In an earlier post, I wrote about how I sometimes thought about how my life would be different had I chosen to pursue a writing career rather than one in forensics. But I have learned that as you grow, your dreams can change. While I would still love to be a writer, a new dream has surfaced.
It is no surprise that I love coffee. I have at least one iced coffee a day and get excited when I find a new recipe that tastes amazing. I am at the point where most days, the only thing that motivates me to get out of bed is that cup of coffee. I also enjoy making coffee for my husband, friends, and family. Over time, that has become my unofficial job when I visit home or when we have overnight guests.
Can you see where I am going with this?
I would love to own a coffee shop. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. The full dream is to have a coffee shop in my hometown. Here is the rationale: downtown houses the junior high and high school, police and fire stations, city hall, library, bank, and a law office. There is also a factory nearby. In terms of food and drink, there are three bars, a bakery, and a nutrition store, unless more has been added since I moved away. The one thing that doesn’t exist is a coffee shop.
Before I dive into this, let’s start by being realistic. I would be naive to think there wouldn’t be shortcomings because there definitely would be. For starters, I don’t know anything about running a business. I have no idea how to manage staff, organize payroll, write up a business plan, and all the other things necessary to operate a successful business.
Second, I would be worried about the opinions of the locals. I come from a rather small town with some very opinionated residents. There was once a cupcake shop that received a lot of criticism because they were charging $3-$4 for a cupcake. Using that logic, I would be worried about the reception my coffee shop would get for selling $5 lattes.
Lastly, I would be worried about failing. If the shop failed, I would lose the money I invested in the business and a job! Also, I have a need to make those around me proud, and I would feel awful if I let anyone down because the shop didn’t work out.
Now that I have been logical, it’s time to return to the dream! I think there are several reasons why a coffee shop would flourish.
1: When a business closes in town, multiple people on Facebook have said they want a coffee shop. That right there tells me that the shop would do well.
2: The teachers, first responders, factory workers, and city staff would all benefit from their morning or before-shift coffee.
3: When people check out a new book from the library, they could have a nice place to sit and read while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
4: Students could have another place to go and do their homework or hang out before their chosen after-school activities.
5: It would provide another job opportunity for those in town.
6: Coffee shops give additional charm to an already small town.
It is scary how much thought has gone into this. I have already brainstormed a possible name and created a few mock logos. I also have a game plan! I’d start small in either a coffee cart, van, or truck that I would park at different locations around town. In the summer, our town has a weekly event that lines the main street with food trucks and various vendors, and having a coffee truck there would be great!
Then, if business is going well, I would consider renting a location for a storefront. Once secured, I would focus on decorating. The goal would be a cozy cabin aesthetic. I’m talking tea lights around the windows, dangling overhead lights, a corner with a comfy couch or armchairs, thrifted and mismatched chairs and coffee mugs, and a chalkboard behind the counter with handwritten menu items. In the cozy corner, there would be a big bookshelf with thrifted or donated books of all different genres. I want each table to have a mason jar centerpiece, but I don’t know what I would put inside the jars. I would also try to make the shop smell like autumn because nothing is more comforting than the combined smell of coffee and fall.
The next step is to establish the menu. I would have all the standard drinks; regular coffee, mochas, lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, tea, and chai, all of which would be available iced. There would be a small selection of flavored syrups for those who prefer flavored drinks. I would also have specialty drinks from time to time and seasonal drinks for the holidays. Also, I will introduce different weekly promotions or sales if sales are good and steady. I hope the good coffee will keep people coming through the doors, but sometimes a discount helps.
In addition to coffee, I would also have different kinds of baked goods. I’m talking muffins, cookies, brownies, and cinnamon rolls, to name a few. To start, I would bake small batches of the basic baked goods. If that goes well, I will try to coordinate with local bakeries about selling their product in my shop. I might even consider adding other breakfast items to the menu, like breakfast sandwiches and bagels with different spreads, but that would happen much later.
I would want my shop to be a place where people feel comfortable enough to stay for a while. I want it to be the place where friends meet up before they go shopping. Where someone has their first date. Where parents can relax while their children are at practice. Where book clubs could meet and discuss that month’s book. Where people could work, study, write, and read without disruption. Where people can feel at home. If I could make my shop feel like that, then everything else would fall into place.
Well, there it is. My dream of owning a coffee shop and what I would do to make it my own. And I know what I just described sounds like every coffee shop, but those basic principles keep shops open. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right? The personal touches come once a shop is operational. In a perfect world, I could make this dream a reality, but for now, I will continue to dream while making coffee at home.
***
Thanks for reading! Please follow Bona Fide Me on social media!
Facebook - Bona Fide Me
Instagram/Threads - @bonafidemeblog
TikTok - @bonafidemeblog
Comments