Have you seen my
home page ? Please go there before you read this, it will
help you to understand this business better.
In many business
districts throughout the country you may see lines of people waiting
in front of a $$$bucks for as long as fifteen minutes to get their
overpriced morning "latte fix". As more and more consumers get
familiar with espresso based drinks all across the country, and the
demand grows, there is a great opportunity to satisfy that demand
with a drive-thru, in a more
convenient way, with faster service, a better tasting product and at
a more reasonable price.
Note: The picture on
this site are of some of my consulting clients
Java
Jo'z San Jacinto, Ca
Stingers
Coffee, Corpus Christi
The
best place to locate a drive-thru coffee stand would be in a
relatively "espresso educated" market. And the
best possible location would be right next to a Starbucks that does
not have a drive-thru! But even if your area is "espresso
challenged", this can be overcome with the right kind of initial
promotion, in the right kind of a location, with great visibility
and easy access. Recently I helped to open successful drive-thrus in
Fort Wayne, IN, (Java Depot) and in Allentown, PA (Java Joint),
Biloxi, MS, Huntsville, AL, and Corpus Christi, TX, where most of
the customers were"espresso challenged".
Java Joint, Allentown, PA
www.CustomCartSolutions.com
A drive-up is the ultimate state in the
"espresso concept evolution". Unlike a coffee shop or coffee house,
where people may go for other reasons than to drink coffee, it does
not offer any social setting or entertainment value;
people drive up just for your product and because it may be faster
and more convenient than standing in line in a $$$bucks.
There are many places that you can locate your drive thru. Some of
the items you want to incorporate would be:
-
600-800
car count during morning commute hours
·
Locate near other drive thrus fast food operations
·
Locate near elementary, high school or colleges,
·
Locate near retail centers and hospitals
· Use
score card information
A good source for scoring your location, check out
www.javajoz.com or one of the large providers of drive thru
coffee business.
At the present time, the
espresso drive-thru concept is in its infancy. But three to five
years from now, there will be thousands of these stands all over the
country. They will range from "Ma & Pa" small home-made
trailers, where allowed, to full size, double drive-thru "Fast-Food"
type structures costing $300,000 or more.
Will you be one of them?
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Java
Jo'z Biloxi, MS Quick Fix Coffee, Canton, OH
There is a
tremendous opportunity for serious investors to create coffee
drive-thru concepts that combine an attractive design, good
locations, proper equipment layout, effective marketing, fast
service and a good tasting product!
If you think that you can "wing it" on your own, go here:
"Coffee Shop
Business for Dummies"
Before you start planning
a coffee drive-thru in your part of the country and see big
$$$$ signs, consider this:
·
Many communities across the country won't allow any kind of
drive-thrus.
·
Most communites allow drive-thrus, however some communities may have
a moratorium on them, whether it be a McDonalds or a Taco bell.
·
Most communities that allow
drive-thru require a restroom and full hook-ups: water, sewer, power
etc. and will treat you operation like any other kind of fast food
drive-thru drive-thru
restaurant. This will discount most of the self contained
trailers, except pre approved mobile units/carts.
You
have a couple of options in opening your coffee drive-thru business.
Contact one of the major companies offering licensing or franchising
opportunities. They have the knowledge and experience to assist
you in the bureaucratic maze that is involved in opening your own
business.
Or
you can go it alone
1. Check with zoning,
building and health department
in your community. Explain to
them what you would like to do. While here in the Northwest
drive-thru espresso stands have been in operation for some time, in
other parts of the country they have no clue. Do not try to do it
over the phone. They won't understand what you are talking about.
The best way to do it is by appointment.
Take with you some pictures and interior layout plans so you can
show them. If you don't have any, my book
"Espresso Business Success
Program"
has.
2. FIND A SPECIFIC
LOCATION, TALK TO THE OWNER or PROPERTY MANAGER. Without a location,
you have no business.
Nothing else matters unless you get a location where to put your
stand. Try to secure a long term lease, at least three years with a
renewal clause. If you take a short year to year lease and make the
business a success, the owner of the property may thank you for
developing a customer base for him and take over your business. It
happens all the time! Again, you
must have something to show the owner of the property.
3. Before signing the
lease, call me
and let's talk
about your location. This call may save you a lot of money, time and
aggravations. This
phone consultation is included in the price of my
book.
Before you call, please do
the above homework of finding a
specific location
and checking
with the owner and all the bureaucrats.
Alex Fisenko &
Assoc. 503-590-9423. You may call me until 8 p.m. Pacific time.
In order to make
the coffee drive-thru venture a success, the following factors must
be considered:
1. Site location
-
without a good location, you may have the best coffee in the world
and fail! A good drive-thru location should be
highly visible and easily
accessible
from a
busy highway or street, and it should be positioned on the morning
commute side.
2. Building design and
signs
-
it must be striking and
attractive, something that will attract attention and stand out from
the nearby structures. Depending on need and size, it could
have two serving windows and even some inside seating. One of the
questions that the owner of the property will ask you is "What does
the stand look like?" If you can show him a very attractive
structure, your chances of securing the location will be greatly
enhanced.
3. A large menu board
that can easily be read by a second car in
line or from at least 20ft.
4. A simple, basic item
menu,
emphasizing espresso based drinks, with reasonable prices. One thing
is to pay premium price for a "latte" in a high class coffee bar,
where the customer may tie up a seat for 30 minutes or more, another
altogether is to get your drink from a window and be on your way
within a minute.
5. Proper equipment
lay-out
so as to be able to produce
drinks fast and efficiently.
6. The owner/barista must
be thoroughly trained
in all phases of operation, with emphasis on fast and correct drink
preparation techniques so as to keep the line moving.
7. Hundreds of other small
details
that one by one would not affect the business to a great degree, but
when added up may make or break your business!
Book
& DVD
Business Plan
Coffee Shop Business School.
Three Day Class will Teach "What to Do and How to Do it!"
Consulting Program
As compared to a
conventional fast-food drive-thru operation, that may cost anywhere
from $400,000 to sky is the limit, an espresso drive-thru may range,
fully equipped, from around $45,000 for a basic 8' x 16' trailer, to
a $150,000 or more for a full blown 14' x 25' double drive-thru
structure, with permanent utilities, restroom and long term lease.
If you are the
owner of a strip mall with a large parking lot or a gas station, you
have a great opportunity to make some real money with a coffee
drive-thru by placing an attractive kiosk for around $85,000. In a
good location that investment may be recouped in less than a year.
Depending on the location,
appearance of the structure, marketing and the overall understanding
of the business, sales may range from $60,000 to $1,000,000 a year.
The best opportunity for a
coffee-drive thru
entrepreneur would be to
find a "defunct" or failing conventional fast food operation and
convert it into a first rate espresso drive-thru. Such a conversion
could probably be accomplished, including all the necessary
equipment, for around $50,000. We would be very happy to help you
with the necessary expertise to accomplish that task.
Please remember: Do not
waste your time and effort shopping or "researching" for
equipment etc.
unless you have a specific location
and are ready to sign your lease. What you need first is to learn to
understand this business so you prevent major mistakes and start on
the right track.
You will find most of your answers on how to start and operate this
business in my book and video tape:
"Espresso
Business Success Program" Book & Video
For a complete,
turn-key consultation please go here:
ESPRESSO SUCCESS CONSULTING SERVICES
I will
be happy to provide you with sources where you can get a self
contained, fully equipped, turn key trailer, or a manufactured
building with a restroom and full hook-ups for utilities. Please
feel free to call me after you do your home work.
Alex Fisenko 503-5909423 9 am-8 pm Pacific
E-mail:
alex@espressobusiness.com
I you wish to
receive a free fact filled E-MAIL "Espresso Report" that includes
start-up costs to open a coffee bar, kiosk or cart, a P & L
statement, my background, article on "How to Find a Proper Location"
and much more that will increase your knowledge of what this
business is all about, just
click
here and send me e-mail with a brief description of what
you would like to do.
Please include "Espresso
Report" on the subject line. I won't email without it!
Alex Fisenko
has been helping companies and individuals to develop
successful espresso concepts for the last 25 years. He provided
initial "espresso expertise and inspiration" to some of the biggest
players in the field. Besides having opened and operated 16 espresso
bars for himself, he travels all over the world helping clients to
open successful espresso bars, including South Korea, Thailand,
Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and many US states. He was also an "Espresso
Business Seminar" presenter for the Coffee Fest Organization in
Seattle. He will be happy to speak on any espresso related matters
during your Industry Convention, or to contribute articles, free of
charge, to your coffee related publication. He can be reached in
Portland, OR (503)5909423
Here are some
links of interest to your particular need:
"How to Make Real Money with Espresso" Main Page
ESPRESSO BUSINESS SUCCESS BOOKLET & TAPE
ESPRESSO SUCCESS CONSULTING SERVICES:
"HOW TO INCREASE ESPRESSO SALES IN YOUR PRESENT LOCATION".
Increase your
revenues, the value of your business and build a loyal customer
base.
HOW TO SELL MORE ESPRESSO IN YOUR BAGEL/BAKERY SHOP
"ESPRESSO WORKSHOP FOR FRANCHISED/CORPORATE STORES"
This one day "Espresso Business Workshop", presented in the location
of your choice, will show you and your franchisees how to increase
your espresso sales, revenues, customers satisfaction and the value
of your business.
"INTERNET CAFE GUIDE"