New Shop need advice

[Brew's Coffee]

There are tons of websites out there that will give you a coffee house business plan, all you do is plug in your own info, some of them are free, some charge, but I haven't seen any that are nearly as much as what your friend is suggesting! Try www.startup.wsj.com or business.com, or get on your local library site and check out their business section (that's where I found the best one!) or restaurantowner.com, it's not free but they have lots of info. Also, try typing in 'mini business plan' and there's a site that (for free) helps you step by step with your plan.
As far as the name, I don't think it's any advantage to you (unless it's Starbucks) to have a known name, most people don't recognize or care unless it's a huge national chain.
If you need help with a logo and such got to a local college (community or university) and ask the marketing, art, graphic design students to come up with something, they'll do anything to get their work out there!
Good luck!

 

[latte4me]

so far I have Coffee Contata ( thanks to topher) and the one I came up with a while ago was "Esspress Yourself"...

I'm going to sound like a HUGE geek, but please, please, please spell it correctly! "Espress Yourself" I've seen so many takes on espresso misspelled and to the coffee/literary geek it seems that the owner doesn't truly know coffee.

Apologies again for being such a nerd.

 

[bllondy]

Greg-

Just a quick comment regarding the biz plan. Don't buy one! I know it seems painful to do your own. But you learn soooo much in the process - that's the point of one anyway.

I would guess that if you do your own, you won't have to pay this guy for consulting, etc.

I recently finished one - 45 pages of misery! But I got my loan and should be signing my lease December 1st. Everyone who has seen my bi plan said we did a great job on it. And they were people who were used to reading these things.

It's the research you do along the way that is invaluable. Even though this guy's is proven, you can do better!

Good luck!