Hi guys i just started recently considering openig a coffee shop near my college there is nothing close to the school, and most college studets are coffee NUTS. However, I'm not sure ho to go about getting financing to start "The Place". I do have some money saved up, but i don't think it will be enough to start up a new company. If you guys could give me some feedback i'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
CollegeGirl7788

On campus, are there any spaces available for businesses to rent? If so, I'd look into that. Much of your expenses will be paying for your space and getting city and state permits.

But I think it's a good idea, especially if there are no coffee shops. You can even eventually sell magazines, pastries, and other things you'd typically find in a coffee shop once you're established.

As far as getting money...I say keep saving, look into borrowing from people you know, or get a business partner. I don't know whether a bank would give you a loan to start a new business, especially a restaurant-type business. But perhaps there is a credit union in the area, or an independent bank you can try?

There have been some good suggestions already to do some more research and perhaps start small with a coffee stand. As far as financing goes, you may want to look into prosper.com (or one of the other online loan companies), where you can borrow money from numerous people. I haven't used an online loan company, but I really like the concept, and it could provide a good opportunity for you.

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I think you have to ask why there aren't any coffee shops near the college. It seems like it would be perfect of a starbucks or something so why haven't they opened a location? You need to do more research in terms of permitting and costs to figure out what stopped other companies. On other hand, maybe you just found the perfect opportunity! So, do some research first and then come back to ask additional questions

Good luck!!

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Have you considered starting with a coffee kiosk on campus? At my university, most food has to be sourced through the campus food service, but coffee kiosks are subcontracted to an independent company. A kiosk would be much less expensive to start, then, if your coffee is popular, you could expand into a shop.