Great book about setting up a coffee shop business that will make you money from the start - Don Clarke’s practical and illustrated book "How to set up a coffee shop". Please visit at LINK REMOVED
Fuck, the one I work at is going under. And we're the best in town! Small business can't survive these days.
In my town, Star*ucks has opened a branch in direct competition to two very popular independent outfits, despite being refused planning permission by the local council. They seem to think they can ignore the law - sad thing is, they're probably right.
Seems they are able to continue trading while they appeal against the decision. They showed monumental arrogance by refitting the premises (a former bookshop) as a cafe before getting permission for change of use. Their claim is that they are not a coffeeshop at all but a retail outlet, selling things like bags of ground coffee and mugs. Hmm.
