Greg Whitehead wrote:Am I the only person who thinks a few sofa's slung here and there, a restrained refurb and a coffee machine and hey presto! Another thriving ABC1 business and the coffee shop we have oft dreamed of?
Well if 5 people here each put in 5 grand we probably have enough to start one. Money & mouths? Any offers?
Wow - that's three already - 60% of the way there. Join up now if you want to become seriously caffeinated! Maybe make a bean or three ...
Seriously perhaps we should have a meet in a suitable location - a coffee bar! Zuckers may be too small. Would someone like to suggest a suitable target we could learn from?
I'll have a word with the TCM to get a view of available leases & costs ...
There are no targets to learn from in Sydenham, that's the whole point I suppose. Zuckers is too small that's the main problem there. I reckon locally the places to learn from would be Blue Mountain in East Dulwich? Though even that is a bit on the small side, maybe that's why another coffee shop opened right over the road from it (The Drum).
Or there's that one up in Crystal Palace, can't remember the name but people often seems to mention it as an example.
I have to confess I'm no coffee expert but my sources tell me a really good coffee machine is very important, and in fact someone from this forum told me where you can get the best coffee ever. I'll have to ask them again cos I can't remember where thay said it was, it wasn't anywhere local though. Maybe it would be an idea to go down there and see what coffe machine they have and what beans they use? Since they're no where near we wouldn't be competition to them.
I think running coffee shops/ cafes is a lot harder than most people imagine, and just imagine the potential for five co-owners to fall out over how best to run the place? I think the best plan is to encourage people with a track record of owning and running good independent neighbourhood coffee shops/ cafes in nearby areas to come to Sydenham.
Thomas
Yeah, that's the one, Domali.
I'm sure you're right about two many cooks spoiling the broth but I think people are frustrated about waiting for something that's so obviously needed and would be a commercial succes if done right. I'm sure running a coffee shop is very hard and that's why its improtant to get it right - you can work just as hard doing something badly as you can doing it well, if not harder.
If its just a matter of investment then maybe there's someone with al the coffee shop-running expertise that could sort the rest?
Its not particularly my dream to run a coffee shop and never has been, it just seems like what's to lose? (er apart form 5 grand maybe...but I'm not into chucking money away for the hell of it).
I agree Thomas. Enthusiasm is no substitute for sufficient investment, the necessary retailing skills and a solid business plan.
Well I've run my own company for 14 years, I was once a business planner. Sadly my retail experience ended with fitting flairs on ladies (oh what joy!). Which is why, no matter how much I wanted to, I would not think of setting up a coffee bar on my own. It takes a blend of skills. It would also take that special ingredient, synergy, between the backers. If I don't see that I wouldn't put a bean in.
But nothing ventured, nothing gained. Exploring the issue need only take a few lattes. It could end there. On the other hand it might make it worthwhile to do some more serious research and discussion with possible partnerships with existing traders.
But I mentioned £5k. If people concentrate on trying to make a turn on that rather than their drinking fantasies - it does concentrate the mind.
The old HSBC/Midland Bank would make an ideal premises, lots of natural light, and even a small outdoor area.
It's a great opportunity, even if I do find the whole coffee shop thing a bit of a cliche.
I always thought the old pine shop would make a great pizza place (even if those who live upstairs from it might disagree) but then there is still an order (imposed on the premises by Dewhursts, who once had a butchers there) which prevents the selling of any meat from that site.
Linked in with the fact that they want a fortune in rent, I am interested to see who, if anyone, takes the shop.
Re- the pine shop - maybe it could be a vegetarian cafe? I am a meat eater myself but I don't necessarily think that a veggie cafe would be less successful that a meat one.
You would have fewer worries about giving anyone food poisoning!!!
I have also experience of successfully running a business and am no stranger to hard work (if needs be!!) and I agree with stuart that a combination of experience could be invaluable in a situation like this. I dont think we are talking about naive people who are going to be standing around arguing about what colour the cushions on the sofas are.
Personally I think its such a good business opportunity that I don't want to miss out and if I didn't think that I was going to get my money back plus more I wouldn't even bother in the first place.
Well Nasaroc assured us the other week that a coffee shop would be opening near the station soon, so you might have a bit more competition if you did open.
If anyone reading this is not interested in (co)running a coffee shop (or simply can't afford to) but would like to do something to rectify the coffee drought, you could simply write/e-mail your favourite coffee shop in a nearby area to suggest that they open a branch in Sydenham - or what about a joint venture or partnership? I think there is a vast amount of information on the forum (and one or two other places) to show what a good proposition it would be. You could point out (and printing out these links if you write by snail mail):
I think this serves as a basis for a model letter - does anyone else have any further supporting evidence ? If anyone does hear anything positive from coffee shop owners, please tell.
22 Sydenham Road would be ideal. Lots of space inside for those cold winter months and you could have sliding windows at the front for when the weather is fab. The traffic is not too bad at that point in the road so you could still sit by the windows and not be choaked by the fumes.
Could we set up an online petion for a coffee shop in Sydenham? Get a few signitures and then perhaps a few entrepreneurs or coffee chains might see the demand?
I think HSBC would make a great coffee shop with outdoor space in the summer! :idea
My copy of the Kirkdale bookshop newsletter contains the exciting rumour/news that Blue Mountain (of East Dulwich) are opening a cafe in the old Pine shop later this summer. Please - let it be true...
The best kept secret in Sydenham over the past four months is coming to Sydenham and will be a very welcome addition to our high street.
The lease of the Pine Shop at Cobbs Corner was signed on Monday. It will take about 6 weeks before it opens - a bit of structural work to be completed before the shop is fitted out.
yeah i heard that rumour a while back. Brilliant that its come to fruition. That's gonna be a really nice stretch of road - especially with the book store and the proposed 'spruce up' when the money comes through for the highstreet improvements.
That's really good news - I'm very much looking forward to the grand opening. If it does well (and I think it will) it should encourage more shops, pubs and cafes to open up or renovate. Sydenham is in a good position, being close to Crystal Palace and East Dulwich, so hopefully we should get the best places from both areas following Blue Mountain's lead by opening their second branches here.
Brilliant! I didn't know they did lunch and salads too. Fantastic news. We always liked the one in Forest Hill but it was in such a bad position it didn't get enough custom and closed down. The Sydenham one will have no probs on that score.
