  Paint a picture of what ideals you want to strive toward.  How about "To be recognized by the city as having the best baked goods and most comfortable atmosphere of any shop in town."\n\nMission:  More like Marching Orders.  how about:  "To produce and serve quality, fresh baked goods with variety which keeps our customers coming back, particularly the corporate customers  (I am making stuff up here), insuring maximum longterm profitablity.  You may want to add specifics about WHICH customers are important, which aspects of the bakeshop are important (quality food, on time delivery(?), high customer service and happy people, good atmosphere).  You may want to add specifics about which products are important (cakes, morning goods, high-end coffee, etc).\n\nGoals and Objectives, I think you take it down a level toward specific actions:\n\n1) Improve customer satisfaction (+10% as measured by our survey (or something)) \nTactic 1a)  Train all employees on customer service skills.\nTactic 1b)  BE 10 minutes early for all deliveries.\n\n2)  Improve Freshness\nTactic 2a) mark baking time on all goods - pitch goods after x hours\nTactic 2b)  Recommend items that are newly out of the oven\n\n\n3) improve profitability\ntactic 3a)  Measure production and wasted goods; reduce waste\ntactic 3b)  Put a marketing program in place to market to local businesses, and increase sales\n\n\nJust some random thoughts .. hopefully mine plus others will give you a start!  Best of Luck.
491755
I mean this in the nicest way possible. If you have to ask these questions, you are NO WHERE near ready to open a restaurant. Operating a restaurant successfully is one of the most difficult tasks demanded of any business owner. Restaurants are warehouses, manufacturers, retailers, deliverers and services. They incorporate every facet of every industry, all into one high traffic, low ticket businesses.\n\nUntil someone else is willing to pay you to open restaurants for them, you're not ready to open one.\n\nOnce again, not trying to be mean, I just thought I'd toss a little reality at you.\n\nBrandon O'Dell\nO'Dell Consulting\nRestaurants/Retail/Bars\nhttp://www.bodellconsulting.com\nbodell1@cox.net\n(316) 390-6598\n\nFree initial consultations
742128
I suggest you first learn more about the coffee shop business and understand its ins and outs. Business license is just an easy step to do, but you have to have all the ingredients to make a coffee shop successful. Here is my previous answer on the topic with great resources on how to start a coffee shop business  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqV71M7aKJvwxAv.5icv9AsjzKIX?qid=20060906072246AA9oNSl\n\nThe California Business Permitting Database will have all the information you need on the business licenses, requirements and permits a coffee shop business will need http://www.calgold.ca.gov/  - just indicate your business and your county/city and it will show you what and how to get the requirements\n\nFor example, if you live in Pasadena, California, below are some of the requirements in opening a coffee shop http://www.calgold.ca.gov :\n\n- Building and Construction Permit: Required for all new and remodeling construction, including change of occupancy\n- Burglar Alarm Permit: A permit must be obtained from this department for any businesses requiring a burglar alarm or security system. \n- Business License (Business Tax Certificate): Required for all entities doing business within city limits.\n- Fire Department Inspection/Permit: All businesses may be subject to a yearly inspection of facility; and a Business Plan/Contingency Plan if hazardous materials/wastes are on site.\n- Public Health License: Contact the department for a license if your business is in any way concerned with food/restaurant, wholesale or retail market, vending machines, catering trucks, etc.\n- Business Personal Property: Property used in the operation of a business such as machinery, equipment, trade fixtures, etc. is taxable and subject to assessment. \n- Fictitious Name Filing (DBA): Required if fictitious name is used.\n- Public Health Operating License: Required of restaurants and businesses manufacturing food, ice or soft drinks\n- Authority to Construct/Permit to Operate: Stationary sources of air emissions from specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints and solvents and some consumer products, must be permitted.\n- Alcoholic Beverage License: Any person or entity seeking to sell alcoholic beverages must be licensed. \n- Corporation, Company or Partnership Filings: If you are considering becoming a corporation, (either stock or nonprofit), a limited liability company or a partnership (limited, or limited liability), you must file with the Secretary of State's Office.\n- Sales & Use Permit (Seller's Permit): All businesses selling or leasing tangible property must obtain a Seller's Permit. \n\nI suggest you check out these resources on How to Start a Business in California\n\nCalifornia Business Portal http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/resources.htm \nCalifornia Business Search http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html  \nCalifornia Dept of Consumer Affairs Licensing Information http://www.dca.ca.gov/aboutdca/licnhelp.htm  \n\nHere are the places where you will find information on tax requirements:\n\nSellers Permit – CA Board of Equalization http://www.boe.ca.gov/info/reg.htm \nCalifornia Tax Service Center http://www.taxes.ca.gov/ \nFranchise Tax Board http://www.ftb.ca.gov/  \n\nIf you want business advice and free mentorship/assistance I suggest you check out the following resources:\n\nSBA California http://www.sba.gov/ca/  \nCalifornia Chambers of Commerce http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/ibrp/chamber_alpha.htm \nSCORE Bakersfield - Golden Empire http://www.scorebakersfield.org \nSCORE Glendale - Los Angeles http://www.scorela.org/ \nSCORE Merced - Yosemite http://www.score556.org \nSCORE Monterey - Monterey Bay http://www.bayscore.org/ \nSCORE Oakland - East Bay http://www.eastbayscore.org/ \nSCORE Oxnard - Ventura http://www.scoreventura.org \nSCORE Palmdale - Antelope Valley http://www.score.av.org \nSCORE Rancho Cordova - Sacramento http://www.sacscore.org \nSCORE San Diego - San Diego http://www.score-sandi
1074891
You can pull it off (maybe), but an enourmous amount of legwork will be required.  You should identify a successful, but currently retired, restaurant owner (better yet, an owner of several successful restaurants), and pitch your business plan to him/her.  If your pitch is declined, find another one.  Repeat until you get funded (or until you are ready to give up).
537055
Well, the first time would be questionable, but if the coffee was good I'd definitely be stopping again!!  You might want to make sure that the people below you aren't going to mind all the traffic overhead though. . . because if I'm coming back for seconds I'm bringing a crowd.  But hey, where exactly do you live because that might pose a problem with me getting to work on time!  Not to mention the soaring gas prices!!\n\nGood Luck in your business venture.  Let me know when your grand opening is scheduled!!