Anti-cafes are an increasingly popular format of public establishments designed for holding friendly, business or creative meetings, master classes or an exciting holiday with company. The idea of opening an anti-cafe first came from the writer Ivan Mitin. The first establishment was opened with an “as much as you can or don’t mind” payment system; drinks and treats were provided as a bonus. A year later, in 2011, the time cafe “Tsiferblat” was opened in Moscow and guests paid a ruble per minute of stay to visit the establishment.
Content
- Description of the business and its advantages
- Franchise
- Monthly expenses
- Production plan of the establishment
- Profitability
- Risk factors
- Advertising and promotion
- Investment calculation
- Staff
- Selecting a room
- Business registration
- The first stage of opening: assessing the characteristics of the business
- Target audience and its specifics
- Opening a time cafe as a type of small business has a number of advantages
Programs and concept
You can negotiate with young artists and exhibit their paintings as decoration for the establishment, which can also be purchased. You can take a small percentage of sales. In the same direction, you can display hand-made goods for sale.
When opening, invite poets and musicians. Naturally, since the establishment is designed for more or less intelligent people, the poetry should not contain obscene language, and the music should not be too harsh. Although, of course, you can arrange such evenings, depending on the wishes of the guests.
In general, ask guests often, even before opening a business, what they would like to hear or see. Also, you can arrange a mini-library in your cafe so that a guest who comes outside the evening program will not get bored either. You can even arrange a book crossing, an exchange of books, let more people come.
Invite writers who can talk interestingly about their new book or simply share interesting information. You can agree that they perform for you for free, as your advertising, for example. But this already depends on your contacts and abilities.
Description of the business and its advantages
An anti-cafe is an establishment that combines the features of an ordinary cafe, a youth club, an Internet cafe, a library, a business center, and a games room. Here every visitor can read or work, meet business partners, spend time playing board games, billiards, etc. An anti-cafe guest pays money only for the amount of time he plans to spend in the establishment. Use of the Internet, game consoles, books, and board games is provided for a nominal fee or completely free. The fee for visiting also includes snacks and drinks offered by the anti-cafe. The establishment's profit is formed from the total amount paid by visitors during their stay. Billing is carried out both hourly and minutely. The goal of a business project to open an anti-cafe is to obtain net profit from the provision of free use of areas and premises for various types of pastime:
- work in a calm, quiet environment;
- holding conferences for small audiences;
- organization of themed parties;
- presentations of books and projects to the public;
- communication with like-minded people;
- business meeting.
Anticafe workers
| Job title | Rate, rub. | Qty | Amount, rub. |
| Administrator | 20000 | 2 | 40000 |
| Hall manager | 18000 | 2 | 36000 |
| Cleaning lady-dishwasher | 16000 | 2 | 32000 |
| Accountant at ½ rate | 12000 | 1 | 12000 |
| Payroll tax | – | – | 36000 |
| Total: | 7 | 156000 | |
Franchise
Business experts recommend that novice entrepreneurs who decide to open an anti-cafe start their activities by purchasing a franchise of popular establishments of a similar format. This approach has a serious advantage - the time cafe will become recognizable among the target audience from the first day of opening. However, if an entrepreneur has his own vision of what an anti-cafe that is in demand among visitors should look like, then when purchasing a franchise, he will not be able to bring his own ideas to life. Opening an anti-cafe is one of the best business ideas, since establishments of this format, while at the stage of gaining popularity, attract active, sociable and creative people. The listed risks can be minimized by carefully considering each point of the business plan. However, it is necessary to take into account those factors that cannot be influenced. These include: the emergence of stronger competitors; increase in prices for purchased equipment, products, rental premises, utilities. The presentation and festive opening of the establishment is good advertising, which will attract a large number of customers in the first days of operation. In honor of the opening of the time cafe, you can organize an interesting event with competitions and gifts. If the time cafe participates in social projects and charity events, this will increase the prestige of the establishment in the eyes of the public.
Risks and payback
The risks that could cause an anti-cafe to go negative are divided into external and internal. External risks are associated with the instability of the economy in the country, and internal risks are associated with the quality of service and operation of the establishment.
External risks include:
- presence of stronger competitors;
- rising prices for materials used and rental premises.
Internal risks include:
- reduction in customer flow;
- business orientation for a certain time of year;
- loss of prestige due to improper organization of work or poor quality service.
A peculiar risk for an anti-cafe is that a client can place an order for an amount exceeding the payment for the duration of his stay. In this case, expenses will exceed income.
Regarding the payback, it all depends on prices and the flow of visitors. For example, payment for staying in an anti-cafe is 1.5-2 rubles/min. An average flow (20-30 clients for 120-180 minutes/day) will bring from 6,000 to 10,000 rubles/day. That is, the monthly profit of the anti-cafe will be 30,000-50,000 rubles. And full payback will occur within 1.5-3 years.
Monthly expenses
The amount of monthly expenses should be objectively assessed by every entrepreneur who wants to open his own time cafe. An example of a monthly budget is shown in the table:
| Article | Sum |
| Renting premises | 85000 |
| Payment of utilities, including internet | 15000 |
| Staff salaries | 100000 |
| 10000 | |
| Taxes | 10000 |
| Depreciation | 5000 |
| Buying books, periodicals | 3000 |
| Purchase of drinks and food | 5000 |
| RESULT | 233000 |
The exact amount of monthly expenses depends on the region.
Financial plan
The business plan must include the item “calculating expenses and income.” It is necessary to calculate what costs and how much, take into account the rental of premises (about 100 m²) and wages to the work team.
Example of initial investment:
- renovation and decoration of the premises - 300,000-400,000 rubles;
- equipment and inventory - 300,000-400,000 rubles;
- other costs - 100,000-200,000 rubles.
That is, for the first time you will need to invest about 700,000-1,000,000 rubles.
Regular investments
When planning your monthly expenses, you should consider:
- rent - 40,000-60,000 rubles;
- salary to employees - 80,000-120,000 rubles;
- other expenses - 30,000-50,000 rubles.
In total, the average monthly expense will be 150,000-230,000 rubles.
Production plan of the establishment
The predicted number of visits per month is an important indicator taken into account when opening a time cafe. On average, for every 100 thousand of the city’s population, there are about 35 people who belong to the target audience of such an establishment. A typical client is a person between 18 and 30 years old with an average income by the standards of the locality. One minute of visiting is estimated at 2-3 rubles. The average duration of one visit is 2 hours. Therefore, the average amount of one check is 240 rubles. In the autumn-winter period, the average number of visitors is 50-55 people. So, daily revenue will be from 1,200 rubles and above, and monthly revenue will be from 360,000 rubles. However, these indicators have an anti-cafe that has been successfully operating for three months or more.
Monthly revenue is also affected by the number of organized parties, trainings, creative evenings and other events that are widely attended by young people.
Deciding on the type and size of the anti-cafe
Planning a business plan must begin by identifying the topic and finding suitable premises. To do this you need to decide:
- who is the target audience;
- where there is a concentration of representatives of the target audience;
- what theme will the anti-cafe concept correspond to;
- what services will be offered.
The target audience (TA) refers to a circle of potential consumers who have common characteristics and are united by the same goals, objectives, and interests. People from 18 to 32 years old with an average income level can be selected for a time cafe: schoolchildren, students, office workers, startupers, freelancers, etc.
It is advisable to consider premises on 1-2 lines, with a separate entrance from the main street. Preferred locations: close to educational institutions: universities, universities, academies, etc.
Areas with several rooms are ideal: several zones with different purposes can be placed here. Pavilions in close proximity to transport stops where passenger traffic is quite high are suitable. The minimum area for the full operation of a small anti-cafe is 75 sq.m. The optimal option is 100 sq.m. Availability of water supply, sewerage and electricity is required.
You can choose a specific era, event, popular personality or cultural sphere as a topic. It should be interesting and intriguing; in the future, it is thematic content that will attract the audience, influence the concept of advertising campaigns, etc.
Risk factors
Despite the fact that opening a time cafe is a low-cost and quickly pays off type of business, there are still risk factors that can lead to financial losses. The most common reasons for failure include: Insufficient funds – this problem is most often faced by inexperienced entrepreneurs who incorrectly calculate the budget for implementing a business idea.
The main mistake is that the owner of an anti-cafe creates a cash reserve, which is only enough to purchase equipment, furniture and other attributes of a time cafe. At the same time, the entrepreneur does not have enough funds to pay off current obligations related to paying for utilities, as well as to compensate for unpredictable losses. Low level of attendance - this risk factor is present if an establishment of a new format opens in a provincial city or town. Simultaneous visits to an establishment by people who have opposing interests and values - a similar problem arises when the concept of an establishment is chosen incorrectly or the zoning of the premises is incorrect. The cost of providing services exceeds revenue - this problem arises when a visitor orders a large number of drinks and snacks, and his visit does not pay for itself. Deterioration of reputation - the image of the establishment may be shaken due to poor quality of services, inappropriate behavior of staff, emergency incidents within the anti-cafe. An accountant and a marketer (promotion manager) can work remotely at the establishment. The monthly salary budget for staff averages 100,000 rubles (the exact value depends on the region).
How to open an anti-cafe
Anonymous:
04/04/2020 at 20:00
Hello! Two years ago we were forced to close our anti-cafe. But people still (!) call us with questions about our operating hours. This is sad((. Today I decided to tell you how and why we opened this establishment and what ultimately led to its closure. I hope that my instructive story will be useful for someone))
I’ll immediately answer the question that interests many: is it really possible to make money from this? Of course, nothing is impossible in business, but specifically in this area the margin is extremely low, and I would not advise beginners to take on such a business. But based on my own experience, I can say with confidence that it is quite possible to make yourself known in the shortest possible time so that clients will start coming regularly. Marketing strategy I warn you right away - in the case of an anti-cafe, it is vitally important to correctly target a specific contingent. The fact is that someone is targeting quiet, calm freelancers who want to work in peace and quiet. But others hold hipsters closer to their hearts with their get-togethers, board games and comic book collections. And here it is extremely important to choose the interior and equipment so that your chosen categories of visitors stay in your establishment for a long time. Oddly enough, you need to cut off those visitors who came “for a couple of minutes.” Even if they pay the cost of the first hour in full (usually no more than 60 rubles), the coffee they drink and the baked goods they eat will cost much more ((Thus, you need to select visitors like this:
• “Catch” small companies with similar interests that really need somewhere to sit, discuss creative plans, etc. • Pay attention to the same high school students who, for some reason, don’t want to go home right after school, young parents who left the “replenishment” in the care of their grandparents, and who want to just relax in silence. • I highly recommend paying attention to freelancers. From my own experience, I know that co-working spaces are not so common, and the cost of 8-9 hours in them is much higher than if compared to an anti-cafe. • Have more frequent meeting nights, themed events, etc., which quickly attract creative people.
We wanted to gather a group of people who were sufficiently solvent and interested in a relaxing pastime. It is for this reason that the choice fell on board games. We bought all possible varieties, aimed at both two people and companies. Unlike board game clubs, it’s much more pleasant to sit here, we have better equipment, and people can drink coffee or tea while playing. We didn’t try to “embrace the immensity,” and therefore focused only on board games.
But this strategy quickly proved its low profitability, and therefore we began to focus on holding birthday parties. At first we used contextual advertising in Yandex, and soon we completely switched to promotion on social networks. This method has repeatedly proven its high efficiency at minimal cost. Business model The simplest. We chose a classic anti-cafe without the emphasis on tea, coffee, pastries and other attributes that the owners of “classic” cafes focused on. This way the costs are much lower, and your head doesn’t hurt about collaborating with unscrupulous suppliers. What did we need to buy? I will give a list of the main expenses on which money had to be spent in the early days of our establishment:
• It was necessary to purchase furniture and a set of board games. • Of course, it was necessary to pay rent for the space. • It is necessary to leave money to pay staff. • It is necessary, albeit in minimal quantities, to buy sweets, coffee/tea, and dishes. • As usual, they paid for utilities and security. • Small amounts were left to pay for advertising promotion of the anti-cafe.
In relation to the total amount of the check, the final total of consumables was a maximum of 12%, which is very good. As I recently calculated, the overall profitability was about 20%. Let me emphasize that wherever it was necessary, we used “white” design methods, which consume huge (!!!) amounts of money. For example, as of 2014, not a single anti-cafe in our city complied with the requirement for separate washing of dishes. They simply took the nearest sink (in which one of the visitors could have washed their socks shortly before) and “washed” the dishes in it. Judging by Rossanepidemnadzor, this is a very serious violation. There is nothing to say about fire safety - practically no one paid attention to it at all.
And one more “small” nuance. According to generally accepted rules (what a surprise), any (!) anti-cafe was required to have a “panic button”. None of our competitors bothered with its installation (very expensive, by the way). But we installed it anyway (it was never used once). Strict restrictions, by the way, also exist in the field of fire safety standards. So, I still can’t imagine how many competitors worked in premises designed for 50+ people, but without a second exit. But! From my own experience, I can say that there are still some benefits from standards. So, if you use strictly disposable tableware, then the presence of a specialized sink becomes unnecessary.
In general, due to strict adherence to the rules, our operating costs have always been on point. Many competitors, by the way, opened with the expectation that “they won’t touch us for the first two years,” which is why their margins were always higher. Alas, alas. One anti-cafe, located literally a block from us, was unlucky - in the first six months its owner was slapped with such a fine “in aggregate” that he was immediately forced to close. It turned out to be too expensive to eliminate all the shortcomings). About neighbors and “sympathizers” I’ll say right away: problems with neighbors are the “calling card” of almost any anti-cafe. For example, many people know about “Ziferblat” (the first time cafe in our country). So, its owners tried to survive from almost all rented points. By the way, they admitted in one of their interviews that once the police came to them for two weeks in a row because of constant complaints from neighbors. We, fearing the neighbors' grandmothers in advance, made a "knight's move." We immediately agreed with the landlord that all problems with neighbors (if any arise) would be resolved by him. Fortunately, like a “panic button,” this agreement was never useful.
In addition, we immediately hung up a huge poster with board games in order to show the vigilant neighboring grannies that we do not have drug addicts. And one more little trick. Immediately after opening, we invited all our closest neighbors to a tea party in order to show the establishment from the inside. A huge “Thank you” to our manager for this, since I would not have thought of such an idea on my own. Our contingent As is the case with many other anti-cafes, our first visitors were our own friends. In general, at first it didn’t go well with the visitors. In order to somehow overcome this unpleasant situation, they began to write a lot on social networks and advertise in popular media. In general, today I can identify three main channels for “supplying” visitors:
• The main thing is that people already came to us themselves, and then began to recommend us to their friends. • A lot of people came after stumbling upon our groups on social networks. • Oddly enough, many (by mistake, or out of special love for us) reposted our posts, which is why the number of potential visitors was constantly growing.
The coolest thing is that one day two complete strangers came to us, who liked the concept of a time cafe and gave us a sign for free (!). After which they disappeared into the sunset... Guys, if you are reading this, thank you so much! In short, we gradually began to have our own elders and regulars. There were especially many board game lovers who simply needed companions. Finally, we made good money from organizing birthdays and other holidays.
In general, in terms of visitors, everything gradually improved. I already wrote that they still call us to find out our work schedule?)) How did we close and why did this happen? Alas, at one point we realized that a time cafe might be a profitable business, but only in the very long term. In general, we wanted to invest our efforts in some newer and more interesting projects for us. But we definitely didn’t end up at a loss - having sold our time cafe as a recognizable franchise, we were able to earn a decent amount of money))
In general, a time cafe is a great thing as a “textbook” for a novice businessman and “soul rest” for an established entrepreneur. But the “replay value” is zero. I personally don’t want to open something like this again, and my partners are of a similar opinion. What's the result?
In general, if you have at least an approximate idea of what exactly you want and how to achieve it, clients come in droves. The simplest advertising, word of mouth, and that’s it, the flow of visitors is established. But my opinion is firm - as a means of making good money, the time cafe “does not work.” However, if you own a premises and don’t have to pay rent... Thus, it seems to me that the 100% winners are those anti-cafe owners who provide services in their establishment that are typical for a regular cafe.
That's all, I apologize in advance to everyone whose dreams I just destroyed)) Seriously though, don't be afraid to take risks, it's worth it. Time cafe is a “soft” simulator for more serious types of your own business.
0
Answer
Advertising and promotion
The capital investment budget must include an item for marketing expenses. Due to the fact that the main audience of such an establishment is young people, it is advisable to organize an advertising campaign on social networks, preferably in several at the same time. An anti-cafe must have its own public page or page on which photos, information about services, promotions, as well as the establishment’s work schedule and the schedule of main events will be published. If the anti-cafe has its own website, then its image in the eyes of the target audience will increase. When organizing an advertising campaign, you should take into account the seasonality of such a business as an anti-cafe. It is noted that the establishment’s services are most in demand in autumn and winter. In summer, attendance decreases, so during this period it is recommended to organize various promotions to attract clientele. In a small town, word of mouth can contribute to the growing popularity of a new time cafe. If from the first days of operation the establishment provides quality services at affordable prices, it will quickly gain a good reputation among the clientele. Other ways to effectively disseminate information include:
- advertising in transport;
- handing out flyers on the street;
- cooperation with catering establishments,
- taxi services,
- grocery delivery services
The following must work in an anti-cafe on a permanent basis:
- director (manager);
- common room administrator;
- waiter;
- cleaning woman.
Also, the anti-cafe should comply with the requirements of the State Border Service. A ready-made anti-cafe business plan with calculations necessarily includes the costs of preparing documents related to the registration of enterprises. The total cost of completing all necessary documentation is approximately 9,000 rubles.
Advantages and disadvantages of business
The history of the anti-cafe goes back only eight years, and therefore not every novice entrepreneur has already managed to identify the characteristic features of this business. If you study the experience of existing institutions, you can note the following advantages:
- In many large cities, the number of anti-cafes is measured in just a few. Therefore, a novice entrepreneur can still find a vacant niche;
- The business model does not require the organization of complex interactions with suppliers and customers. Anyone can figure out how to open an anti-cafe;
- Such activities are characterized by good development potential and the opportunity to conduct experiments with the concept of the establishment, tracking fashion trends;
- Employees are subject to minimum educational and training requirements. Sometimes just enthusiasm is enough;
- Compared to how much it costs to open a traditional cafe, such an establishment requires more modest investments;
- An anti-cafe is not only a business, but also a way of life for those who love communication, games, organizing parties and festive events;
- Smoking and drinking alcohol are not welcome in anti-cafes, and sometimes even prohibited. Therefore, the likelihood of conflicts occurring is minimal.
Unfortunately, there are also difficulties in this matter. Some of them can be prevented, while others depend only on market conditions:
- Anticafe is a tribute to fashion. As soon as a more interesting establishment opens in a locality, clients rush there;
- The target audience is only 0.4–0.5% of the population. If you open an antique cafe in a small town, there may not be enough customers even to be self-sufficient;
- It is preferable to locate the establishment in the center. Here it is not so easy to find a good room of suitable size at an adequate price;
- With low profitability, a business is very sensitive to the number of customers. During the holiday season you can easily go into the red.
Investment calculation
The bulk of the capital investment when opening an anti-cafe falls on the purchase of furniture, equipment (audio, video, household), plumbing, and gaming equipment. An approximate list of financial investments for the arrangement of an entertainment facility is given in the table:
| Expense item | Amount (rub.) |
| 10 tables | 40000 |
| 4 medium sized sofas | 30000 |
| Frameless furniture (13 pieces) | 30000 |
| 25 chairs | 25000 |
| Decor | 20000 |
| Bar counter | 30000 |
| Plumbing | 8000 |
| Lighting | 6000 |
| Desktop PC | 30000 |
| Game console | 15000 |
| Set of games for the console | 6000 |
| Printer and copier (scanner) | 8000 |
| Variety of board games | 15000 |
| Fridge | 25000 |
| Coffee machine | 20000 |
| Microwave | 8000 |
| RESULT | 316000 |
The table shows the approximate costs of setting up an establishment. The budget can reach 500 thousand-1 million rubles. The amount of expenses depends on the newness of the equipment and furniture purchased. If the premises require major repairs or designer decoration, then the entrepreneur will have to spend an additional 100,000 rubles or more. Aspiring entrepreneurs can reduce their capital investment by buying used items that are offered in good condition.
Anticafe equipment
In terms of equipment, the anti-cafe is somewhat reminiscent of a regular catering establishment. However, there is no kitchen here, and therefore the entrepreneur does not have to buy expensive cooking equipment. At the same time, you won’t be able to do without furniture, dishes and a variety of recreational equipment. What is needed to open an anti-cafe with 50 seats:
Anticafe hall equipment
| Position | price, rub. | Quantity, pcs. | Amount, rub. |
| Furniture | |||
| Modular sofa | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Simple sofa | 16000 | 10 | 160000 |
| Chair | 2500 | 20 | 50000 |
| Stool | 1500 | 6 | 9000 |
| Bag chair | 1300 | 8 | 10400 |
| Bar counter | 90000 | 1 | 90000 |
| Wall rack | 12000 | 3 | 36000 |
| Small table | 5200 | 5 | 26000 |
| Coffee table | 6500 | 7 | 45500 |
| Round table for "Mafia" | 12500 | 1 | 12500 |
| Hanger | 2700 | 6 | 16200 |
| Kitchen set | 15900 | 1 | 15900 |
| Kitchen equipment and utensils | |||
| Washing | 8200 | 1 | 8200 |
| Dish rack | 11000 | 2 | 22000 |
| Coffee machine | 95000 | 1 | 95000 |
| Fridge | 23000 | 1 | 23000 |
| Microwave | 6900 | 1 | 6900 |
| Toaster | 3500 | 1 | 3500 |
| Thermopot | 1800 | 1 | 1800 |
| Cooler | 3500 | 1 | 3500 |
| Juice carafe | 1500 | 6 | 9000 |
| Tea cup | 160 | 50 | 8000 |
| Coffee cup | 170 | 50 | 8500 |
| Juice glass | 90 | 50 | 4500 |
| Sugar bowl | 200 | 12 | 2400 |
| Spoon | 90 | 50 | 4500 |
| Fork | 100 | 50 | 5000 |
| Napkin holder | 150 | 12 | 1800 |
| Plate | 150 | 50 | 7500 |
| Tray | 320 | 10 | 3200 |
| Leisure equipment | |||
| TV 40” | 32000 | 2 | 64000 |
| Projector | 24900 | 1 | 24900 |
| Screen for projector | 3500 | 1 | 3500 |
| Game console | 39000 | 2 | 78000 |
| Console games | 1500 | 40 | 60000 |
| DVD player | 3500 | 1 | 3500 |
| Karaoke | 21900 | 1 | 21900 |
| Books | 500 | 50 | 25000 |
| Magazines | 150 | 50 | 7500 |
| Board games | 400 | 20 | 8000 |
| Checkers, chess, backgammon, cards | 1000 | 8 | 8000 |
| Ping pong set | 20000 | 1 | 20000 |
| Twister | 1000 | 1 | 1000 |
| Darts | 4000 | 1 | 4000 |
| Air hockey | 41200 | 1 | 41200 |
| Table soccer | 21400 | 1 | 21400 |
| Decor items | – | – | 15000 |
| Total: | 1121700 | ||
Other equipment for anti-cafes is not directly related to the organization of leisure activities for visitors. However, without it it is impossible to ensure the effective operation of the enterprise:
Other anti-cafe equipment
| Position | price, rub. | Quantity, pcs. | Amount, rub. |
| Engineering systems | |||
| Fire alarm | 31000 | 1 | 31000 |
| Security alarm | 28000 | 1 | 28000 |
| CCTV | 52000 | 1 | 52000 |
| Air conditioner | 30000 | 1 | 30000 |
| Fire extinguisher | 2500 | 4 | 10000 |
| Office equipment | |||
| Computer | 23000 | 4 | 92000 |
| Multifunction device | 10200 | 1 | 10200 |
| Wi-Fi router | 2500 | 4 | 10000 |
| Telephone | 1100 | 1 | 1100 |
| Online cash register | 18000 | 1 | 18000 |
| POS terminal | 13000 | 1 | 13000 |
| Card reader | 6000 | 1 | 6000 |
| Time card | 35 | 100 | 3500 |
| Time tracking software | 9100 | 1 | 9100 |
| Other equipment | |||
| Bathroom equipment | 17500 | 1 | 17500 |
| Trash can | 1250 | 2 | 2500 |
| Household equipment | 5000 | 1 | 5000 |
| Professional vacuum cleaner | 10500 | 1 | 10500 |
| Warehouse rack | 3000 | 1 | 3000 |
| First aid kit | 2600 | 1 | 2600 |
| Stationery | – | – | 5000 |
| Total: | 360000 | ||
To find out how much it costs to open an antique cafe from scratch, you should take into account not only the cost of purchasing equipment. Visitors must be provided with hot and cold drinks, desserts, and hygiene products. In a month the establishment will spend:
Anticafe consumables
| Position | Price | Per client | Per month | Amount, rub. |
| Products | ||||
| Tea | 500 rub./kg | 4 g | 6 kg | 3000 |
| Coffee beans | 1000 rub./kg | 6 g | 9 kg | 9000 |
| Drinking water | 20 rub./l | 300 ml | 450 l | 9000 |
| Cream | 200 rub./l | 15 ml | 22.5 l | 4500 |
| Cookie | 120 rub./kg | 100 g | 150 kg | 18000 |
| Cakes | 180 rub./kg | 150 g | 225 kg | 40500 |
| Juice | 40 rub./l | 200 ml | 300 l | 12000 |
| Sugar | 30 rub./kg | 10 g | 15 kg | 450 |
| Other products | ||||
| Paper towels | 0.3 rub./piece | 2 pcs. | 3000 pcs. | 900 |
| Napkins | 0.2 RUR/piece | 2 pcs. | 3000 pcs. | 600 |
| Dishwashing liquid | 50 rub./l | 2 ml | 3 l | 150 |
| Soap for the bathroom | 50 rub./l | 5 ml | 7.5 l | 375 |
| Cleaning product | 60 rub./l | – | 6 l | 360 |
| Total: | 98835 | |||
Staff
An anti-cafe is not an establishment that employs a large number of employees. Despite this, personnel are selected taking into account the characteristics of the chosen type of business activity. The key characteristic of the time cafe staff is an understanding of the business concept and the desire to be in trend. A person working in such an establishment must:
- be a confident user of modern technology;
- have charisma, politeness, sociability and goodwill;
- understand the needs of the target audience and be on the same wavelength with it;
- have an active life position.
Individual entrepreneurs require mandatory registration with the Federal Tax Service. What other documents, permits and licenses need to be issued to open a business:
- PPK;
- permission from the SES;
- sign registration.
The owner of an antique cafe can also have several pets in the establishment. A friendly dog or cat will create a great mood for visitors to the time cafe.
At the initial stages of the business’s existence, visitors will perceive the new establishment with interest, which will be manifested by massive visits to the time cafe. But if the owner of a conceptual establishment does not work to expand the range of services provided and add creative details to the business organization, then the target audience will quickly lose interest in the time cafe. Focusing on the preferences of each group of visitors will help retain your audience. For example, students can be offered services for organizing theme parties, karaoke, movie nights, etc. Visitors to the coworking area can be offered unlimited Wi-Fi, the use of a projector, printer and other equipment necessary for work. A convenient work schedule for visitors is another secret of success. Typically, visitors come to such an establishment from noon until late at night. Therefore, a twelve-hour day, starting at 12:00 and ending at 00:00, will be a convenient option for most guests.
Time cafe opening hours
For the first month, the establishment can operate from 12-00 to 22-00. If visitors like the format and receive comments and suggestions, you can change the work schedule from 11-00 to 02-00.
It is worth considering: dividing the flow of clients over time will allow you to receive more visitors.
In the morning and afternoon hours, part of the premises should be reserved for work areas for freelancers and business meetings. In other areas, welcome visitors who want to drink a mug of coffee, read a book, charge a gadget, or spend the evening chatting.
In the evening, invite friendly groups for games, musical meetings or events.
The business has a clearly defined seasonality: there will be more clients in the autumn and winter months. For the summer period, you need to develop a separate advertising campaign.
Selecting a room
To open an anti-cafe, you need to choose the right location and premises. Ideally, a new establishment should be located in a busy area of the city with convenient transport links. It is optimal if a large business center, college or university is located in the selected area. The premises that are purchased or rented for a time cafe must be in good condition, which will save on repair work. A high-quality electrical network, ventilation system, sewerage and water supply are mandatory criteria when choosing a room. The total area of the establishment varies from 120 to 200 m2 excluding utility rooms. In a city with a population of 1 million or more, the cost of renting such an area ranges from 80 to 150 thousand rubles.
Description of the industry and company
An anti-cafe is a social establishment designed for a pleasant pastime, creative meetings, friendly conversations in a cozy atmosphere, lectures, master classes and co-working space. The peculiarity of the anti-cafe is that payment is not charged for food, but for the time spent in the anti-cafe. By paying for your stay, you can receive free bonuses in the form of hot drinks and sweets. The main profit of the anti-cafe consists of payment for the time spent in the anti-cafe, which is estimated on a minute-by-minute basis. The price range in the anti-cafe is from 1 to 3 rubles per minute.
The anti-cafe format appeared on the market relatively recently. The first anti-cafes were launched in Moscow in 2011. Today, the anti-cafe market is rapidly developing as consumers are looking for new forms of leisure time. About 10 thousand groups of various anti-cafes have been created on the social network VKontakte, which indicates the popularity of this area as a business. The anti-cafe format is recommended for large cities with a population of over a million people. In this case, the project will be profitable. In a large city with a population of about 1 million people, the number of anti-cafes ranges from 8 to 20 establishments. The table shows a study of the anti-cafe market in the largest cities of the country.
Table 1 . Number of anti-cafes in cities with a population of over a million in 2020
| City | Number of anti-cafes | Population, thousand people | City | Number of anti-cafes | Population, thousand people |
| Moscow | 205 | 12 330 | Kazan | 12 | 1217 |
| Saint Petersburg | 98 | 5 226 | Voronezh | 11 | 1 032 |
| Rostov-on-Don | 20 | 1 120 | Permian | 11 | 1 042 |
| Samara | 18 | 1 171 | Volgograd | 10 | 1 016 |
| Krasnodar | 16 | 854 | Novosibirsk | 10 | 1 584 |
| Nizhny Novgorod | 15 | 1 267 | Krasnoyarsk | 8 | 1 067 |
| Ekaterinburg | 13 | 1 444 | Saratov | 8 | 843 |
These data allow us to assess the popularity of anti-cafes, market congestion and the level of competition in a particular city.
Business registration
Any sample business plan includes a section devoted to the registration of an enterprise within the tax field. The registration procedure for this type of business activity is relatively simple. First of all, you need to contact the tax service to register an individual entrepreneur. A person opening an anti-cafe selects the following sections of OKVED: “Activities of club-type institutions”; “Other activities for organizing recreation.” Also, the anticafe should have several utility rooms for storing additional furniture, gaming equipment and other necessary things. When opening an anti-cafe of any concept, you can adopt several “tricks” that will help make the establishment more creative and interesting for guests:
- issuing an alarm clock to each visitor, with which you can track the time spent in the establishment;
- free signature snacks and drinks from the establishment; flexible discount program for students (as an option for creative teams, coaches);
- holiday promotions;
- free photo booth;
- a good library, which is constantly updated with new printed publications;
- mini-zone for an original photo shoot;
- participation in social and charitable projects;
- sale of original souvenirs on behalf of the establishment.
If the owner of the establishment wants to combine several concepts, then he can open several rooms decorated in different styles in a time cafe. Choosing a suitable premises for opening an establishment is one of the main initial stages. Regardless of the concept, each anti-cafe is characterized by the following zoning features: Common room - optimal if it can accommodate up to 30 people. In the main room you can place several soft armchairs (frame furniture is also suitable), bookshelves and coffee tables. The common room should be convenient for organizing movie nights, mini-conferences and trainings. Coworking area - in this room there are computer tables with laptops and other equipment that will be needed for work. Game rooms – here visitors will spend time playing board and computer games. Some establishments also offer space for organizing children's parties.
Anticafe organizational plan
The commercial advantage of the anti-cafe format is that the opening of such an establishment does not require many approvals, unlike a traditional cafe, since such a site can be designed according to the “event organization” class.
To implement the project, it is proposed to register an LLC indicating the following types of activities in accordance with OKVED-2: 96.09 - provision of other personal services - most anti-cafes are indicated as the main type of activity. As additional ones you can specify:
- 55.30 – activities of restaurants and cafes;
- 90.04.3 – activities of club-type institutions.
The tax form for anti-cafes is the simplified tax system 6% (“income”). The number of anti-cafe staff varies from 2 to 6 people - it all depends on the number of services and the format of the anti-cafe.
Table 2. Optimal anti-cafe staff and wages
| Job title | Salary, rub | Number of persons | Total, rub |
| Leader and creative director | 20 000 | 1 | 20 000 |
| Accountant (part-time) | 8 000 | 1 | 8 000 |
| Hall manager | 17 500 | 2 | 35 000 |
| Cleaning lady (part-time) | 7 000 | 1 | 7 000 |
| Total: | 70 000 | ||
The first stage of opening: assessing the characteristics of the business
Before you decide to open an antique cafe, you need to understand all the specifics of this type of business. The secret to the popularity of any time cafe depends on its concept - the more interesting it is for the public, the more profitable the small enterprise will be. A themed establishment is more attractive from the point of view of visitors. Which concepts are the most interesting:
- popular movies or computer games;
- ecology and healthy lifestyle;
- directions of contemporary art;
- countries and their capitals;
- robotics.
Such a project is suitable even for inexperienced entrepreneurs, since it does not require significant costs and is characterized by a relatively short payback period.
Anticafe payback
| Name | Meaning |
| Gross income, rub. | 575400 |
| Expenses per month, rub. | 457355 |
| Profit from sales, rub. | 118045 |
| Tax simplified tax system 15%, rub. | 17705 |
| Net profit, rub. | 100340 |
| Profitability, % | 21,9 |
| Marginality, % | 17,4 |
| Investments, rub. | 2233135 |
| Payback period, months | 22,2 |
Target audience and its specifics
The main audience of the anti-cafe is represented by young people aged no more than 35 years. These are high school students, students, freelancers, aspiring entrepreneurs and people involved in creativity. Classification of visitors to the establishment:
- visitors who come to the anti-cafe to organize a business meeting, a small conference or a master class;
- people who want to work or study in a quiet environment;
- creative teams or groups of friends who want to organize a small party or just spend time playing board or electronic games.
Description and analysis of the sales market
Before opening an anti-cafe, you should decide on your target audience and assess your competitiveness. It is better to open an establishment in a big city with a population of millions in order to withstand the competition. In the provinces, such a business may not be profitable. Since the invention of the anti-cafe format, establishments have opened in more than 8 countries around the world, with the largest number of anti-cafes operating in Russia and the CIS countries.
The widest networks of antique cafes operate as franchises. For example, these:
- Jeffrey'sCoffee/ NewYorkCoffee (20 anti-cafes in the Russian Federation and Ukraine);
- “Necafe” (22 establishments in Russia and Kazakhstan);
- “Tsiferblat” (11 anti-cafes in Ukraine, Russia, Slovenia and the UK);
- TimeClud (4 time cafes in Russia).
There is also competition from other anti-cafes and co-working spaces.
The target audience
The main visitors of the anti-cafe are young people (schoolchildren, students) and creative people who are in free swimming. Freelancers can also come here to work in a relaxed environment, or business people to meet with customers and partners.
Depending on what a person is looking for, the target audience will be as follows:
- designers, musicians, artists, startupers, photographers and other people looking for inspiration;
- businessmen and freelancers who want to work in a cozy atmosphere;
- people passing the time waiting for transport.
Competitive advantages
To make your anti-cafe stand out, you need to analyze the work of competitors and decide what new things can be introduced. So, it is important to choose a location. Here it is advisable not only to focus on a large flow of people, but also to think about the contingent. For example, proximity to higher educational institutions, whose young students always strive for active communication.
To attract attention, you need an original name and appropriate design of the room. It's good to stick to one style. For example, the name may emphasize an interior solution associated with a certain historical era. It’s a good idea to think through some “trick”. For example, organizing changing exhibitions of stamps, postcards, posters, photos that reflect the mood of that time.
Promotion and advertising
2-3 weeks before the start of work, you can start advertising your anti-cafe so that the first customers will already come to the opening.
Advertising can be distributed in several ways:
- through promotional leaflets;
- on radio, television;
- in transport;
- through social networks;
- by working together with musicians, taxi drivers, animators;
- through participation in forums.
The most effective way to promote an anti-cafe is word-of-mouth marketing. If a person likes your place, he will definitely recommend the anti-cafe to friends, acquaintances, relatives, and share the photo on social media. networks.
Opening a time cafe as a type of small business has a number of advantages
- little competition due to the novelty of the niche;
- great business idea for a small town;
- there is no need to have a food unit, since the anti-cafe offers its visitors ready-made snacks and drinks that can be purchased at the nearest supermarket;
- profit depends not on the number of visitors, but on the duration of their stay in the establishment;
- no need to hire a large number of staff;
- a good anti-cafe can have profitable business connections with training centers, coaches, psychologists, and various creative groups; pronounced social orientation of the business.
You can download the examples of business plans offered by us for free in Word and Excel, as well as PDF formats:
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Anticafe menu
Work out an interesting menu for an anti-cafe.
In addition to the fact that all products should be of the highest quality, it is desirable that they have thematic names. It doesn't have to be just gourmet dishes. The emphasis will be mainly on alcohol and watching the program, so when you open, let your menu include simple dishes: pancakes, sandwiches, your own pastries, you can even make business lunches to attract customers.
If a person accidentally comes to your place for a business lunch, tell him about the evening programs and the concept of the establishment. Most likely, the person will be interested and, even if he doesn’t come, will tell other friends and acquaintances.
Anticafe expenses
To ensure the normal functioning of the anti-cafe in accordance with the business plan, you will need to make monthly expenses for the following main items :
- Rent - xxx rub.;
- Utilities - xxx;
- Tax deductions - xxx;
- Advertising and marketing - xxx;
- Employees' salaries - xxx;
- Equipment repair - xxx.
The total amount of current costs of the anti-cafe will be, according to the business plan, from xxx rub. per month.
Anticafe HR plan
The personnel plan of the business plan provides for the following positions in the anti-cafe:
- Director;
- Administrator;
- Advertising Manager;
- PR manager;
- Accountant;
- Hall Manager;
- Security guard;
- Cleaning woman.
In general, you will need to hire at least 10 people.
Anticafe income
The main source of cash flow is fees. charged for visiting an anti-cafe . According to the business plan, revenue will be from xxx rub. per month with an average price for 1 minute - xxx rub.
Profit, calculated as the difference between revenue and costs, can reach up to xxx rubles. monthly.
Who will visit the anti-cafe?
Correctly identifying your target audience is the first step on the path to success. Anticafes are usually visited by people between the ages of 16 and 30. The main purpose of visitors may be:
- communication with friends and relatives;
- work (a cafe like this is an excellent alternative to working from home, where children and other family members are constantly distracted);
- Internet access;
- use of board games;
- meetings with partners, clients;
- holding entertainment events (birthdays, matinees, parties and theme evenings).
From this we can conclude that students, families with children, creative and business people, and self-employed citizens (freelancers) will most often visit anti-cafes. And who and in what quantity can be attracted depends on the availability of different zones and the capacity of the room.
Payback period for investment in opening an anti-cafe in a business plan
From 3 to 5 years.
Sample business plan for opening an anti-cafe with calculations and presentation
The business plan has a clear structure, contains detailed financial calculations, and the financial model allows you to flexibly change any business parameter. This is the optimal solution for those who plan to attract investments, want to get a loan or have a ready-made template for developing their business plan.
The structure of the financial model for opening an anti-cafe
A financial model is a separate file in MS Excel format - essentially it is a separate product designed for business planning and calculation of all its indicators. Each of the parameters of the financial model can be changed manually. There are no macros in the financial model. All formulas are transparent and changeable.
Detailed calculation of investments for opening an anti-cafe
While working on a business plan, we look at dozens of different sources of information. This includes data from equipment suppliers, industry portals, interviews with market experts, and official statistics - such systematic data analysis provides a complete picture of all project parameters: prices, equipment costs, premises costs, costs, etc. .
Business income plan
A necessary component of a full-fledged business plan is a flexible sales plan. It is important, on the one hand, to have a forecast for the business as a whole, and on the other hand, to be able to look at profitability in the context of a separate profit center or even a separate product.
Cash flow forecast when opening an anti-cafe
The cash flow statement is the most important document in any business plan. Contains comprehensive information about the company's operating, investment and financial inflows and outflows, and also allows you to evaluate the overall picture of the company's performance.
Calculation of approximate costs for organizing a business
To fully equip an anti-cafe, on average, a starting capital of about 500-800 thousand will be required (much depends on the area, location of the premises, choice of equipment, etc.). You can learn more about this in the following video:
Monthly expenses will go towards:
- rent;
- public utilities;
- purchasing food and drinks;
- Internet;
- household expenses (toilet paper, napkins, soap, detergents, etc.);
- purchase of water (cooler);
- salaries to employees.
Of course, in the initial stages, advertising costs will be required.
It’s difficult to say about specific numbers here, because anti-cafes vary in size, equipment, and other parameters that are significant for assessment.
Franchise or your own business?
When opening such a business, you may have a question: what is better, an anti-cafe franchise or your own business? We answer your question, you better do your job.
Franchises have few advantages and at the same time have significant disadvantages.
Pros:
- Help in organizing space
- Assistance in purchasing necessary furniture and equipment
- Internet advertising
- Step-by-step plan for turning a profit
Significant disadvantages:
- People don’t know about most franchises in this business, so no one will just come to you, as for example in the case of the opening of McDonald’s.
- You will be constrained in your development and if you have any new cool ideas, you will constantly have to coordinate them with the head office
- You will give away part of the profit for no reason, perhaps the most important disadvantage
Of course, it will be much easier to open a franchise, but we still recommend growing your own brand.
As we said earlier, the popularity of anti-cafes is gradually fading, so you need to spend effort and money to attract customers.
Advertising methods:
- Word of mouth. Perhaps the best way is for loyal customers to tell their friends about your establishment.
- Hold as many events as possible on different topics to attract a diverse audience.
- Be sure to create a website and communities on social networks, and then advertise them
- Conduct various promotions and competitions, such as get 8 hours free for reposting or a 50% discount for birthday people
- Try to hold events so large that you make regional news.
- Register your anti-cafe in all possible directory sites and applications like TripAdvisor
Anticafe advertising
You can advertise a new anti-cafe using traditional or contextual advertising in the media and the Internet, on or in public transport, by distributing leaflets, various promotions and attractive offers for customers.
It wouldn’t hurt to open an anti-cafe website where upcoming promotions or events will be announced. It can be added to the Yandex.Direct or Google AdWords advertising network to get guaranteed results from online advertising.
If it works out, then a good option would be to advertise the establishment in traditional cafes or bars. Although in such a situation it will be difficult to come to an agreement with competitors and you will have to offer them something in return. Despite the complexity of such advertising, it is still worth a try.
