Running a deli/cafe - where and how?

[ChrisFilter]

Most food places fail in the first two years. Start with a food stall first and build up slowly or you could lose a lot of money and get terminally stressed too. I reckon take-aways are good....lazy stoned/pissed people might fancy a change from a kebab.....

Takeaways would be on the menu..

 

[ChrisFilter]

Have you ever been to Leon, Chris? There's one in Carnaby Street and one in Ludgate Circus I think. The food there is great, and I reckon if you could combine that quality of food with a deli in the right location you'd be on to a winner. That's a tall order though.

Personally, I think Herne Hill could support another deli. Mimosa is popular, but ridiculously expensive imho. The Blackbird Bakery is doing well, despite being in competition with another, well-established bakery in the area. And the old Kennedy's is free, and a fantastic space.

Herne Hill would be nice.. near enough to get the best of several crowds. Hadn't really considered it due to competition, but worth a look, thanks!

 

[Dubversion]

before I realised that my dad's meagre estate was even more meagre than I thought (not so much an estate as a broken down Sinclair C5) myself and my then partner were going to open Mrs Miggins, a veggie caff / greasy spoon. We were at the business plan stage and everything.

Lots of similar ideas to you, i guess, but it was going to be strictly veggie but strictly NOT wanky. We'd happily serve veggie fryups, meals made with quorn and the like, rather than aubergine nut crunch, hemp quiche and alfalfa ice cream.

it was all about having an image - nicely printed menus, consistent decor, good music - that would make people come back. we had loads of ideas, and a potential site, but the money didn't show.

it's amazing how you notice the little things, though - Pie Face and I ended up in a caff in Edinburgh yesterday for breakfast, and even though they'd just put a little thought into the menu and the logo and a slogan and the like (without being too style bar wanky) it really sticks in your mind. Doesn't cost anything to spell the items on a menu correctly, lay it out well etc.

 

[Pieface]

There was one called Insomnia in Glasgow that ran 24hrs when I lived up there - and had somewhat of an atmosphere at 2am. They had (nice) bouncers as the place often had a queue at night. It was pretty bog standard but their "thing" was the 24hr opening - it isn't around anymore though.....I'm not suggesting you open 24hrs but being memorable is difficult these days and that's what it's about if you're a cafe imo. Folk have to remember you to come back.

I wouldn't say Brixton Hill is a good bet at all either - I've watched business after business close round there - there isn't enough passing trade and it's not a destination. 90% of people go through on busses.

 

[zenie]

There's a really nice one on Brick Lane which we go to after hours with a barbie out the front I cant remember the name of it but it seems to be open really late or all night too.

An all night deli/cafe like that would be great for Brixton

 

[Sunspots]

A shit deli/cafe in the right location will make money. The world's best deli/cafe off the beaten track/awkwardly located will go bust.

I considered that when I noticed that there's a tiny new cafe preparing to open near to where I live.

They've got a funky logo plastered all over the front, which does tend to make it stand out in the complete cultural wasteland surrounding it. The blurb on the window says it'll be a cafe, but I think it said it'll also be selling CDs/DVDs and other stuff (-which seems a bit of an odd combination to me...).

I'm rather looking to checking it out, and I wish them luck, but I'm not sure if there'll be enough custom in the area. Plus it's right opposite a Tesco Metro!!...

 

[Xanadu]

The blurb on the window says it'll be a cafe, but I think it said it'll also be selling CDs/DVDs and other stuff (-which seems a bit of an odd combination to me...).

Kinda like ray's jazz cafe

 

[Idaho]

I considered that when I noticed that there's a tiny new cafe preparing to open near to where I live.

They've got a funky logo plastered all over the front, which does tend to make it stand out in the complete cultural wasteland surrounding it. The blurb on the window says it'll be a cafe, but I think it said it'll also be selling CDs/DVDs and other stuff (-which seems a bit of an odd combination to me...).

I'm rather looking to checking it out, and I wish them luck, but I'm not sure if there'll be enough custom in the area. Plus it's right opposite a Tesco Metro!!...

Why do people do things like this? Open up strange misguided businesses in stupid places. I think half the time it's just ignorance and a lack of intellegence, and the other half it is a vanity project. They think that their half-arsed weird ideas will appeal to the rest of the world.

I give it a year before the bank forecloses.

 

[Spion]

Why do people do things like this? Open up strange misguided businesses in stupid places. I think half the time it's just ignorance and a lack of intellegence, and the other half it is a vanity project. They think that their half-arsed weird ideas will appeal to the rest of the world.

I give it a year before the bank forecloses.

Tsk, it's like Dragons Den round here

 

[Idaho]

Tsk, it's like Dragons Den round here

You're wasting my time. I'm out

 

[ChrisFilter]

Going for the late-night post pub/club crowd wasn't something I'd envisaged, but any extra string to the bow is useful.

Problem with this is it'd involve taking on full-time staff, and we'd only really talked about part-time. If it'll help the business thrive then it's got to be done I suppose!

Still not convinced about Brixton, but it certainly has the throughput of passing trade.

 

[Idaho]

Why not Brixton? Too expensive?

 

[dada]

I'll wanna give up this web editing nonsense and spend a year doing washing up and floor scrubbing and food ordering and stuff to learn the trade cos I want to run my own tea room one day so I''ll good luck to you but if I shared any of my ideas with you, I'd have to kill you

same same...

 

[jbob]

It's a nice idea, but unless you're in the thick of things with plenty of passing trade, it's going to be short lived. A mate of mine tried one for a while before closing down after a year, and going back to pubs. Big problem is that the after hours crowd in the UK wants to drink and get off its head. Mind you, so does the 'in' hours crowd, and therein lies the problem: we ain't continental Europe.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Why not Brixton? Too expensive?

Too expensive, too fraught. Like people have said, might even need to get a bouncer in for late-night weekends.. not really the scene I'd pictured.

 

[ChrisFilter]

It's a nice idea, but unless you're in the thick of things with plenty of passing trade, it's going to be short lived. A mate of mine tried one for a while before closing down after a year, and going back to pubs. Big problem is that the after hours crowd in the UK wants to drink and get off its head. Mind you, so does the 'in' hours crowd, and therein lies the problem: we ain't continental Europe.

This isn't really the problem we'd face, the cafe would be very much second to the shop. There's a roaring deli trade in London.

The cafe would literally be 3 sets of tables and chairs, not the core business.

 

[Pieface]

might even need to get a bouncer in for late-night weekends.

I'd do it for cake

 

[Kid_Eternity]

There's a really nice one on Brick Lane which we go to after hours with a barbie out the front I cant remember the name of it but it seems to be open really late or all night too.

With the pub chairs opposite? Nice place to go in the summer for lunch that.

 

[jbob]

This isn't really the problem we'd face, the cafe would be very much second to the shop. There's a roaring deli trade in London.

The cafe would literally be 3 sets of tables and chairs, not the core business.

There's a roaring deli trade in places where there's lots of businesses, passing trade, etc.

Good luck, but I'm not sure the mixed business idea is a good one. People take milliseconds to decide whether they're going to enter a place, if it's confusing or unclear as to what it does, most just move on.

 

[zenie]

With the pub chairs opposite? Nice place to go in the summer for lunch that.

Yer it's quite big has a coffee bar on your left as you walk in and a set of stairs in front of you, more seating to the right

It's a godsend after a few drinks

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Yer it's quite big has a coffee bar on your left as you walk in and a set of stairs in front of you, more seating to the right

It's a godsend after a few drinks

Yup that's the one, been there after staggering out of the Vibe bar round the corner, well placed.

 

[ivebeenhigh]

There is a fun 24 hour cafe in Brighton that has a queue and bouncers.

TBH i dont see much in the OP that smacks of a great idea certainkly nothing that hasnt been done before, trouble is usually these things are thought of/run with good intentions not good business intentions.

I worked with a famly member in his business a few years back doing all the business side of things, (um yeah i did economics and finance at uni, which means I am a part qualified accountant) and the biggest issue we faced was balancing what he wanted to do with his business and what the practicalitys would allow, he would try and make the figures justify what he wanted and when I corrected him and them I would be called negatve and unsupportive. Ultimately what he wanted was to do what he felt like doing and thought that should make him money - unfortunately the rest of the world doesnt work like that.

 

[twistedAM]

This isn't really the problem we'd face, the cafe would be very much second to the shop. There's a roaring deli trade in London.

The cafe would literally be 3 sets of tables and chairs, not the core business.

Sure? Bigger mark-up on cooked food and huge profit on coffee and herbal tea....could easily charge a quid for something that costs you 3p.

 

[zenie]

TBH i dont see much in the OP that smacks of a great idea certainkly nothing that hasnt been done before, trouble is usually these things are thought of/run with good intentions not good business intentions.

Yer thinking about it my mate opened up a deli in the middle of weybridge and it still went under...

 

[ChrisFilter]

There is a fun 24 hour cafe in Brighton that has a queue and bouncers.

TBH i dont see much in the OP that smacks of a great idea certainkly nothing that hasnt been done before, trouble is usually these things are thought of/run with good intentions not good business intentions.

I worked with a famly member in his business a few years back doing all the business side of things, (um yeah i did economics and finance at uni, which means I am a part qualified accountant) and the biggest issue we faced was balancing what he wanted to do with his business and what the practicalitys would allow, he would try and make the figures justify what he wanted and when I corrected him and them I would be called negatve and unsupportive. Ultimately what he wanted was to do what he felt like doing and thought that should make him money - unfortunately the rest of the world doesnt work like that.

This is going to be the hardest thing to reconcile, what we want to do with what we have to do.

We won't be doing anything that hasn't been done before, but we will do it very well, and do all of it.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Sure? Bigger mark-up on cooked food and huge profit on coffee and herbal tea....could easily charge a quid for something that costs you 3p.

But then could also find ourselves running a cafe, not what we want to do.

 

[Mogden]

This isn't really the problem we'd face, the cafe would be very much second to the shop. There's a roaring deli trade in London.

The cafe would literally be 3 sets of tables and chairs, not the core business.

That's what some chap here in Derby has done. It's going well so he expanded a few months into a restaurant area upstairs. If you want to do a bit of digging about it it's called Soul Deli. The last time I looked the website was a proper shocker but don't let that put you off. He's got some good ideas and seemingly in the same format as yourself.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Hooray, some positivity

Nice to know that it can be done, thanks

In an ideal world we'd set it up in Melbourne, or Byron Bay, or Airlie Beach. South London will have to do.

 

[zenie]

In an ideal world we'd set it up in Melbourne, or Byron Bay, or Airlie Beach. South London will have to do.

You mean you're not moving to the suburbs just yet then?

 

[ChrisFilter]

Won't be living where the shop is, probably wouldn't be able to afford to.