Thinking of opening a cutesty coffee shop on shop street

nomno

any tips, comments, or suggestions?

snubbleste

Search this forum for 'Cafe' and you'll come up with a ridiculous amount of café desires from the citizenry

Oh wait here it is
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056117663

Ficheall

snubbleste wrote: »

Oh wait here it is
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056117663

And OP, you can ignore the "(on a bus)" bit - the majority of the suggestions were made before that was added.

wet-paint

What's a cutesty coffee shop? Anything like a pigsty?

LadyMayBelle

Really? The market is saturated in Galway at the moment, from the city centre out to Clarinbridge etc. They have all bases covered; kitsch, heart shaped cute cafes with pretty iced cupcakes (Sweetie pies) to elegant ladies who like to lunch (An cupan Tae) and a tonne other in between style places (The budding cafe, Griffins, Javas, the place in Born etc.)

If you are determined, avoid the pretty pinkness style that apparently is appealing. A few years ago I would have loved to have set up a cafe but now there are so many. Go for something that isn't cutesy; stripped wall, nice lighting, you can ead your papers without the annoying bang of the coffee machine in your ear, sound staff, good music, and of course, good coffee. I wouldn't do too much food, more nibbles.

Pwpane

Please can we have a coffee shop with small 'bites' that's open for an hour after the shops close???

inisboffin

If you're doing just nibbles, consider a couple of savoury options. I dunno how many times I have been meeting people for tea and 'they only have cakes' was said. Something small and like a savoury tartlet. I love sweet things, but sometimes a savoury bite is called for (have a veg option too)

challengemaster

Pwpane wrote: »

Please can we have a coffee shop with small 'bites' that's open for an hour after the shops close???

Er, Java's is open til 3 or 4am most days...

inisboffin

challengemaster wrote: »

Er, Java's is open til 3 or 4am most days...

It's the only one though.

LadyMayBelle

Nothin worse tha going for a cup of coffee and smelling pizza wafting from the next table

There are not a lot of cafes open after shops close, which is crap. No alternative to a pub.

inisboffin

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Nothin worse tha going for a cup of coffee and smelling pizza wafting from the next table

Never thought of that! Pizza? Really?? I suppose everyone has their own smell aversion too for a nibble, I was trying to think of something small and non-messy/hassly. I wasn't thinking of heating the savoury tartlets (then they could smell like pizza). Veg and regular saussue rolls shouldn't be too stinky.

You'll probably never please us all OP!

_Whimsical_

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

Really? The market is saturated in Galway at the moment, from the city centre out to Clarinbridge etc. They have all bases covered; kitsch, heart shaped cute cafes with pretty iced cupcakes (Sweetie pies) to elegant ladies who like to lunch (An cupan Tae) and a tonne other in between style places (The budding cafe, Griffins, Javas, the place in Born etc.)

If you are determined, avoid the pretty pinkness style that apparently is appealing. A few years ago I would have loved to have set up a cafe but now there are so many. Go for something that isn't cutesy; stripped wall, nice lighting, you can ead your papers without the annoying bang of the coffee machine in your ear, sound staff, good music, and of course, good coffee. I wouldn't do too much food, more nibbles.

Where is An Cupan Tae?

LadyMayBelle

Maybe I am too fussy!

PauricTheLodger

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Where is An Cupan Tae?

Isn't that the one next door to Brannagans on the Sparch?

spinandscribble

make it a evening cafe like javas and try and have a mix of healthy and treats.

Mrs OBumble

PauricTheLodger wrote: »

Isn't that the one next door to Brannagans on the Sparch?

Only if Brannagans is now called the Townhouse, and was previously called Bizzare.

Ficheall

JustMary wrote: »

Only if Brannagans is now called the Townhouse, and was previously called Bizzare.

Or Bazaar even...

inisboffin

Ficheall wrote: »

Or Bazaar even...

Ah it'll always be The Garage or Punchbag to a lot of us!:p

PauricTheLodger

JustMary wrote: »

Only if Brannagans is now called the Townhouse, and was previously called Bizzare.

It changed name again??

And yes, that's the one

kraggy

I reckon there's a niche in the market for somewhere that does the following sort of stuff:

Mug of tea and scone & butter for a fair price
Fried egg sandwich
Bowl of porridge
A fresh, decent, good egg salad sanwich
Tart and Ice cream

Basic good old fashioned things that people like, are quick to make and therefore doesn't mean the customer has to wait around all day.

The above things don't cost a lot to make and so shouldn't cost too much to buy.

Did anyone notice on Griffin's menu that they charge €4.95 for a bowl of porridge?!! A whole packet of Flahavans is €1.15 in Spar!

inisboffin

That little café Kelly's - opposite Freeneys Pub on High St is nice.
Cuppa and a scone there, I think was reasonable.

Fried egg sambo sounds good!

yer man!

A mix of couches and arm chairs for reading and relaxing and normal tables and chairs for conversation or food. Don't see many places in Galway where you can just have a coffee and browse the internet on a laptop or read, on a comfortable seat without feeling pressured to finish up and leave. All I ask.

dinneenp

kraggy wrote: »

I reckon there's a niche in the market for somewhere that does the following sort of stuff:

Mug of tea and scone & butter for a fair price
Fried egg sandwich
Bowl of porridge
A fresh, decent, good egg salad sanwich
Tart and Ice cream

Basic good old fashioned things that people like, are quick to make and therefore doesn't mean the customer has to wait around all day.

The above things don't cost a lot to make and so shouldn't cost too much to buy.

Did anyone notice on Griffin's menu that they charge €4.95 for a bowl of porridge?!! A whole packet of Flahavans is €1.15 in Spar!

Doesn't Riordians on Quay Street opposite Neachtons do the above at reasonable prices?

€4.95 is expensive for porridge, does it have blueberries or something 'fancy' in it?
"A whole packet of Flahavans is €1.15 in Spar!"
could also say "a whole packet of tea bags for €2 in Spar but €2.50 for a cup of tea in a cafe" €4.95 is taking the mick though....

Fionn MacCool

kraggy wrote: »

I reckon there's a niche in the market for somewhere that does the following sort of stuff:

Mug of tea and scone & butter for a fair price
Fried egg sandwich
Bowl of porridge
A fresh, decent, good egg salad sanwich
Tart and Ice cream

Basic good old fashioned things that people like, are quick to make and therefore doesn't mean the customer has to wait around all day.

The above things don't cost a lot to make and so shouldn't cost too much to buy.

Did anyone notice on Griffin's menu that they charge €4.95 for a bowl of porridge?!! A whole packet of Flahavans is €1.15 in Spar!

I agree, I think I've mentioned it on here before too. Somewhere that just does good honest food, no pretentious bollocks with menus in French, no ruining your food with things you didn't ask for (mayo, salad dressing), and prices that reflect the cost of production. I understand that when you buy food you're not only paying for the ingredients but the overheads and wages and whatnot, but I'm sure if you decided to reduce your profit margins (and therefore prices) you would benefit from more sales.

Madame Razz

If you could recreate Claire's tea rooms in the city centre, with wifi, you could definately be onto something

Mrs OBumble

kraggy wrote: »

Mug of tea and scone & butter for a fair price

What would you think is fair?

Personally I'd be keener to have a better discount-for-locals scheme, and still charge tourists the "full" price.

Fionn MacCool

JustMary wrote: »

What would you think is fair?

Personally I'd be keener to have a better discount-for-locals scheme, and still charge tourists the "full" price.

Does anywhere do this? It sounds illegal...

rivalius13

Like I said the last time someone wanted to start up a Cafe, rip off the Cake Cafe in Dublin because they are awesome.

Mr Keek

Some proper Tea, Green Teas etc. The Java Republic stuff is the winner.

Or get the loose leaves and serve them in those deadly tea pots that Providence Market Kitchen serve in.

Free refills.

Free Wifi.

Some nice fresh Brown Bread and free butter!

inisboffin

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Does anywhere do this? It sounds illegal...

H
I suppose you could have a prepay stamp card, buy, say, ten coffees in advance. Give the biz an early advance boost. Then use it as a locals card from then on and get 10% (20?) discount for your 'local loyalty'

yer man!

inisboffin wrote: »

H
I suppose you could have a prepay stamp card, buy, say, ten coffees in advance. Give the biz an early advance boost. Then use it as a locals card from then on and get 10% (20?) discount for your 'local loyalty'

This is what starbucks do everywhere and it works very well apparently, great discounts the more you load onto the card.