Question to the collective mind

Been asked if I would split the shop to sell beer and coffee as a part of the shop, to also become a licenced bar.

Any constructive comments or examples of this working would be greatly received.

NO BRAINER SHIRLEY?

What shop ❓

we are in Leeds, but dont want to say, though i am sure people who know me will know the shop, just want to get some ideas at moment.

but the proposer, currently runs some craft beer pubs and has a brewery, so would be only small scale bar, dont think Wetherspoons

Beer, bikes and coffee? Throw in bacon butties and you be killed in the stampede!

Overheads and red tape would increase significantly.

What would you gain other than a headache?

Sounds good though, a bike shop where you can shoot the breeze with coffee and cake would appeal to me.

My LBS had a coffee lounge area briefly, I guess it didnt work too well as its gone now.

Edit – now a pub which sells fancy bikes and parts, that could make an absolute killing from imbibing punters!

Oooh sounds exciting. Need someone to road test the new products? 😉

Coffee/cake etc would be good if there is no-one else near you doing a similar thing – you’d need people to visit for that in particular, not just as an extra for Bike shop visitors.

The bar side – the costs involved would make it a waste of time, money and effort really.

The bar side – the costs involved would make it a waste of time, money and effort really.

Really? Quite a few micropubs have sprung up locally over the last few years and they are all (modestly) profitable. If you stick to cask ale you don’t even need pumps installed and if you serve decent beer you’ll attract a regular, loyal crowd of sensible drinkers. The OP’s scenario sounds win/win to me!

EDIT: although I suppose it really depends on how busy OP’s shop is already, whether he needs any more business and whether he’s got the space to spare!

sounds like its worth exploring – whats the plan re opening hours and stock security if the bar is open when the shop is “closed”

I would have thought coffee and cakes would work maybe bottles of beer to take away but on site I can’t see it working unless you open pub hours and make drunken bike sales obviously 😉 would the shop be increased in size

bar side – the costs involved would make it a waste of time, money and effort really.

You would think the guy who “currently runs some craft beer pubs and has a brewery” would have a pretty good idea about that wouldn’t you ?

I must admit I don’t get the coffee/beer and bikes concept as I don’t see what it adds for either the coffee drinker or the bike buyer.

If there’s a market in the area for another bar or coffee shop then do it, but treat it as a separate business and have clearly separate areas. what you don’t want is for people not to come into the bike shop as a result of the coffee/beer.

In fact

Sounds good though, a bike shop where you can shoot the breeze with coffee and cake would appeal to me.

is exactly the thing that would put me off. You’ll get people buying little coffee and no bike bits yet still using the staffs time and WiFi whilst. Big, cliquey groups could also put off some customers.

Ahh – bicycle shop = YES!!!!

Why not go the whole hog & throw some vats in as well.

Would maximise your premises income for not much more overheads and branded & marketed correctly all the individuals (bar/bikes/coffee) will complement each other and draw in new custom.

*I have no retail experience but its my pipe dream of idealistic bliss (read: hard work!)

Which brewery is it ?

I honestly dont want to go in to too much detail and forgive me if I dont spill the beans as it were.

But, really appreciating the thoughts of everyone.

Our landlord owns the brewery, and we are talking about all sorts, including getting more space from the flat upstairs and next doors shop (which is his wifes)
a lot to work through, but I still feel that in there somewhere is a viable business idea.

Used to be a cafe bike shop in the ‘pool call the Hub I think, seemed to work well and the food they made was lovely.

I believe it had some problems with unpaid premiums which led to spontaneous combustion though (allegedly of course).

So it can work, but the idea of your boutique bike(s) and parts around rowdy drunks might be odd, as does having food and drink in a shop in my book.

Look Mum No Hands has done quiet well with this proposal. However they do offer up free wiFi and get swamped during the day with Students scavenging the wifi and drinking one cup of coffee every 4 hours.

Sound like fun?

Nah, thought not.

On another level Rapha do this too, ok so it’s all a bit Yah! but still they make it pay because the food/coffee help towards the sale of kit. They close the bar/food off at 7pm to stop loitering and wifi scavengers..

Sounds an interesting proposal you have, you could try it for 6mths and see how it goes.

Ilkley Cycles have a small cafe area in their new shop, seemed well frequented the last time I was in.

Get people tipsy and/or buzzing with a coffee and then sell them expensive bike kit (which they of course need).

If it’s a good location I would definitely go personally (although not to Leeds, I live miles away). Depends on all the extra red tape of doing so, but it sounds great as a potential punter.

For that reason ‘I’m in’.

Prologue in Harrogate is IMO the blueprint

Have a look at Kinetic in Hitchin, they have a cafe called the Handlebar… best bike shop in Hertforsdhire IME

as a leeds resident, can i just say:

theres a cafe bike shop in York that gets good reviews I believe. Have a look at that

Another example: http://www.rocketsandrascals.com/pages/plymouth

Works really well from a customer perspective.

So the bar is North Bar. Not sure which bike shop you are though.

It sounds like a nice idea but did you really set out with a bike shop, hoping to get into catering and/or licensed drinking? Or were you actually hoping to sell bikes and related goods?

As fun as flogging overpriced artisanal muffins and seasonally micro-brewed ales with vaguely amusing names to new golfists might be, sooner or later they’re going to move on and you’ll just be left with a bicycle themed cafe/bar that normal people won’t want to visit and occasionally cyclists wander in expecting a free brew with every inner tube…

Depends on the shop. I’d love to go for a coffee or couple of pints in a nice shop with cool MTB owner/mechs with bikepron everywhere. In my local commuter-ry shop, big bag of nope.

Another example: http://www.rocketsandrascals.com/pages/plymouth
Works really well from a customer perspective.

I think the cafe is the only thing that keeps that place open…