Community Shops + Delivery Becoming the Mainstream Style for Coffee Shops!? Is Opening a Cafe Viable Under the Pandemic?

"Can physical coffee shops still survive during the pandemic?" Yes, absolutely.

"Opening a coffee shop during a pandemic — isn't that crazy?" No! Not at all!

Granted, the pandemic has produced plenty of failed businesses. But plenty of owners run successful coffee shops too, and that success isn't just "oh, they got lucky." Success is never an accident — it comes from thorough planning and preparation for both the present and the future.

We see the failures but rarely analyze them, dismissing each with "bad luck." Is that really the story? No. Most failures trace back to poor positioning — of target audience, of location, of what you're actually selling.

Eight Questions to Ask Yourself Before Opening a Shop (Think in Order!)

Why do you want to open a shop? Who will run it? (A recent classic: a shop opened, and the two owners — having never settled who did what — argued over who had to open in the morning.) What customers do you want to attract? What will you primarily sell them? What style will you adopt? Where will you open? When? And how much capital will you need?

Yes — money comes last. Until the first seven questions are settled, your capital needs will stay in flux. Many would-be owners simply have some savings, make an impulsive decision, and open. More than 60% of them don't understand their target audience or what they want to promote, assuming that because demand for coffee is so high, customers will simply walk in on day one;

or that if the coffee is specialty enough, connoisseurs will surely find the shop. That doesn't work. Business runs on promotion and reputation. Without target customers, you're hunting for a needle in a haystack across social platforms — it might occasionally work, but it's no long-term strategy.

Only when you've defined your target customers can you define your product positioning, then your store positioning, then your promotional direction.

Starting promotion after opening is already too late — you won't know what to promote, or to whom. Many assume specialty coffee enthusiasts or influencer-driven foot traffic make the best targets. In reality, the traffic those approaches bring is limited and repurchase rates run low. The reason: pricing.

Specialty coffee pursues bean quality, production quality, and the barista's craft — but very few people can truly appreciate it. "No! Lots of people drink specialty coffee!" That's because you're inside the specialty coffee circle. Ordinary consumers don't recognize that the price of this cup covers expensive beans and professional expertise. You may have a thousand explanations for why it's expensive, but not one that convinces the average customer.

If your target is the coffee community, then your first job is raising your own level — knowledge reserves, technical mastery, all of it. If the owner isn't convincing, how can the shop hold the palates of people who come for coffee?

Influencer cafés, by contrast, pursue distinctive decor and style. Decoration and equipment both demand heavy investment, and those costs inevitably land on menu prices. If promotion before opening goes well, this model can indeed rack up traffic fast. But once the hype fades, check-in enthusiasts rarely become repeat customers, and high-priced purchases stay infrequent.

If your target is check-in customers, then plan for constant product innovation — regular themed series and activities that keep pace with consumption trends and keep curious consumers coming.

Once target customers, main products, and store style are settled, then consider location.

Pick the location first and you'll be forced into everything else — the site and its foot traffic will limit your options, and rent is usually the single largest cost of opening.

Rent a shop rashly without a plan, then spend weeks thinking about decoration — or redesign mid-renovation, or only work out the menu and marketing after the build-out — and you'll burn your own time and money while the rent meter runs daily.

Is it really unsuitable to open a coffee shop during the pandemic?

Not necessarily.

While chain brands expand rapidly, independent coffee shops offer what chains cannot: human warmth, and an environment that allows a slower pace.

So if you open now, consider a community location — but not too far from busy districts. Compared with high-traffic areas, community rents are significantly lower, and when people nearby search apps for food or nearby options, your shop gets more exposure.

The shop needn't be large. A small community shop plus delivery can satisfy some customers' needs for space and specialty coffee while attracting ordinary consumers too. During the pandemic, coffee shops need to be "compact and efficient," with well-standardized operating procedures to speed up orders — reducing operational pressure and strengthening resilience.

Important Considerations

Even while chasing efficiency, never shortchange product quality, and serve every customer who walks in well.

The most important asset a shop has is its customer base. Observe what your customers like and when they typically visit; keep these small details in mind and adjust promptly. Customers will notice the changes, grow more satisfied, and become loyal regulars. Winning a new customer costs several times more than retaining an existing one! Cultivating regulars is the most valuable business model there is.

Consistent quality, continuous innovation, and reasonable pricing are the prerequisites for sustainable operation.

You need classic products to retain customers and innovative ones to attract them. When innovating, think not only about appearance but about whether the taste suits the general public — never sacrifice flavor harmony for novelty's sake. Keep both development and production costs under control so pricing stays consumer-friendly.

Operating on online platforms is a low-cost way to gain users and build the brand.

Live streaming, in particular, is a great budget promotional channel. The pandemic has made consumers comfortable with online shopping and online discounts, so new coffee shops can use video and e-commerce platforms for live promotion. Audiences will be tiny at first — don't give up. Even if one person is watching, persist; you never know how many users might stumble onto your stream.

Through livestreams you can issue coupons and run promotions, or answer coffee questions and interact with viewers — effectively raising brand exposure and consumer trust. Offline, build a solid membership system with member promotions to lift repurchase rates.

Conclusion

Opening a coffee shop during the pandemic is possible! But you must mind product quality and customer service. The coffee market keeps expanding downward, and our focus can't stay on the small circle of specialty coffee consumers — ordinary consumers' needs deserve far more attention.

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a community shop serving both specialty drinkers and everyday consumers, your house beans need range. The FrontStreet Classic Blend — built on the traditional Mamba (Mandheling + Brazil) formula — is the first pick: outstanding crema, mellow and rounded, easy for beginners and veterans alike, equally suited to home and commercial service.

For cost-conscious operators, the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend uses 100% Arabica beans with ample crema and rich body at a friendly price — quality and value in one, saving shop owners both worry and money.

For a signature fruity option that stands out on the menu, the FrontStreet Strawberry Sugar espresso blend recreates the sweet aroma of strawberry gummy candy through the fusion of Arabica beans from different origins — perfect for cafés wanting differentiated milk-coffee offerings, and versatile enough as an all-purpose daily bean.

And to anchor a pour-over program for casual customers, entry-level single origins like the FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado (cream, peanut, and cocoa, tasty and affordable) make specialty coffee approachable without pricing anyone out.