"Opening your own coffee shop is a dream shared by many, especially among the younger generation. Of the many businesses you can run, a coffee shop is particularly appealing due to its relatively simple system and proven demand from the public.
However, like any other business, a coffee shop requires thorough planning. Among the many factors you need to consider, the location of the coffee shop and the targeted niche market are some of the most important. Let's learn about this together!
Consider the Area and Strategic Location of Your Coffee Shop
Most people who want to open a coffee shop choose a location in a big city. The reasons for this are because there are many advantages to running a business in the city:
- High population = greater potential customer base
- Easy access to suppliers/distributors of raw materials
- Better infrastructure
However, there are also some disadvantages to running a coffee shop in a big city:
- Significant capital required
- More and varied competitors
- City dwellers quickly get bored and are always looking for something new, making it difficult to manage a coffee shop for a long time
In addition to location, you also need to determine the niche market you want to target. You must have a niche because coffee shops that are too generic usually find it harder to succeed.
Some niches you might consider include coffee carts, co-working spaces, hangout spots, fast food coffee, coffee experiences, and so on.
Read also Easy Tips for Building a Coffee Shop
The Co-Working Space Market in Big Cities Like Jakarta
One of the most effective niches for a coffee shop in Jakarta is the co-working space. The abundance of offices and universities here means there are also many employees and students looking for places to work and study.
If you want to pursue the co-working space niche, make sure your coffee shop has facilities that support this, such as charging stations, comfortable seating, large capacity, etc.
We recommend opening your co-working space coffee shop in office/university areas. Suitable areas include Sudirman, Senayan, Kuningan, and Pondok Indah.
The Coffee Experience Market in Surabaya
Similar to Jakarta, Surabaya is a big city with many offices and universities. This means that the co-working coffee shop niche can also be successful here.
Another niche we recommend is the coffee experience. The main focus of a coffee shop in this niche is to provide an extraordinary coffee-drinking experience for visitors. A successful example of this type of coffee shop business is Starbucks Reserve.
This niche is suitable for targeting the middle to upper class. Surabaya, like Jakarta, is one of the wealthiest cities in Indonesia. So it's no surprise that a coffee shop concept like this can be run successfully. Some strategic locations include Pakuwon Mall and Tunjungan Plaza.
Area and Marketing of Coffee Shops in Suburban Locations
Unlike opening a coffee shop in the city, running a business in suburban or outskirts areas usually requires less capital. There are also fewer competitors. However, the suburban population tends to be smaller, so you have to be more strategic in marketing.
Some examples of suburbs you can consider are as follows:
Lembang
The Lembang area is known for its cool and fresh air and beautiful mountain scenery. Using a natural-themed area like this can win big in the ambiance niche. You can make your coffee shop a place where people can comfortably hang out and relax.
To successfully create an ambiance like this, we recommend you use an open-air coffee shop concept, which means your coffee shop is minimal and divided into two buildings with a semi-outdoor concept. You should also look for locations on the side of a mountain/cliff or prominent nature to maximize your cafe's selling point.
Tangerang
Located on the outskirts of Jakarta, Tangerang is known for having several outdoor and semi-outdoor food courts. This is a suitable opportunity for those of you who want to open a coffee shop with a coffee cart or coffee stall concept.
Opening a coffee shop in this niche requires very minimal capital and usually only needs one or two people to run it. There are several examples of good locations for a coffee shop concept, such as Broadway Alam Sutera and Rooftree Food Court.
There are many other things you need to consider and work on, such as bookkeeping, providing various payment methods for buyers, and maximizing your business efficiency.
To maximize your operations, use Opaper as your main cafe system application. This application is already available in various big cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Bali.
Opaper also offers useful features such as ordering from QR codes, table reservations, to staff and inventory management. Find out more from our website and Request a Demo to start trying.
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