INSIGHTS: Coffee bar questions |
Written by Staff |
Wednesday, 08 July 2009 03:28 PM America/New_York |
by George Thomsen Most congregation members of churches with cafes-or even full-service restaurants-have enjoyed the convenience of not having to leave the property to enjoy a cup of coffee or meal. Cafes also provide an inviting environment conducive to fellowship and additional ministry opportunities, and they can bring added ambience and excitement to a church campus. But before your church decides to build a cafe, you need to carefully evaluate all of the pros and cons. Common mistakes to avoid when considering a cafe addition to your church are: - having unrealistic financial expectations for the cafe's performance - not having a realistic knowledge of the cost of construction - failing to contact the health department early enough in the process - failing to involve professional food-service experts in the planning process - not allocating enough space for kitchen and/or food preparation areas - not allocating enough space for traffic flow during peak business periods. The decision to build a cafe in your church is not one that should be entered into lightly. But with planning and prayer, many churches can find a format that works well, complements their bookstore ministries and blesses their congregations. -George Thomsen is manager of the Harvest Bookstore at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. Read the complete article at http://www.thechurchbookstore.com/a.php?ArticleID=13233
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