I have been pondering the thought for some time on opening a coffee shop that would serve pastry and sandwiches on a small scale. It would be in the historic area of Virginia City, NV. What is my first step?

Thanks
Linda

Is there a viable market for this venture? Have you checked out your city ordinances on new businesses? Call your Chamber of Commerce and ask if there have been any studies on kinds of businesses that are needed there. Also ask for a lsit of resources that you can use for researching grants, start up funding, minority loans, etc. If you find a place, make sure it meets fire and building codes. If you build new, you still need permits.

It may be that this type of store is a real need and it may be that it is a duplicate or triplicate or more. If there is another store like the one you want to put in, what will be your draw for customers? Your flair, that draws people in and keeps them coming in?

Good luck to you.

The best place to start is to find the nearest Small Business Administration office. There are countless resources on the website that will help you get started. But, an often overlooked resource is the SBA S.C.O.R.E.. It stands for the Service Corps Of Retired Executives. They are free, but it doesn't hurt to take them to lunch and pay for lunch.

Have a good day.