EFK: Please disregard my post above. I was making a joke in reply to what I thought was a bit of joking about on your part. Obviously I was wrong. To be honest, it sounds like you are getting in over your head on this coffee venture. And you are talking about throwing a lot of money toward something in which you have little practical knowledge.
If you do continue down this path, I would recommend that you bring someone on board right away who has intimate knowledge of the industry. You will need someone to run your shop, so hiring a top-notch barista immediately would probably go a long way toward getting you on track.
As for equipment, there are many places on-line selling gear for coffee shops at far better prices than you could probably find locally, but a person in your position might be better off doing business with a reputable equipment vendor right in NYC. While it will cost you more to get started, you will probably get better service and advice from a local company.
We are in the process of opening an organic coffee roasting business here in the midwest. I have been studying the industry this last few months for many hours a day seven days a week. You could say I've been obsessed with the topic, but I'm not sure there would have been any other way to get up to speed. (We originally had a business partner lined up with many years in the coffee bean roasting/coffee house industry.) However, when that arrangement fell through, we decided to keep moving forward with the venture.
There are many books you can read and a ton of on-line resources available to help you learn the business. I've learned a lot right here on the coffee forums.
If you do decide to move forward, here's a partial list of some equipment you might need:
Espresso machine
Drip coffee maker
Coffee Urns
Grinders
Ice maker
Refrigerator
Work tables
Coffee bar counter
Three hole sink
Employee hand sink
Mop basin
Water treatment system
Tables
Chairs
Small ware
Cash register
Decorations
Signage
Grease interceptor
Sprinkler system
Permits
Insurance
Employees
Coffee bean supplier
If you would like suggestions on books or on-line resources, feel free to pm me with further questions.
lw