Internet Cafe

[Customb]

I have a dream of opening an internet cafe in my home city of Myrtle Beach, SC. Does anyone own one or know someone who does so I can get some revenue figures from them? Any insight would be great. I am in the process of preparing a business plan for investors.

 

[DotLeader]

the one i go to it cost 200k to setup
but thats with 50+ top quality computers
and all the gaming servers

they got alot of investors so it helps

 

[Customb]

Do you know about revenue they are bringing in? I am wanting to set it up near a college campus.

 

[Jack Gordon]

The few I have seen did not seem to be working very well...

I think with computers as cheap as they are it may be tough to make something like this work for the long term. Best of luck.

 

[Customb]

My vision is like a starbucks with some computers and study tables. Use the coffee shop and copy machine and stuff as the main money and the computers as an "upsell".

 

[Ed30]

Instead of the coffee, a juice bar might be something else to think about - might do well especially if your place is near the beach. Good luck with the plan.

 

[Customb]

Yeah something like that was also visioned with juice and smoothies and such. I really think if you can locate it near a college and there is NO competition then you will have a winner.

 

[Spider]

The ones around here aren't in great locations so they crumble. I think if you add college+coffee+computers=cash cow.

 

[Customb]

Now i just have to find the investors. The college is www.coastal.edu We have a nice college campus but really nothing like this. The closest coffee house or anything is 25 minutes off campus. I really think this could work with it being very close to campus. We also get a great deal of tourists. I really think this would work out. If there are any "angels" out there let me know. I had planned on the 200k startup fees being about right.

 

[actnow]

Gary,

I was in Ocean City, MD a couple weeks ago. And, I was trying to find a place that I could use MY laptop with a wifi. As you know, Startbucks and McDonalds are rolling these out.

However, the point is, there are a lot of people who need to check emails, etc in the resort areas.

Your strategy is correct. But, I don't think the kids are going to pay for computer time if they get it free at the college.

So, it will have to be built into your cost of food/beverages.

Incidently, McDonalds is charging for their service. But, that is slightly different.

 

[Customb]

See I disagree. At the college there is limited space for computer labs and definitely no areas that are away from the "institutional" feel. The bandwidth isn't the best and you aren't allowed to do much. Printing is expensive there is no place to get a good coffee or juice. I am not talking expensive here either. I haven't worked out the revenue model but I would see something around $10 an hour for computer time billed on a key card like a copy card at kinkos. So they are there using it and have no real idea how much they are spending. The key is to make the bandwidth fast, the atmosphere good, and the technology even better. (Wireless stations will also be available).

 

[Restecpa]

$10 an hour? Does that include B&B?

 

[Steen]

lol, $10/hr seems a lil hihg.

My friends mom worked at one in UK then moved back here and opened her own, in a bad location.

Result, out of biz.

Her main biz was coffee/cafe but went under the "cyber caffe" name.

I like the smoothies/juice bar idea (how bout milkshakes?) but I think students @ college can be on the frugel side.

Unless its a prestigious college

Best of luck.

 

[unclewilco]

get a beer licence, then offer adult content on kiosk type machines!! where they pay by the minute...

--- no idea where i got that from..

 

[system0]

does the college not provide free internet access?

 

[Customb]

The college has net in the dorms but 60%+ of students live off campus. The only other place is the library or 1 of 2 student labs which are constantly overcrowded. I just recall when I was in college and going to a neighborhood starbucks to study and it was always packed.

 

[system0]

if theyre overcrowded then your in a good position to catch those who cant get in the library etc


good luck

 

[Customb]

I am young myself and I know this first hand. My girlfriend just graduated and I always had people over at my house to work (and we live 30 minutes away) because no one wanted to go on campus because of the fear they were overcrowded and the institutional setting so they came to my house because I had fast net and a good PC.

 

[RMF]

I think its a tough business to be in. With computers so easily available to people nowadays, I doubt many people pay $10 an hour to use a computer. If you get into offering multiplayer tournaments and stuff like that, you'll need new computers every few months to keep up with the latest stuff. If you don't keep up with the latest stuff, the people will go somewhere else. I also doubt many college students are going to pay $10 an hour to use a computer when they usually already have one, or use one at college, or have a friend that has one.

RMF

 

[StockDoctor]

Better get the beer Gary.