I want to start a board game cafe.

I actually have industry experience!

  • If you live close to a college, or a town with a young population, and you can identify a location with lots of foot traffic, you will do well.
  • This is going to cost you a lot more than you think. Look at rent in your area. Factor in utilities. Your biggest costs are likely to be construction and the coffee equipment. The espresso machine alone was $13k. Grinder, espresso machine, a batch brewer. Get in good with a local coffee roaster. Get a quote from a construction company. Your space needs to be inviting, design is important. Not only that, but behind the counter, your layout needs to be designed for efficiency - if your barista is tripping over other people or things and has to move a lot to go from fridge to grinder to steamer, you've failed. This all costs money. Remember that games are really, really expensive, and you need a lot of them to keep people from getting bored. With a business license, you can get them cheaper from distributors, but not by /that/ much. I haven't seen board game cafes with less than 400 games.
  • Know your games. Play them all. If you can teach people a new game they've never heard of, they will tip you well. Say goodbye to sleep and days off (I'm sure you knew that though). Know what good espresso tastes like. Don't cheap out on your beans. Really, really know how to make these drinks. It's harder than it looks. Look into getting a liquor license, you'll make way more money.

It's great that you have a logo and location but honestly, you're getting ahead of yourself. You need to get costs for every single piece of equipment you'll need. Nail out your menu, estimate how often you'll need to re-order things like milk and beans. Are you going to serve food? Are you going to make it, or have someone else do it? If you're going to make it, you need a real kitchen. If you want someone else to do it, you'll need to estimate a schedule for them. How are you going to charge for game time? Alcohol? If yes - what kind, how do you get a liquor license in your area? Who is going to train you as a barista (if you haven't been already)? You have, have, have to know these things before you even think about starting. Finish your concept first.

/r/Entrepreneur Thread