5 Proven Tips for the Perfect Coffee Shop Design

You mastered the art of brewing an exceptional cup of coffee long ago—but choosing the ideal coffee shop design and layout might be out of your comfort zone.

A thoughtful and unique coffee shop design is crucial for attracting customers and enticing them to return—making it imperative to get right. After all, the goal is to grow a loyal customer base that turns to you for their morning coffee before any other location. The following five elements are essential ingredients for designing the perfect coffee shop business. Whether you are seeking coffee shop design for a small space or need to strategically utilize the rooms within a chain of stores, this guide will help you maximize creating a coffee shop that turns into a thriving local community hub.

1. Clear concept
2. Outdoor signage and storefront design
3. Coffee shop equipment
4. In-store layout and design
5. Free WiFi

A clear concept that appeals to your target audience

The first step to designing your coffee shop is to choose an aesthetic that will appeal to the customers you’re trying to target. Will your shop look old-fashioned? Modern? Tongue-in-cheek retro? Sophisticated? Fancy? Relaxing? Child-friendly? Healthy? French? Your coffee shop’s design concept will largely depend on  your target audience. A crowd of retirees will have different tastes and expectations than a group of young professionals.

The concept doesn’t apply just to aesthetics either. Once you have your target audience that should tightly align with the demographics of your location, you need to consider: menu, pricing, names of items and defining your USP (unique selling point). What is a USP? A unique selling point is what will set your coffee shop apart from the competition. Perhaps it is a special way you make your coffee, where your beans are sourced from, service style or the overall ambiance of the space. 

Don’t be shy to create a small focus group prior to making big decisions. Test driving elements with locals to get a sense of what resonates. Remember that central to your concept is creating a coherent story that customer’s understand and feel is authentic. It is no easy feat!  For example, if your beans are sustainably sourced—you would not want to be packaging take away orders using plastic products that are not fully recyclable. Or if your coffee shop is in a neighborhood that is super dog friendly, consider having some dog treats on hand and a water bowl outside the cafe’s door to encourage entry for furry friends. Getting clear on your concept and how it relates to your target audience will ensure consistency across the other key aspects of your business.

Outdoor signage and storefront design

Enticing customers can be difficult for the new kid on the block. Choosing a name, exterior design and signage that reflects not just your coffee shop, but your staff and products as well, can be a challenging task, but it’s key to establishing a strong brand identity.

What will the exterior of your coffee shop look like? Will you have outdoor seating? Or will it be conceived in a way that discourages patrons from hanging out in your establishment? You also want to consider any design restrictions imposed on your coffee shop by the community or venue location. Your coffee shop’s design should instantly convey the concept you have in mind. For example, if your coffee shop is intended to be modern and sophisticated, shabby chic shutters and geraniums on the windowsills might not be the best choice.

Often, people don’t take into consideration the elements right outside their doorstep. You are part of a greater neighborhood and integrating within the block means an awareness of this truth. The exterior is performing the role of the “first impression”.  Outside of signage, name, theme and your color scheme, think about what is happening beyond the door. Is there a park? A bench? A view? An area for cyclists? Establish your space, seating and energy to respect and maximize the potential of these factors. 

Anyone who has ever owned a brick-and-mortar business will tell you that good signage not only helps you tell a good brand story, it’s key to overcoming the hurdle of getting customers inside your store. Again, your signage should reflect your coffee shop’s design concept. For example, reclaimed wood is an excellent choice for an old-fashioned coffee shop sign.

The same is true of the font used on the sign. Make sure that your sign is easy to read and distinctive. Signage is part of the overall coffee shop’s design and should look right at home in the storefront. At the same time, it needs to stand out so that people passing by can quickly identify what your business is and has to offer.

Outside of your sign, think about the defining details such as window displays, menu placement, lighting, plants and suitable seating arrangements. What is the weather like where your location is? This will dictate potentially the style of furniture, umbrellas, awnings and outdoor heating options. When deciding on functional aspects, put yourself in the shoes of the customer and seek solutions that make sense for your concept. 

 Lastly, remember to make your space accessible. Entry to the business and the bathrooms, as well as maneuvering with the space itself, should be comfortable for wheelchair users and those with strollers alike. For this reason, ensure that entrances are accessible for all customers, with wide doorways and ramps. 

Coffee shop equipment

Once you have a clearly defined concept and location picked out, you’ll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment to make your coffee shop happen. 

Be sure to design your coffee space around your equipment rather than leave your equipment as an afterthought. Not accounting for which equipment will need to go where may mean you’ll need to sacrifice equipment and product quality. Plus, it doesn’t get much worse than having to start from scratch because your kitchen layout doesn’t accommodate that premium espresso machine, coffee shop point of sale system or set of commercial coffee roasters that you need to properly serve your customers.

From an ice machine to a solid water filtration system, map out what the essentials are for your style of brewing and start your research. How and where your espresso machine leaves is part of the overall design. Coffee making, as you know, is its own art form and why not put on a show? Arrange the layout so customers can see your staff make the magic happen and still chat with ease to the clientele. The placement of the bar itself is also crucial.  Anticipating line-ups, where is a path being created for the customer to order and receive? Make their journey as seamless as possible considering how the staff will work and engage to maximize the flow of traffic. 

In-store layout and design

Getting guests in the door is just the beginning. How you choose to design your coffee shop’s floor plan and interior is equally important. From your choice of color scheme, artwork and wall decor, to the counter, dining area, seating area, display cases, menu board, restrooms and even your point of sale, your concept should be evident throughout your entire coffee shop.

As we explored with placement of equipment, flow and functionality are the top considerations for coffee shop design. Never sacrifice either  for the sake of aesthetics. Test drive the customer’s path from entering to ordering, pick up and seating to avoid congestion points at peak periods. There should be adequate space between the ordering and pick-up areas to avoid collisions with hot beverages. And if you are making a station for customers to “tweak” drinks themselves, for example with lids, sugar, sleeves, milk, there should be plenty of space. 

For those staying in to enjoy the space, consider a variety of seating options. Within the constraints of your space and with your target audience in mind, play with seating. If you are catering to students or young professionals, it’s likely they will come in with laptops and linger. If the neighborhood has that tight community feel—a communal table might be right at home in your cafe. 

Go beyond what people see and tap into the experience of your space from all senses. What are the acoustics like? Where are the bathrooms in relation to tables? Make sure the lighting provides enough visibility without being too bright. Think about the temperature and how it’s impacted by windows.  

Choose materials, colors and lighting that creates your desired mood. While you’re at it, consider the unique charms of the space itself. Is there a focal point in the space? How might you be able to take advantage of it?

When you’re running a coffee shop with limited floor space, it’s likely that you’re going to have to cut back on some decorations and go for a slightly minimalist look complete with exposed brick walls, as to avoid your customers feeling crammed in. There’s nothing worse than visiting a coffee shop to unwind after a long day or to catch up with old friends and having people constantly bumping into your chair as they attempt to squeeze past.

However, owning a small coffee shop doesn’t necessarily mean it has to look empty. Tables make a perfect place for a decorative feature such as a small vase or even a sculpture. Window sills, walls and shelves should be taken advantage of when your floor space doesn’t provide much space, as should counters. Another great choice would be to install decorative light fittings. Remember, a small coffee shop isn’t an excuse to lack style or visual interest. A bare room is not likely to entice your customers.

Plugging into free WiFi

If your target audience revolves around people that are stopping in to catch up on a few hours of work with a delicious coffee, then free WiFi is a must. In addition to a place for your modem and router, you’ll also need to make sure that you have an abundance of power outlets. The longer their battery lasts, the longer they’re likely to stay in your coffee shop.

There are security and access considerations for you if you are offering a wifi network to guests. Implement a strong firewall to protect unauthorized access. And create separate networks between your business operations and customer networks. This segmentation will protect your internal systems from potential public attacks. 

Customer experience is paramount and therefore both bandwidth and speed are essential. You internet connection must be able to support multiple users at  the same time. You can limit higher bandwidth activities, like large downloads and streaming, but your system should support typical tasks such as browsing, social media and emails. If this isn’t possible, it’s best to not advertise wifi at all. 

Rise and grind

The perfect coffee shop design requires a thorough understanding of your concept and your target audience, as well the limitations dictated by the square footage of your space. Once you have done your research and selected your concept, you should be well on your way to achieving the layout that’s right for your coffee shop business and your customers. Add in great coffee, delicious food, powerful equipment and a soothing playlist and you’ll be well on your way to being a community favorite.

Want to learn more about how equipment and software can take your coffee shop from good to great? Let’s talk!