How to Start a Coffee Shop in Rhode Island

Steps to Start Your Coffee Shop in Rhode Island

 

Step 1: Decide on a coffee business concept

There are plenty of great coffee shop concepts that would work in Rhode Island. 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

Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island, you must establish your business with the Rhode Island Secretary 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

Rhode Island 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 ways. Consider reading two posts:

• How to Choose the Right Coffee Shop Location
• 15+ Great Locations to Start a Coffee Shop

 

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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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

Rhode Island 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.

 

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

Rhode Island 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 Hawaii 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island-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 Rhode Island 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 would like to serve in your coffee shop.