Setting up the store. Any suggestions or photos?

[Rocky]

Well I have an opportunity to get a location that is 1000 sq ft or I can cut it in half. Save myself half the rent. It was originally an office. I am thinking of just going with 500 sq ft. Im trying to keep costs low on build out. The space is 19 ft wide by 26 ft deep. It has a bathroom and a kithenette in the left rear side. Unfortunaytely this will have to be changed because I have to get the bathroom to ADA requirements. Any suggestions on set up or pics of your places? I am just going to have a batch freezer a fridge a chest freezer and sinkin the back along with some shelving for supplies then up fron I will have a Masterbuilt dipping cabinet the stainless steel kind with flip top lids no glass display case.

[JohnB1534]

My store is is small, I haven't measured it for a long time but I think it's 16 x 22, 352sq ft.
I have outdoor seating for 25 people.
I've been in a lot of stores that were 1000 sq ft or more and were just a waste of space.
Seems all independent stores want to put the till right at the door, then line up the dipping freezers down that side. They put a few tables on the other side.
My store has two front doors, one in one out, that area is 6x16 I wish it was 10x16. Then 6 ft inside the doors we have two windows 6 ft apart, one for taking your order and one for delivering your order.
So if you follow that, when you come in the in door you see the menu, go to the window place your order and pay, move to the next window and pick up your order,then exit the out door.

[Rocky]

Makes Sense. My wife wants the 1000 sq ft for seating area. Build out would not be much more if I take the whole 1000 sq ft. To get the whole thousand it will cost me at the most $300 more a month. There is no outside seating. The location is on the opposite corner or what would be my biggest copetition in town. Although they serve icecream. I will jus be doing italian ices. The spot is facing a brand new town library,a new school and a brand new 10,000 seat stadium. I wil have the corner lot so can put a sign on the front and side of the building for more visibility.

[JohnB1534]

Last year the extra 300 a month would have cost me 6 cents a customer.
You have to remember you are counting penny's in this business, a penny here a penny there really adds up, count your penny's.
You can be the only game in town and lose or one of many and win. The trick to getting more people in the door than your competitor is ease of access, whether it's foot traffic or parking that's the first thing you have to be better at.
Once you get them in the door if you have what they want they'll come back.
I don't know your market but I would be selling ice cream too, I wouldn't want to take the chance that a customer would go somewhere else to buy something I should have. Your market may be big enough to have a single product and do well but you will do better if you have more than one product.

[Rocky]

I met with the town health department and supervisors today at the space I want. I have decided to go with the 500 sq ft space. I have not let the landlord know yet. I need to get an architect to do drawings for the build out. I was wondering if anyone has gone through the process. Im nervous about signing a lease before getting drawings and approvals from the town. Any suggestions from anyone. Should I get a lawyer before contacting the owner of the space or should I get a copy of the lease first and maybe offer him some money to hold the space? Oh and I plan to only do italian ices,the town here says I need a grease trap,has anyone run into this with an italian ice shop. To me there is no dairy,oils or animal fats going down the drain. I do not see why I need one.

[JohnB1534]

Get the lawyer, you can sign the lease on condition all permits and financing are approved.
A grease trap protects the sewage system so they probably just made it a standard for any type of food service, your ices may not hurt them but you should see the mess ice cream can make.:D

Go Rocky Go

[JohnB1534]

Forgot to tell you.
You shouldn't tell the landlord you will pay extra, instead tell him you want one or two months rent free while you are improving his property.
It's called lease hold improvements.
All he can say is no.

[Rocky]

thanks John its great advice. unfortunately I call the landlord today to tell him I want the spot and he tells me hes going to keep it for himself to expand part of his business. Then I took a ride by and saw a brand new For Lease sign in the window so who knows if he is telling the truth. He probably realized he can get 3x the amount of money for the space. So all that excitement is gone,Im back to the drawing board now.

[PapaGreen]

Hey Rocky. I've been following you aand John here for a couple of days. Don't fret over losing the storefront. If it were that easy everyone would be doing this.
Just a thought,have you considered a trailer? Find a property owner who would let you set up at their property or in their lot? I'm going to persue this as soon as the sumer baseball league is over in August.I don't have a trailer, however, I do have a pushcart and a tent tht I use at festivals and such. Of course it all depends on the health department and zoning board in your city,county or township.
As I said, just a thought. Anyway, don't let your enthusiasm or dream be dashed or dampened.Keep at it and you will succeed! :-)

[Rocky]

Thanks,have though about the trailer but I need/want to make the product myself so definately need a store location for that. My business plan is 3 phases retail/wholesale and pushcarts. I have also been thinking of tryingt o find someone that may have space in their kithcen for a batch freezer and maybe a spot within their location for a small pushcart. This could get things started for me as well.