Biker Cafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Biker Cafe Idea - need some feedback from all of you

I tell you one thing for sure. If I hear about a new bike orientated cafe I will want to go. If in the second breath you say. Harley guys hang out there. I'm out
 
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I tell you one thing for sure. If I hear about a new bike orientated cafe I will want to go. If in the second breath you say. Harley guys hang out there. I'm out

I kinda agree. Even as a HD rider, I resent the "club" aspect that comes with it at times.

Don't need a "biker" bar with patrons that look down their noses at other riders due to what they ride.

As long as they ride, should be all that matters.

Except maybe BMW riders. They won't come anyways. Lol. Kidding!!!!

Airhead and K Series riders are ok.....


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Overstaying and underbuying is a rampant thing in Toronto. Look at any starbucks. Person, dominating a table for two with bag/books/laptop, bought one coffee, and sitting for hours. Typically this is spent on their phones despite the books/laptop.

Right now, the majority of LnL meets are people hanging in the lot, some buying coffee and snacks. If you're letting people occupy inside, you're going to have freeloading for sure.

And your food will have to be mf'ing good. People are so discriminating when it comes to standards eats now (coffee, burgers, wings etc), that you need to be strong in the food taste dept.

The 'minimum purchase' policy might work or might piss people off. A parkinglot admission could work same way, to stop people from just freeloading while paying customers pass you by due to no space to park.

The model is tricky, especially with how cheap many riders are.
 
I think what Toronto needs is a store/café combo that carries all the major gear and accessories brands, but without any sort of bias towards a genre. Like GP Bikes' gear section but with a coffee shop attached to it.

Town Moto is nice but the place is tiny and very hipster-centric, and Urban Rider in the east end mostly carries low-end stuff.

My place would be big enough to allow and even encourage Starbucks-type loitering. Clear out the moto gear in the winter and turn the place into a café/coworking space w/small biz amenities.

The store part would be a showroom backed by a warehouse operation. If we don't have your jacket/gloves/helmet at the store, you just pre-purchase on the spot thanks to our staff that's roaming the place with their POS-equipped iPads, Genius Bar style. Most purchases get to you the next day - you can either pick them up at the store or have them delivered.

Alas I don't have the millions of dollars required to lease and stock a warehouse, rent prime commercial real estate and hire staff. If a wealthy type wants to steal my idea, I'd like to manage the place. Let me know where to send my resume.
 
Harley Davidson had a coffee shop like that on Ossington called 1903. I went there and the staff all told me the shop did really well - a great success. Unfortunately some big company stole the lease out from under them before it could be renewed, so they're looking for another location. Ossington just happens to be rather trendy at the moment I guess.

I think it's a great idea, but you have to pay special attention to location, a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere and above and beyond all, ample, safe parking for motorcycles where they can't be hit by cars. It's important to have the bikes parked visibly, because they are essentially an advertisement for the business. You can charge high prices in Toronto as long as the coffee, tea and other products are top notch.

I had read that the Harley cafe was only meant to be there temporarily - not a permanent venture. It was set-up to promote the Harley brand, since there are no Harley dealers in TO. They were hoping to capitalize on the Ossington scene and demographic as a way
of making Harley the choice of new and younger riders.
 
Yes the HD thing was a pop-up. T'was nice but a bit too heavy on marketing IMO.

That blue Panhead was purty.
 
I kinda agree. Even as a HD rider, I resent the "club" aspect that comes with it at times.

Don't need a "biker" bar with patrons that look down their noses at other riders due to what they ride.

As long as they ride, should be all that matters.

Agreed, and that's a problem. Any metric cruiser rider will attest to the scowls from some (not all) of the HD crowd in the parking lots of certain coffee establishments. Yeah, I'm not going somewhere where that's going to be a regular or almost guaranteed occurrence.

Matts idea of a warehouse type store where there's a restaurant/coffee type setup as part of it has merit though - I think a lot of riders *would* visit that sort of place. Take GP bikes or Royal Distributing - if either had a good coffee and food type place as part of the square footage with some comfortable seating it would give people more reason to go even if they weren't necessarily planning on going "shopping" for bike goodies, but just wanted a like-minded place to grab a bite...and hey, many of those visits would certainly translate to impulse purchases on the retail side I'm sure.
 
many of those visits would certainly translate to impulse purchases on the retail side I'm sure.

That's the idea. And by having staff at the ready to process your purchase without you even having to line up at the register, you convert more sales and lose less of them to FortNine.ca and gpbikes.com. :grin: Pricing would need to be somewhat close though, hence the need for a larger, multi-million-dollar operation.
 
Hey guys, I've been thinking about this for a while now, as we don't seem to have anything quite like it in the GTA.
I'm looking to open a biker oriented/friendly cafe place (liquor licensed as well) similar to the Ace Cafe in London, England.
A place for motorcycle fans to get together, talk bikes, watch MotoGP, Dakar Rally, etc. Have some documentary/movies nights, old school movies, etc and live bands.

What do you guys thing about this? Would you stop by?

Restaurant business is cut throat. Appealing to fraction of the public (motorcyclists) is a recipe for disaster.

Won't say it can't be done, but in order for it to succeed it would need a big name behind it to lure non-motorcyclists in..
 
I had read that the Harley cafe was only meant to be there temporarily - not a permanent venture. It was set-up to promote the Harley brand, since there are no Harley dealers in TO. They were hoping to capitalize on the Ossington scene and demographic as a way
of making Harley the choice of new and younger riders.

see post #16.... sheesh
 
The CTOM sportbike scene was awesome. The bikes, the large numbers, the women :); it was a trifecta. For a while it had many riders and friends visiting often through the winter as well (no bikes). Maybe I should scan some pics from back then. The coffee and food was pricey too. ;)

I always thought that was an awesome location. Close to downtown, close to the dvp, close enough to the 401 and Gardiner, some good cloverleaf ramps in the area, free parking, with a large lot as well as outdoor space. No liquor and that's best.
 
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I kinda agree. Even as a HD rider, I resent the "club" aspect that comes with it at times.

Don't need a "biker" bar with patrons that look down their noses at other riders due to what they ride.

As long as they ride, should be all that matters.

Except maybe BMW riders. They won't come anyways. Lol. Kidding!!!!

Airhead and K Series riders are ok.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm uncomfortable with the club thing too. You just need a sign saying "No 1% Club Colours".

The idea isn't a biker bar, but a coffee shop. As for Harley riders looking down their noses, I don't see how anyone should care. You can't be picky and choosy by basing your clientele on bike brands. There isn't enough riders to make that work 7 days a week. Let the chips fall where they may. I suggest most of the clientele would be young riders anyway, with the odd Harley tour group rolling through.
 
Don't go to a place like this for business advice. There wouldn't be a single business in existence if people asked for the opinions of an internet forum
 
I'd politely disagree, some feedback and input of those that may compose your customer base is never a wrong idea. This forum in particular is a bit polarizing. I'd get some input from an actual restrantuer and an accountant and possibly make a friend in finance.

I have several friends that are also mentors that can look at a business plan and tell me if I should go forward or pass. My gut feeling only get me so far and emotional decisions should be limited to dinner choices.
 
Don't go to a place like this for business advice. There wouldn't be a single business in existence if people asked for the opinions of an internet forum

If this were true, forums wouldn't exist, Facebook wouldn't exist, Twitter wouldn't exist, Streefires, YouTube - they all started with ideas floated on public forums and newsgroups. Avoid negativity, it is the path to the dark side.
 
Agreed, and that's a problem. Any metric cruiser rider will attest to the scowls from some (not all) of the HD crowd in the parking lots of certain coffee establishments. Yeah, I'm not going somewhere where that's going to be a regular or almost guaranteed occurrence.

Matts idea of a warehouse type store where there's a restaurant/coffee type setup as part of it has merit though - I think a lot of riders *would* visit that sort of place. Take GP bikes or Royal Distributing - if either had a good coffee and food type place as part of the square footage with some comfortable seating it would give people more reason to go even if they weren't necessarily planning on going "shopping" for bike goodies, but just wanted a like-minded place to grab a bite...and hey, many of those visits would certainly translate to impulse purchases on the retail side I'm sure.

IF one could get into an agreement with an outfit like Royal Distributing and run a coffee shop in a corner of their store it could be a symbiotic arrangement. Riders come in for a coffee and while imbibing they look at new gear and maybe a new bike. Royal also does snowmobile gear so an all year deal.

I can't see it working in downtown TO but maybe in the boonies where a decent sized chunk of parking land was available. Outdoor picnic tables etc as well.

I can't see it working as a full restaurant due to the massive costs of construction and staffing. There was a Starbucks in the corner of the Sherway Chapters store until it closed. I assume it made money.

What are the OP's qualifications as a restaurateur? There is a big difference between being a good cook at home and being an inspired chef that draws clients to an eatery.
 
Of course.

Not sure how to explain why it rubbed me the wrong way. It was all a little too perfect, maybe. I dunno. I still liked it overall and the drinks were actually good.
 
You'd need the amenities, ambience and outdoor splendor of a sunny June morning at the Icehouse except close by and 350 days a year to stay in the black. Check your ego at the pop machine.
 

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