How To Lay Out An Ice Cream Store

Getting an ice cream business up and running can be an exciting time for an entrepreneur, especially when laying out the store. The layout of your ice cream store can help your business operate efficiently and help your customers have a positive experience. When you begin to lay out your ice cream store, look for examples to inspire your design. Make a list of things you will need before you begin laying out your ice cream store. There are other helpful tips that you can use to lay out an ice cream store, including brand design and choosing simple decorations.

Look for examples to inspire your ice cream store layout

If you are not experienced in running an ice cream store, looking for examples of other ice cream shops can be helpful for your layout. Visit other ice cream stores and make mental notes about each store’s layout. Your space should be different from other businesses, but remember to note what you like and don’t like about other stores. Also, pay attention to how traffic flows through any other ice cream stores. Conducting this sort of research will serve as a starting point for your own ice cream store layout and a source of inspiration. If you are able, see at least one business’ counter preparation area. Viewing all areas of a business can help you gain an idea about how to lay out an ice cream store.

Make a list of items you will need in your ice cream store

Make a list of everything that has to be arranged inside your ice cream store. You can divide the list by area and to know the dimensions of equipment, seating, tables and other items within the store.

If any of these items have restrictions on where they can be placed, keep those in mind. Some examples of restrictions include the size or clearance of an item for ventilation. Once you have a list of what you will be putting in your store, measure the interior area. Then, make a scale drawing of the floor plan and use it with the list to create your ice cream store layout.

Laying out your ice cream store

Using your list, start laying out your ice cream store with the placement of freezers and other equipment. Placing these items should be your first step, since they will be the most important part of the ice cream store. After laying out the appliances, you can move on to workspaces or storage areas behind the counter. Remember to leave enough space in your layout for employees to move around while they are working.

The counter, ordering area, point of sale stations, and retail displays where customers select their own products need to be accessible, but away from the door. Consider the customer traffic pattern within your ice cream store. There needs to be plenty of room to open and close the door for customers to enter and exit comfortably.

Customer seating should be placed away from the counter and registers, because those areas tend to be crowded and noisier than others. Going to an ice cream store is generally a happy experience. You will want to provide the type of atmosphere where your customers can enjoy their purchases and their conversations without interruption.

Other helpful tips to use to lay out an ice cream store

It can be helpful to keep in mind other needs, like hanging menus, artwork, lighting, and color schemes. These items may not seem like they have much to do with your store’s layout, but businesses often use them to create brand image. If your brand image depends on customers seeing the paint colors or artwork on the walls, you won’t want these to be covered.

Your business needs to look pleasant, accessible, and inviting, so it is good to keep your layout clean and minimal. An overcrowded store looks cluttered and unorganized, which makes you look unprofessional. Even when your store is extremely clean, a cluttered area can leave the impression that it isn’t. Having a spotless ice cream store will be essential since you are serving food. If organizing isn’t your best skill, consider hiring a professional designer. It can help to know that someone with experience is helping you lay out your ice cream store.

If you are considering owning your own business, an ice cream shop can be a fun choice. If you would like more information about premium ice cream products or owning an ice cream shop, call KaleidoScoops today at (877) 426-8488. You can also Contact Us by email for more information. Get The Scoop on becoming part of the KaleidoScoops cooperative today!