Business for dummies: How to start your own pet cafe!

Business for dummies: How to start your own pet cafe!

Anything pet related these days has been all the rage. That’s why you’ll be able to find tons of pet parks, pet boutiques, pet hotels and so much more! Plus almost all establishments allow pets, sometimes with certain rules, sometimes without.

But pet cafes are one pet-related business that has recently emerged and is getting quite popular. It’s a place where you can your pet can indulge in delicious dishes with other pets in the store as well! You can even buy toys, clothes, treats and so much more.

So if you want to open your own pet cafe, then keep reading! Down below you can find all the basic things you have to know as an aspiring pet cafe owner!

How do pet cafes work?

The nature of pet cafes is simply just like a regular cafe. You choose an order, pay for it, and then wait for it at your table. Depending on the owners you can either pay for it after ordering or pay for it at the end of your meal.

Your pets can stay inside the cafe with you or hang out in a playpen. Most pet cafes have a space where pets can interact and play and are usually outdoors in an open space. And for the menu, there are items for you as well as items for your pet.

What a pet cafe consists of most of the time are food and drinks, pet toys, treats and clothes you can buy, a playpen and even a pet hotel. Thus, it serves as a playhouse, boutique, cafe, and hotel all in one. But based on your preferences, you can change your pet café by including or excluding any of the previously stated features.

There are also some pet cafes that offer packages or in other terms ‘one-fee-covers-all’. So these packages will consist of an item for you and an item for your pet. Example: Get 1 iced latte and a cupcake along with a pup cake and 2 bone biscuits for only $7.50.

How do you make a pet cafe?

To open your very own pet cafe, you have to follow a process that will not only help you run a functional business but also a legal one. So to help you out, here’s a guide you can follow when starting your pet cafe:

Create a business plan

Whatever business you get into, you will always need a business plan. This will help you map out your goals, budget, revenue so on and so forth. So this is an essential step to consider figuring out first. Once you have a concrete business plan, you can now move on to the next step.

Find a place

Now it’s time to look for a location for your pet cafe. Make sure the area is accessible in proximity, easy to find, has parking and isn’t directly beside a highway or busy street. Look for an area that isn’t too loud so this doesn’t get pets in your shop anxious.

Especially if you run a pet hotel in your cafe, try to prioritize looking for a more peaceful area. Plus the fumes from cars can be bad for outdoor playpens. Once you’ve found the perfect place, get any necessary permits and everything else they require you to have.

Secure a fund

Opening a business isn’t as cheap as you think. There are various things to consider such as property payments, water and eclectic bills, inventory, salaries, insurance, supplies and so on. So before officially, opening makes sure you have a fund secured.

There are numerous ways to get funded. You can either get a bank loan, work with a private lender and so much more. Remember, only go out of pocket when it’s a necessity.

Come up with a menu

Now you can come up with your menu. You can tailor this however you like, you can add pastries, rice meals, desserts, finger foods and so much more. Make sure your pet dishes consist of ingredients safe and healthy for pets.

Partner with other animal associations

To make your business all the more meaningful, partner with other animal associations like animal shelters, animal feeding programs, community vets and so on. You can use your shop to promote and encourage visiting guests to know more about it.

This is a great way to help out the community in the little ways you can. You can even set a donation box on the counter whenever people choose to donate. You can even set out fliers, pamphlets and so on.

Get insurance

Another step to greatly take into consideration is getting your business insured. Remember you’re catering to both animals and people. So you have to be tedious with your process for both parties to prevent dangers and accidents from happening.

That’s why having insurance is a must when running a pet business. This can protect you from lawsuits, property damage, financial losses, customer and employee injury and so much more. So consider getting an insurance advisor and safeguard your business as well as your customers and staff.

Plus getting insurance can make your business all the more credible and reliable to partners, clients, lenders and even your customers. This gesture of getting your business protected will not only keep you safe but everyone around it. Be aware that certain states mandate that you have insurance, proving how important it is.