How to Open an Ice Cream Shop
Business Overview:
When you learn how to open an ice cream shop you’ll have the opportunity to provide great memories for others while making a solid profit for yourself. This business idea can be incredibly fun and highly rewarding, and is usually quite stable despite the economy, but you will need to have a detailed ice cream shop business plan in place before you jump in headfirst. The fact is starting an ice cream shop is an investment—often upwards of $20,000—because you need a storefront, equipment, and employees to achieve real success. The good news in a business like this is that there are plenty of opportunities to buy an existing ice cream shop, even a franchise, and just step right into a thriving business. This can make the process of learning how to start an ice cream shop so much easier in that you won’t have to start from scratch. You might also get some good advice from the previous business owner. Whether you work your ice cream business from the ground up or buy an existing and known shop, you’ll still be providing your community with a sweet treasure and showcasing your entrepreneurial talents. All this plus all the ice cream you can eat—a win-win business idea.
A Day in the Life of an Ice Cream Shop Business Owner:
Like any business, especially one that provides food and entertainment, a great deal of your time will be spent ensuring your shop is clean, efficiently run, and supremely appealing to customers of all ages. You’ll want to spend some time each day ensuring your equipment is well-maintained and that the ice cream flavors you offer are the ones customers want. You will likely review any advertising or marketing techniques to see that they are working to lure in new customers (are they using the coupons you offered in the local paper? Have they come in droves for the buy-one-get-one-free offer?), and that your shop is prospering. You will also want to positively connect with your employees and interact with your customers so that everyone knows the type of businessperson you are. After all, no one wants to buy ice cream from Scrooge. Finally, a check on supplies and finances will keep your business a float.
About Your Customers:
Customers of an ice cream shop will run the gamut from the first-time eating ice cream toddler to the twilight-of-life senior citizen. A successful ice cream shop will spark new and vivid memories in the former and evoke memories of childhood in the latter. It’s up to you to create an atmosphere of happiness and fun so that these customers, and everyone in between, take home more than just a belly full of ice cream.
What You Need to Start:
- A storefront location in a prime location
- Business license, permit, and insurance
- Ice cream equipment and supplies
- A supplier for your ice cream and toppings
- Decor appropriate for your type of ice cream shop
- Employees
- A marketing plan
- A price list
- Financial-tracking software
The Good:
- This business is a full-time investment that can pay off big time, both in financial and personal rewards.
- Your ice cream shop will provide a valuable small business for the local neighborhood.
- You can choose to run a franchise business or create your own unique shop.
- You can tailor your shop to suit your fancy, from an old-fashioned ice cream shoppe to a trendy shop with exotic flavors to a kid-friendly ice cream bazaar.
The Bad:
- The investment to open a business like this is fairly steep. You’ll want to be sure this is the business for you before you invest.
- To get the most from your business, you will need to focus on finding a prime location that customers can walk, drive, and bike to, or one next to another busy attraction.
Resources:
- National Ice Cream Retailers Association
- International Dairy Foods Association
- Bureau of Labor Statistics on Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers
- Wikipedia on Ice Cream Parlors
About The Author
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