Would you??

[Noire Wolf]

Would you patronize a lys that had a cafe that sold teas, coffees, pastries and maybe fine wines by the glass in addition to yarns, ( both natural and acryllic) tools, books, classes and sold finished items on consignment? It would also have a big open area with tables and comfortable chairs where customers could sit, talk, knit, crochet, read whatever.

 

This is just a very nebulous idea, but it is something that I'm beginning to seriously look into.

 

Any opinions, ideas, suggestions are more than welcome.

 

 

***Moderator please feel free to move this if I posted in the wrong forum***

[magiccrochetfan]

I'm not really a tea and coffee drinker so that is not a draw for me. Actually food or drink of any kind would not lure me to a shop. Yarn and tools would be the draw for me.

[FrLopLady]

maybe if it included an area to sit and hook or knit.

[RoseRed]

There's a quilt shop in town that has an upscale cafe in it. Apparently, a lot of the ladies like the atmosphere.

 

Would I shop there? Sure - as long as the prices for the yarn didn't include the overheard for the cafe.

 

Have you looked into liquor licenses?

[Avon Lady]

I would in a heartbeat! Of course, if the prices were exhorbitant, I wouldn't be there very often, being an old retired woman living on limited resources! But the ambience would certainly attract me! I've been reading the Annie's Attic mysteries, and they all sit in a comfortable area and have their needlework group once a week, albeit without the tea and coffee.

[katyallen815]

Patronize the place, hec, Id wanna live there, as long as prices were decent and the employees wonderful!

[craftylady1956]

You made me smile--

 

Patronize the place, hec, Id wanna live there, as long as prices were decent and the employees wonderful!

[Je-Rel Drood]

There's a place like this in my town! The only thing that keeps me away though is the attitude of the owner, who apparently thinks i'm not the type of clientele she should have. *shrug*

 

But I would absolutely shop there, and hang out, and probably set up a pup tent in the corner. Just imagine the knitting circles that would consider it a no brainer to have their weekly meet UPS there! (Of course if the price of everything is reasonable.)

 

But something you would have to consider is that if you are selling food, that's going to be almost considered a different entity. I worked in a bookstore with an attached cafe, and they had to deal with the local health department and such on a regular basis.

[Amy]

I think it would be a great idea. Just like the big chain bookstores have their cafe area.

 

It might be good to have separate entrances for each one, and then have them open to each other on the inside. Have one name for the yarn store side and a separate related name for the cafe side. Then you could also draw in the cafe/coffeeshop people, who might become interested in the yarn.

 

As somebody else said, to serve wine, you'd need to check into liquor licenses and you'd need a whole different type of liability insurance.

 

You'd probably need double the working capital to get started, though, so you could adequately stock both sides. It's not cheap to start a yarn store.

 

Do you have funding? Do you have a source for a business loan that would protect your personal assets? With the current economy, I wouldn't want to get in a situation where my personal savings/home/etc. were at risk if the business failed.

[Real Deal]

I love the idea of yarn and coffee. I'd be there if people who crochet and knit are welcome, not just the knitters.

[ratdog]

I think it sounds lovely, but I would not sell any alcohol. You would have to be very careful about that. Liquor licences are tricky and you may run into a problem if you want to encourage younger patrons.

[Momcrochets]

I would! I won't offer any advice, but what I've seen from others regarding start-up, names, entrances, etc. looks great. If there were a yarn-n-thread shop with adjoining cafe (I'd leave out the wine, similar reasons as others--young clients, liquor laws, cost) that had a set-up conducive to sit and stitch, I'd definitely patronize, both sides.