What are the challenges of running a specialty cafe in a rural area? 13
Operating a specialized cafe in a countryside is full of challenges, it can be tough to say the least, to run a business in an area that lacks customer diversification. For a rural cafe space, what works is a different set of operational management strategies. Let’s explore some challenges faced by running a specialty cafe in a rural area.
First of all, for such a space, the clientele is homogenous on top of that, with an area that lacks urbanization, there is a high likelihood that the limousine class of that speed will be severely low which adds to the worries of customer acquisition. In addition to this In order to develop such a costumer base, each feature of the foundation must be tailored accordingly which can be extremely costly. Unfortunately, that cost is too high to be covered productivity wise at a rural operating cafe.
Another factor that needs to be addressed is employee retention. A less attractive hub means finding staff who are willing to stay in that employment space is borderline impossible without attracting them through hefty bonuses. Keeping a robust staff always helps but can also contribute to losing money very quickly after. In summary, there are some fundamental issues that will always rise when working in the southern territories that need to be resolved.
Such challenges include the incapacity to get the information across in a rural area where communication is largely done verbally, the absence of social media for a quicker grassroots word of mouth communication, and the requirement to define a society or an area of ‘third space’ for the residents.
Tbh atmosphere of the space is probably more important than the coffee except for coffee snobs. Paper flyers in mailboxes is probably best marketing in a small town
The village still wanted a cafe! A cafe has life, music, cozy seats, interesting decor, warm friendly hosts, a cabinet full of sweet and savory foods, tea, juice, soda, a freezer of ice creams and coffee. You gave them a bespoke coffee tasting pickup office.
Coffee snobs are making their own coffee at home. Your little village just wanted a cozy place to sit and chat with their friends while drinking something that resembled coffee. If your coffee is good, people would pick some up on their way to work, with a scone or cookie. You opened a shop that reflected your lifestyle and wants, not the customers. I fear your book will go the same way.
You sound like a passionate car engineer trying to sell the best modded Mazda Miata in the world to my mom.
Opening a cafe in a 1500 persons village is economical suicide
dude, in a town of 1000 people there is maybe one guy who cares about the effect the warmer ambient temperature at noon has on the grind
Vanity project crashes into reality mountain. A village coffee shop could get away with serving freeze dried coffee, with filter coffee for those who want something more upmarket. I'm not joking.
A village doesn't want a speciality coffee in/out place. They want a caffee kind of place with normal coffee (italian), sweets, easy music. You tried to bring a hypster city coffee into a village and they said no. People that came and tried different beans... They just tried to find something they liked and didn't at the end. I stopped counting how many "speciality" coffee places opened and closed in my country. But classics stay. Be an artist in your free time but in business give people what they really want and what they are used to. Running a business is hard. Still kudos for trying and don't stop dreaming.
I worked as a coffee machine engineer for 30 years in oxfordshire. Also installing equipment. The overheads are insane. I would say, 50% of machines I installed, I was back there, collecting them when the business failed. There was one, in at Clements, that went under, customers were queuing up outside to get served. But the landlord, seeing this kept putting the rent up, and bust their business. You need to open early, to sell beacon, egg, sausage sandwiches to folk going to work.
I'm by no means know anything about buisness or coffee shops. However, I recon opening such a speciality coffee shop in a small town like that was never going to succeed, perhaps you knew the general demographic of the town but most towns like that aren't so bothered about such in depth coffee experiences. aslong as the coffee is good, and atmosphere nice, it'll do better I think (I'm assuming you charged a higher price, due to all the variety and expensive coffee beans) I think alot of people value being able to actually sit down in the atmosphere of a coffee shop aslo, especially the elderly.
The villagers wanted a hangout place. Basic coffee, tea, juice and beer and a nice, homy atmosphere would be enough. You would never be rich, but the cafe would survive. But it great you have tried! You have learned a lot i hope. Good luck!
I think the major 2 issues was opening in a village, and minimal seating and space