You want to open an ice cream business – in particular an ice cream parlor. Or maybe have dreamed about it your whole life – or maybe it’s a new business venture. Either way, you now have the money and the time to make opening an ice cream business a reality. You have a theme in mind, color scheme and can see the families in your mind’s eye buying your delicious frozen desserts and eating them out of sugar cones and glass bowls.
But what about location? Have you checked all of the necessary boxes before signing your lease? What about your menu? And have you considered where you want your business to grow in the long-term?
Here are some quick questions and answers to help you get the wheels turning as you start down the road to opening your own ice cream business.
Want more? Contact Darryl today. As an ice cream consultant and past business proprietor, he’ll help you navigate the potential challenges of owning an ice cream parlor or manufacturing plant to produce your own line of frozen desserts for commercial sale.
What should I consider when choosing a location for my ice cream parlor?
- If you plan on owning a standalone ice cream parlor as opposed to a mall location, you will have to think about what kind of menu items to feature and “store look” you want to achieve. A standalone ice cream parlor requires more independent creativity with added marketing focus to have customers find your location.
- Another key factor to consider is whether your location has good visibility by foot or car traffic. While a location in a mall or shopping center may have restrictions around menu items or store look, malls and shopping centers offer guaranteed foot traffic and good visibility.
- With either option, ask yourself will this location allow me to expand my menu/operation over the next two years?
What should I consider when negotiating a lease for my ice cream parlor?
- The lowest price with the most space isn’t always the best bargain. Consider these questions when negotiating a lease for your ice cream parlor.
- Does it offer adequate, convenient and safe parking, will the landlord pay for signage or handicap accessibility?
- Does the location already offer adequate water locations for sinks, drains etc. and will the electric service panel meet your overall power demand?
- If the location was previously occupied by a non-food tenant, what will the landlord do to accommodate food requirement needs?
What should I consider when creating a menu for my new ice cream parlor?
Fun, tasty frozen desserts appeal to men, women and children of all ages. But you still need to consider a few important factors before creating your menu. When planning your menu, think about your demographic carefully. Who do you primarily want to attract? This will drive the menu items, price point as well as overall store look and feel.
What should I consider in regard to future items, expansion and vision for my ice cream parlor?
Whenever you start any business venture you should keep in mind long-term goals as well as short-term needs. Think about what you would like your overall menu and business model to look like and how you would expand over the next two years. Making infrastructure improvements at the beginning, will save you money for future plans.
Here’s an example: I will start out with ice cream and basic sweets, then I want to add gourmet coffee and pastry. In the future I want to offer a light menu with grab-and-go items and ultimately offer a full line restaurant with wait-staff where I will offer ice cream, breakfast and lunch.
Do I want my store to be take out only or do I want to offer an indoor dining experience?
Serving the customer in either venue can make for a successful business. The difference depends on your overall concept and investment. Take Out offers a smaller store footprint, less equipment and staff, but can infringe on sales because of weather conditions or the season.
Do you need more guidance?
Nowadays you can’t afford to learn from your own mistakes. Darryl will save you time and money.
Contact Darryl today. He is an ice cream consultant with over 30 years of experience in the business of ice cream; he has the knowledge base that will help make your ice cream parlor be a success.
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