Do you want to develop a commercial space on the HoReCa market, but don’t know what to look for in finding the perfect location? We are here to help! Read on to learn all about how to choose the best location to start a business. In particular, we will explain the most important factors when choosing where to open a cafe, restaurant, or bar. Let’s go!
Choosing a business location 16 06 2022
Choosing a business location is one of the most important tasks when opening any establishment. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult. Even in big cities there are areas lacking the high traffic and target audience needed for a successful business location. On top of that, to find the ideal place you need to have immense patience, as this process can take up to months or even years.
In the case of SAMAHA Studio, we are real estate designers and developers, so businesses in the food and beverage industry will approach us and ask us to help them choose and design their locations. When this happens, the first thing we try to do is fully understand our client’s business concept and determine the goals and vision for the project. Asking questions is critical in this step.
Here are some points to consider: What is the product being sold? How will this establishment stand out? Who is the target audience? What is the budget? When will the establishment open?
Each project will demand its own set of questions, and it’s up to us as the developer to think through and discuss them with our client because their answers will greatly influence the location decision and design for their place of business. Whether you are considering finding the location of your own business or are a developer like us, answering questions like these will put you on track to finding the right property. After you understand the scope of the project, there are some basic rules you can follow to help you choose a great location. Follow our location strategy below to achieve what we know will be amazing results!
Rule 1: The entrance needs to be well-thought out.
Finding a property with space for a convenient and attractive entrance is very important when picking a restaurant, bar, or cafe location. Adding improvements to the exterior infrastructure such as lights and landscaping can help attract more customers. However, you need to keep in mind what the business is. If you are building a speakeasy, for example, you may want to strip your entrance down to something very basic. On the other hand, if you are building a cafe, it might be beneficial to add some inviting elements to the exterior such as flowers and benches. In the age of Instagram, a colorful mural or a striking statue at the entrance may also bring in more customers. Ultimately, you need to create an entrance that will intrigue your consumer base, so the establishment needs to be located in a place where this is possible.
Rule 2: Analyze the traffic.
Traffic is a HUGE factor when picking out your business location. For restaurants, bars, and cafes, there should be active vehicular and pedestrian traffic nearby. The direction of the flow of traffic is also essential to a thriving business. You don’t want a business that is too difficult to access, as it could turn off customers, but if you must, consider whether having a valet service is worth it.
Rule 3: The establishment should be highly visible year round.
You should place the business in a location where it is visible in both the winter and summer. If you found the perfect location but dense greenery is blocking the entrance in the summer, you may want to consider adding art or architectural elements that will be visible all year to attract visitors.
Rule 4: Choose a location with enough space for its use.
Restaurants, bars, and cafes require a lot of space to function properly. Dining, waiting, kitchen, equipment, and storage space all need to be taken into consideration when choosing this type of business location. In order for your establishment to run smoothly and achieve its greatest potential, you need to ensure that there is enough space for everything to be well-organized. One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make is not accounting for all of the space needed for their business to thrive. Don’t make this error!
Rule 5: Vet the neighbors.
It is important know what other businesses or neighbors are going to be near you. Certain neighbors to consider would be businesses similar to yours already in the area, as well as businesses that are completely different. For example, you don’t want to be surprised down the line that you’re restaurant is right by a funeral home.
Rule 6: Check the city’s improvement plans.
Before developing a project, you always need to check with the city to see what improvement plans are in process or upcoming. If a huge construction project is set to happen right outside the location you are scouting, you may want to reconsider. Nobody wants to hear loud drilling while sipping on coffee!
Rule 7: Consult a commercial real estate specialist.
Certain real estate agents and professionals specialize in finding locations for businesses. If you are new to the space, consult an expert to save time and money!
Stick to these rules the next time you have the opportunity to choose a business location, and you should be on your way to creating a thriving restaurant, cafe, or bar. In the upcoming blogs, we will take a closer look at each of these business types and how to choose the ideal place for them.
