How To Operate An Ice Cream Shop

Does owning your own ice cream shop sound like a dream come true? For many people it is, and being your own boss has many advantages. We’ll take a look at the plans and capital you will need to own your own ice cream shop and start off on the right foot. Successfully opening your own ice cream shop means choosing the right location, offering the right products and hiring the right staff.

Plans and capital for ice cream shops

A good business plan will be invaluable. This plan will help you decide where your ice cream shop will be located and how much capital you will need to get it started. A sound plan will also make you look much more professional in the event you pursue a loan from a bank. Your ice cream shop business plan will allow you to spot potential problems before they occur, which can save you a lot of money down the road.

Before your first scoop is sold, you will need to pay the rent, buy equipment and furnish the ice cream shop. Product and supplies need to be purchased and your staff will need to be paid. These are just a few examples of inevitable expenses, and all requires capital. You should be able to cover start-up and monthly operating expenses for a reasonable amount of time while getting your new ice cream shop off the ground. Most businesses won’t make a profit immediately. Choosing a business with lower start-up costs can help you become profitable, sooner. Being realistic about how much money you will need to open your ice cream shop is incredibly important.

Decide on an ice cream shop location

A good location for your ice cream shop is important and it is a decision that should be given great consideration. Make sure there are enough potential customers in the area you are considering. You will also want to know how people will patronize your ice cream shop. Some will need to specifically seek you out. Others may come from other successful businesses in the immediate area.

Since you are serving food, any location that you choose will have to be sanitary and be able to stay sanitary. Necessary inspections will need to be passed. The inspector will make sure your ice cream shop is up to code after any remodeling and before you open.

Ice cream shop products

One way to make your ice cream shop stand out from the competition is to provide better and different products. Premium ice cream is extremely popular and premium products offer a potential for higher profits. Consider other types of complementary products you might want to sell in addition to ice cream. Similar products like sherbet, gelato or frozen yogurt might make sense for your ice cream shop. A shop in a warm climate that gets a lot of foot traffic may want to sell bottled beverages as well. These are just a few examples. You will probably find other opportunities that are a good fit for your ice cream shop too.

Hire staff for your ice cream shop

Many people love the do-it-yourself mentality that accompanies owning a business. Many shops need to be open more hours per day than one person would want to work themselves all the time. Hiring staff is important to ensure that there is someone other than yourself to make your wonderful frozen treats for customers and run the cash register. A sound business plan anticipates sick time, vacation time and a level of traffic where the ice cream shop will need more than one employee. Service providers such as contractors or equipment installers, shift managers, a cleaning service, a marketing agency or web designer may also need to be hired for project work. Whatever the need, make sure to be honest about how much hands on time you can commit to.

If owning your own ice cream shop sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, contact KaleidoScoops today at (877) 426-8488. You can also Get The Scoop on becoming part of a cooperative or Contact Us via email.