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JamesMay82

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 12, 2009
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Hey Guys,

We are opening an ice cream parlour in June which has a fantastic location next door to a high school. Its only small with about seating for 40 people. The unit next door is now available to rent so we can create a door into this unit but the big question is what do we use the room for? i'm thinking about overflow for additional seating and have some arcades and games etc but my business partner is suggesting kids party room hire which I'm a bit skeptical about as I don't think the space is large enough to have a meaningful party room with enough activities. I was wondering if any of you guys had any ideas of what the room could be used for that ties in with the Ice Cream shop business?

We've considered silent discos, theatre room, small ball pits for kids but I keep coming back to the overflow seating area with various arcades ( could probably fit about 10 in the room). The ultimate goal is for the space to cover the additional rent etc
 
I think it depends on what your primary goal is.

Do you want people to get the ice cream, sit down, eat and leave? If yes. Then just add the extra seating. Maybe put a stand in there for cheap, for you, topping people can add on their own at no cost. I'm sure kids would love it. Like Hershey's syrup, crushed walnuts, those fake candy crushed walnuts and sprinkles.

One option is a simple food option. You don't want to waste a bunch of space. Plus keep it simple. Like hot dogs. Caspers hot dogs was always busy in California. Sell steamed hot dogs, chili dogs and chips. Really good and big hot dogs aren't that hard to do. Keep the menu really simple to speed prep and reduce space usage. Just think how small hot dog carts are. You'd just be going a step above. Do just those three items and the normal condiments (ketchup, mustard, relish, onion). This also makes the prospect more attractive to parents. As they can stop at one place for them and their kids to eat and get a treat. Rather than two stops.

If you want something more ice cream related. Add more seating and a real soda jerk. That's pretty novel. Getting soda the old fashioned way and seeing a soda jerk ply their trade. Perhaps do one side of the shop soda jerk and ice cream. The other room all seating. That way people sitting aren't crowded by people in line and going to the bathroom.

Speaking of bathrooms. This is a Covid moving, hopefully, to post covid world. Touchless entry/exit both for the shop and bathroom is a plus. Also touchless flush, handwashing, soap and drying in the bathrooms. If you want to reduce the mess. Put those fake fly stickers in the urinals and toilets. Maybe separate small bathrooms and avoid the gendered bathroom kerfuffle. Even before covid. I always hated having to touch the doors of businesses. Knowing how bad people are about washing their hands. Bathrooms are the worst.

A bonus with side dining room only. You can put touch screen ordering stations on the tables. That way people who don't want to wait in line may sit down and order. I know one thing I always hated in ice cream shops. Was standing in line while people hem and haw over their order.

For dine in. Offer glassware and metal utensils. For take out. Use biodegradable containers, straws and utensils. That'll give you eco points for more conscientious people using the shop. While the glass bowls will add a touch of flare for the nostalgia factor of a real ice cream parlor. For dine in customers. Plus you could sell stuff like a really well made ice cream scoop, branded glasses and swirly straws. Basically making your shop a bit higher end (higher price). You want to stand out not try to compete directly with Baskin Robbins. You also don't want to be the cheapest because then you are a commodity and someone else is willing to sell cheaper.

Really unless you add something which keeps people spending. You're going to have your valuable 40 seats (10 tables) being used up. While the kids screw around in the play room.

If you want something to keep people there longer but have more room. Maybe some more tables. Then use arcade machines. Maybe a whack a mole. I thought arcade tables. Then realized arcade tables plus kids and ice cream. Equals horribly sticky buttons. I'm not sure if those classic arcades can be modified for cards. So, maybe tokens and charge 50¢ or $1 per token. Rather than having people dump a ton of tokens in the machines. The days of 25¢ arcades are long gone.

As for a ball pit. Little kids pee in ball pits. That's not the worst thing they do in there. Do you or does your partner want to deal with that? If that doesn't turn you off. Ball pits are for little children. Not only does it add nothing for older children or adults. Being seen as a place for little kids can make older children and teens adverse to going there. Plus people are only going to buy ice cream then the adults will sit around taking up seating while their kid plays.

Of course this all really depends on where you are located. I'm thinking of a store in a shopping center with a Whole Foods, Publix or Trader Joes. Not one next to a Walmart, gas station or Dollar store. Worse yet, no big foot traffic driver.

At any rate. Good luck. Restaurants are tough. Now is either one of the worst times or best times to start one. Really dependent on if businesses can keep opening up and customers are willing to return to restaurants. Given how many restaurants failed last year. There's a lot of vacancies for eateries now.
 
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so the 2nd space is really small?
do a drive up window and kitchen facilities in the 2nd space. Open up more seating in the original space.
 
Not seeing anyone here talk about a business plan.

If you're thinking of opening up in June and you haven't made these choices here in April, your business is absolutely doomed.

You talk about all these grandiose ideas, yet have you spoken to your local municipality about permits or zoning? How sure are you you can even do any of these things?

Any sort of food establishment has an exceptionally high risk of failure - you're not even open yet already you're looking at swaddling the business with more rental.

Do you have contracts lined up for machinery and raw goods? Do you have your inspections planned out? Cleaning materials?

If you're lucky you may make 10-15% margin on sales - when you make sales.

Your operating costs are constant. Lease/rent is a year round deal, most ice cream shops close late fall for 4 odd months.

You sound like you think the proximity to the school is a good thing; here's the problem - kids.

You get a large number of kids in there and things will get broken. They break a toilet? There goes the dining room until you can get it fixed.

Insurance will be costly as well. And if a kid should slip on the floor prepare for the parents to look at suing you for their kids stupidity.

Also, the schools going to go on summer break at the height of the season - so just how are they going to keep you going thru fall?

You prepared for if the government or municipality decides to go back into Covid lockdown again?

So so so many questions.

So, the business plan?
 
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