Choosing a location for your cafe
The location is arguably one the most important factors in a cafe’s chances for success.
Even if a cafe serves some of the best food and coffee in the local region, it could still struggle to make ends meet if it is based in a poor location. This article explores some of the things to bear in mind when deciding upon the best location for your cafe.
Competition
If your cafe is within walking distance from one or more competitors, then this could certainly affect the number of customers sat in your cafe chairs. Unless their establishment is substantially better or more popular than those within their immediate vicinity, cafe owners should probably accept that they will lose some customers to their rivals. Local cafe owners are typically advised to stay clear of huge franchises until they build a large fanbase of their own.
Foot traffic
Grabbing a coffee and a bite to eat is very rarely the primary motivation for travelling to a certain region. The majority of customers in a cafe are in the region for another reason and stop by because they are in need of a snack of a caffeine fix.
With this in mind, it is important to pick a building with high amounts of foot traffic passing by. These buildings often charge higher rent but often lead to more business for a cafe owner. The key is to strike a balance between rent you can afford and levels of foot traffic you are hoping to target.
Customer demographics
Another consideration which cafe owners should make is the type of people that will live near and pass by their shop. A coffee shop in the middle of a council estate will probably attract a different audience to a cafe in Leicester Square. Cafe owners should market their brand to target those who are likely to be in their immediate vicinity.
There are, of course, other factors which will determine the success of a cafe – but picking the correct location can be the kickstart that cafe owners need in order to create a prosperous business.










