How to Start a Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania
How to Start a Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania*
A Guide to Opening a Coffee Business in Pennsylvania Successfully
If you are currently researching how to open up a coffee shop in Pennsylvania, congratulations!
The caffeine-fueled growth of the coffee shop retail industry across America is just warming up – and it's expected to get even hotter, including in the state of Pennsylvania. Promising towns for coffee shop businesses are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Allentown – and many others!
A new generation of customers who want high-quality coffee offered in beautiful spaces with excellent customer service is changing how people get their coffee. This means that your coffee shop business has the potential to be quite profitable.
But how do you start your coffee shop in Pennsylvania?
In this post, we will focus on what you need to start a coffee shop in Pennsylvania. For more detailed information, visit our coffee business blog and explore the essential topics aspiring coffee business owners need to know.
Further Reading: Permits and Licenses Needed to Start a Coffee Shop
Coffee Shop Business: Your Dream, Your Idea, Your Success
At Coffee Shop Startups, our goal is to help every aspiring coffee shop owner take their coffee shop business idea to the next level.
You might need help with the initial research on how to start your coffee shop business.
For others, you will need help strengthening your coffee shop business plan. For example, some of you may want to know how to design your coffee shop in a manner that will help you avoid costly fines or remodeling modifications. As a new coffee shop owner, you might need help hiring, choosing coffee equipment, or searching for the perfect coffee business location.
There's certainly plenty to cover. But that's okay, that's why we're here!
We are so excited to bring you an unprecedented level of in-depth information in our Complete Coffee Shop Startups Kit.
Opening a Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania
Steps to Start Your Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania
Step 1: Decide on a coffee business concept
There are plenty of great coffee shop concepts that would work in Pennsylvania. Pick something that works for your customers at your location and does well against the existing competition. But most importantly, pick a concept that inspires you and motivates you to be the best coffee shop owner you can be.
Step 2: Determine your coffee menu
Pennsylvania is a beautiful and vibrant state; people naturally have diverse tastes, wants, and needs. Understanding your target market will help you decide what coffee menu you’ll offer. First, come up with a simple menu, and then grow it out from there.
Step 3: Develop your coffee brand
Like elsewhere, coffee drinkers in Pennsylvania value reputable brands, including their coffee! After you know what concept you are aiming for and the coffee shop menu you will offer, you’ll be able to get a good handle on what type of coffee brand to start will resonate with your customers.
Step 4: Write a coffee shop business plan
People in Pennsylvania don’t like to waste money – and I assume you don’t like to either! Writing your thoughts down in a business plan will forge your action plan. Articulating all your plans can help you save money and make you a legitimate aspiring business owner to lenders and property managers. For more information, read our post, How to Write a Coffee Shop Business Plan.
Step 5: Determine your budget
One of the centerpieces of your coffee shop planning is determining your budget. Costs can be higher in Pennsylvania than in other parts of the country, such as South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas, so it will be important to keep costs down as much as possible. That’s why you need to develop a thorough coffee shop budget.
Step 6: Secure your funding
After determining your coffee shop budget, you’ll want to determine your coffee shop funding mix. This will help you understand HOW and WHERE you will get your money.
Step 7: Establish your business entity
Early in setting up your coffee shop in Pennsylvania, you must set up your business with the Pennsylvania Department of State's office. You’ll have a variety of business structures to choose from, though many independent coffee shop owners enjoy the benefits of forming an LLC.
Step 8: Find a great location
Pennsylvania is a beautiful state with lots of opportunities. There are lots of potentially great locations for your coffee business. You’ll want to choose a coffee shop location that works best for you in several important ways. Consider reading two posts:
Step 9: Choose your coffee equipment
Picking your coffee equipment will be based on your menu. Now that you’ve secured a coffee shop location in Pennsylvania and are working on the coffee shop build-out, you’ll want to pick commercial equipment that will optimize your operation.
Step 10: Choose your coffee beans (inventory)
Your coffee shop’s success is ultimately based on whether customers love your customer service and your coffee. Explore local coffee roasters in Pennsylvania who provide wholesale coffee beans. We explore this topic in our post, How to Choose a Wholesale Coffee Roaster.
Step 11: Hire and train your baristas
Training your employees is a big part of your success. Offering your staff regular barista training will save you money on the back end – offering better service products, less waste, and improved employee morale.
Step 12: Host your grand opening
Pennsylvania provides a great opportunity to start a coffee business. Consider having a grand opening that creates a buzz, energizes new customers, and draws awareness from your neighbors and likely customers.
Pennsylvania Business Links
Business Structure
Where to set up a Coffee Shop Business in Pennsylvania
Register Your Business
Where to register your business in Pennsylvania
PA Food Handler's Card
Philly Food Handler's Card
Coffee Shop Licenses and Permits for Pennsylvania
Licenses and Permits for Pennsylvania
How to Start a Mobile Coffee Business in Pennsylvania
Start a Coffee Truck in Pennsylvania
Coffee Shop Startups
Requirements to Start a Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania
Once you're ready to make your business office, you will need to structure your coffee business.
You likely create an LLC for your coffee shop through the Pennslyvania Secretary of State's office or a similar office that handles business formations.
There are a lot of benefits to forming an LLC or a corporation. It generally protects you from personal liability in an unfortunate event, accident, or negligence. Further, it will help you apply for your EIN, open a business banking account, and other essential business activities.
In addition, doing business in Pennslyvania means acquiring various permits and licenses at the state and local levels.
A few of the coffee shop requirements are below:
- Business formation (LLC or Corporation)
- EIN (Employee Identification Number)
- City Business License
- State Reseller's License
- Fire Department Occupancy Permit
- County Health Department Permit
- Building's Department
- Food Handler's Permit
There may also be other permits and licenses that you'll have to have, so be sure to check.
Further Reading: Requirements to Open a Coffee Shop
Starting Your Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania:
Steps To Do Right Now
- Research
- Develop Your Coffee Shop Concept
- Plan Your Coffee Shop Budget
- Write Your Coffee Shop Business Plan
- Create an Action Plan
- Explore Local Coffee Roasters
Research
Pennsylvania is a beautiful state with a variety of people. Therefore, you must honor the need to do the necessary research for your specific location. Every region and county in Pennsylvania produces its challenges and opportunities. Explore the existing competition, target market, and needs of the community. Investing in The Complete Coffee Shop Startups Kit is a perfect research method.
Develop Your Concept
Developing your coffee shop concept specifically tailored to your target market will be one of the most important things you want to focus on. Start with the basics: Do you want to open a brick-and-mortar coffee shop? Are you interested in setting up a mobile coffee business, or do you want to start a drive-thru coffee shop?
If you want to spend less money, you might consider setting up a coffee cart or setting up an online coffee business.
Your concept choice depends on several factors, including your budget, existing competition, and figuring out where your interests and passions lie.
Plan Your Coffee Budget
Setting up a coffee shop in Pennsylvania can vary in cost. Certainly, larger cities or trendy neighborhoods will increase real estate costs and higher labor costs. Therefore, you will want to thoughtfully develop your coffee shop budget based on your concept, location, menu, equipment needs, design, and layout.
Write a Business Plan
Before starting your coffee shop in Pennsylvania, you must have a plan. So, I’d recommend writing a business plan and getting all of your thoughts down on paper. If you need help starting your business plan, consider reading our post, How to Write Your Coffee Shop Business Plan.
Develop an Action Plan
After you’ve developed your Pennsylvania-based coffee shop – including the concept, menu, and written business plan – you’ll want to create an action plan. Your coffee shop action plan will detail your first steps with a timeline.
Explore Local Coffee Roasters
Exploring local roasters in Pennsylvania is a lot of fun. Get out there and meet coffee roasters you might want to work with. Discover new coffee roasting profiles and determine what roasts you want to serve in your coffee shop.
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*The Complete Coffee Shop Startups Kit is not necessarily state-specific. Therefore, it would be best to verify the changing laws, rules, and regulations for each state you do business in.
