Need Advice: Singles Nights for Coffee Shop??

[cnh]

Hi, my brother and I own a coffeeshop together that we opened last January. We have hosted a few good events, and a couple with lower turn outs. (Concerts are good, but fundraisers are harder....) My brother's the barista and I'm more over marketing & finances.

Anyway, now we're considering hosting Singles Nights - a couple of people in the community have suggested it, and nobody else around is meeting that need, so we might as well try. My question is - what "activity" would we need? Is there a way to encourage conversations without going full speed-date?

We've had a few Game Nights that folks have enjoyed, but young families show up for that...

"How-to host" suggestions?

 

[cnh]

No suggestions, gang? Is there another thread where this concept has been addressed?

 

[PinkRose]

No suggestions, gang? Is there another thread where this concept has been addressed?

Hello "cnh"

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website.

Weekends are traditionally slow on the Coffee Forums. Please be patient. I'm sure you'll receive some replys to your questions soon.

Rose

 

[cnh]

Great! Different message boards have different trends. Some are slow during the week, some the weekends - you just never know. Thanks for pinning it -that's awesome!!

 

[John P]

cnh,

The best, most sane advice I can give to answer your question is, "Don't."

For someone in charge of Marketing, you should know that using gimmicks to get patrons through the door is fleeting at best, and it certainly erodes your core. There could be several issues going on: Your space may be too big, your layout may be inefficient, your labor may be too high. Perhaps these are reasons why you feel a need to use something other than your coffee/beverages to get people through the door. In the end, if it's not one of those things, then it's a product issue. So unless you've leased a space the size of a warehouse, or have half the town working for you, take an honest assessment of what you are doing. Evaluate everything. Product. Menu. Pricing. Training. Now improve it. All of it. If things were where they needed to be, you would never have asked the question.

 

[kboom1]

Teach them a little bit about the coffee you offer along with it's pairing with different foods. the passion we all share for coffee.

 

[slurp]

Singles night at the coffee shop, sounds like a fun night of TWISTER to me!!!

 

[PinkRose]

From what I've seen over the years, whenever a coffee shop resorts to designating nights for things such as karoke, quizno, bingo, open mike, henna tatoos, palm readings, etc. they usually end up closing their doors within a year. I've seen it happen over and over again.

When your attention goes towards promoting these types of events, you're taking it away from running your business. Don't do it.

 

[chast]

singles night with coffee?? Nah! At least with alcohol the more you drink the better looking the crowd gets! only regrets are the morning after!!

 

[cnh]

I don't think we're "resorting" to "gimmicks." We're located in a rural area, and our customers are asking us to meet a need in the community. It's not that our costs are too high or there's a flaw with our business plan- we definitely aren't basing our entire business on these Singles Nights.

My question was just if anyone was familiar with any fun twist on Speed Dating... I thought other coffee shop owners might have hosted some successful events they'd want to talk about. I guess I'll try another message board.

By the way, John P., for a senior member, you should know that giving gruff, know-it-all responses to first-time poster isn't a good way to grow your community. But maybe that's the opposite of your goal... and you'd rather focus on your hipster core.

Either way, I won't waste any more of your time - I'll go back to my side of the internet.

(slurp & chast: Ha! ;-) Later, guys.)

 

[PinkRose]

I don't think we're "resorting" to "gimmicks." We're located in a rural area, and our customers are asking us to meet a need in the community. It's not that our costs are too high or there's a flaw with our business plan- we definitely aren't basing our entire business on these Singles Nights.

Since your customers are asking for Speed Dating, listen to some of their suggestions and give it a try. It sounds like you're doing okay, and it probably won't hurt your business if the idea flops. People in rural areas are often desperate to find ways to occupy their evenings. Go for it, as long as it doesn't hurt your business and chase away the other customers.

Most of us are not familiar with hosting Speed Dating at a coffee shop. I read about it in one of the Coffeehouse Mystery books (Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2 by Cleo Coyle) Apparently, there are Speed Dating clubs that look for places to hold their events.

Good luck with your new adventure.

Rose

 

[John P]

cnh,

I give direct and proven advice because I would rather see more people succeed than fail. You may want to be wary of the path you are taking. As PinkRose mentioned, it is unlikely to be a successful one. If you want people to agree with you and ignore the elephant in the room (so to speak), perhaps you really don't want any insight from people with expertise, and that's ok.

And our shop is about as anti hipster as they come. We focus on the coffee, not on the coffee "scene". This is why we have people from 17 to 70 years of age come daily. Perhaps this is something that could conceptually help you. HERE

Best of luck to you.

 

[peterjschmidt]

My question was just if anyone was familiar with any fun twist on Speed Dating... I thought other coffee shop owners might have hosted some successful events they'd want to talk about. I guess I'll try another message board.

It'll work best if the entry requirement to play the game is that they have to have 4 double shots first. Then it'll be real Speed Dating.

 

[mosafer1]

singles night with coffee?? interesting subject!