How to Open a Tea Room

Last Updated: July 31, 2020 Approved

If you've worked in a tea room, cafe or restaurant before, then opening a tea room might be an appealing idea. And with more and more people choosing tea for its proven health benefits, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurs, even those without formal business or restaurant training, to open a profitable tea room. However, running any kind of business requires more than talent, experience and a passion for your product; it also requires sound business knowledge and investment capital, so read the following steps to learn how to open a tea room.

Steps

1
Decide what type of tea room you'd like to open. Besides the classic Victorian-style tearoom that serves English tea and sweets, you can consider zen-oriented tea rooms and Chinese tea rooms that serve Chinese tea, modern tea rooms that serve blended and organic tea, and even tea rooms combined with a bakery or juice bar.
2
Look at existing tea rooms to find out which concepts attract customers, what the general pricing is, and how they market themselves to the general public.

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3
Construct a sound business plan and have a professional accountant evaluate it for you.^{[1]
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- Always include the costs of your tea room venue. Whether you buy or rent real estate, your venue will account for a significant portion of your costs.
- Estimate the costs of furniture for your customers, as well as preparation and serving equipment.
- Find suppliers who are local to you and offer supplies at a reasonable price.
- Research which licenses and permits you need to open a tea room in your chosen area.
- Calculate how much you will need to pay employees, accountants, and other supporting staff.
- Reserve a portion of your budget for marketing and advertising, as this is key to making your tea room more visible to customers.
4
Get the capital you need to open a tea room. Unless you have the money yourself, you will need to get a loan from the bank, or have investors put up the funding you need for your tea room.
5
Choose the venue for your tea room. You can either open a tea room at a new location, or buy an existing tea room. Whatever you choose, make sure you have enough traffic to attract customers.^{[2]
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6
Buy your equipment and furniture and furnish your tea room. Make sure to give it a unique but pleasant style that will set it apart while still inviting customers in.
7
Decide on your menu. Remember to make up a menu that offers something to please both conservative and adventurous palates in order to maximize your customer base.
8
Interview and hire your employees. The success of your tea room will depend in large part on how your staff treats customers, as well as how proficient they are at preparing tea, so make sure to hire people who are polite, friendly, and efficient.
9
Buy your supplies, such as teapots, cups and saucers, hot water boiler, spoons, infusers, and of course a variety of teas.^{[3]
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10
Advertise your tea room in local publications, on flyers, and on the local radio.
11
Open your tea room for business.
- Hand out free samples in front of your tea room to attract new customers and introduce them to your business.

Community Q&A

Question

What would I need to do to open a tea room that also offers food such as sandwiches and soup, as well as cakes and cookies?

Community Answer

You would need tables, chairs, a cash register, and people who would make the food items.

Warnings

Be sure to comply with all health and safety codes when opening a tea room. If you violate any, your tea room will be shut down.

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