Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I`m new the Startup Nation but heard you have a fabulous forum that can help me a great deal.  I am looking to start something new and explore into the direction of entrepreneurship.  Any advice I can get on opening up a café which dedicates to customers and their 4 legged companions (dogs).  "Dog Café`s" are very popular in European and Asian countries but I believe due to some regulations in the health department, there are issues in perusing this type of business.  I`m wondering if there are loop holes that I can take and how I can achieve this dream.  I`m thinking if I classify the type of business or the way the building will be structured may allow me to get away with having a dog café. 

Thank you in advance!

If you try to build a business on loopholes, you`re likely going to run into real trouble. :-) A better way is to examine what currently is preventing more of these types of cafes and figure out how to work with the system.

There was a night-time soap opera on, awhile back, and one of the characters came up with a fantastic recipe for a dog biscuit. From there, she opened a business that sold gourmet dog treats. Although dogs were allowed into the store, on leashes, they didn`t have a sit-down place to eat. The treats sold through the owners, which then went to the dogs, even though the dogs didn`t actually eat anything in the store.

Maybe you could do something like that?

One way to find out more information is to contact the owners of other dog cafes and ask them about it.  You will be surprised how some people are happy to share information.  If you called someone out of your geographic area, then you most likely won`t be considered as competition, thus probably getting a more welcoming response.  Prepare some questions ahead of time.

There is one here that I went to a lot ... the trick is that they are built on the edge of a dog park and the dogs never enter in the actual kitchen or facility. (It`s a walk-up window, all dining is outdoors.) You can see the Sit and Stay Cafe here.

I swear I lived off their homemade chili when I was pregnant. Waddled around that park for a few hours with my 2 dogs and my hot cup of chunky chili goodness.

The health issue comes when the dogs are in contact with the food and such, so the issue is to have this area seperate. Have you thought about having a bistro setting? An area where the actual prep of the food and such is not accessible to the animals and minimally accessible to the customers? Outdoor setting would be bad during bad weather, but if you had an area that was covered from the elements, but could easily be sprayed down in the event of an animal mishap, I think it would work. I would definately try to locate next to a dog park, training facility, or vet. Something like that, location is alot of the battle.