Once upon a long while, living in the same building you ran your business from was no uncommon lifestyle choice. From the blacksmith living in the adjacent home, to the miller living on his property, to the local post office being run by a family, our connections to business and family trades have been somewhat severed as of late, but for a long while, this was the norm.
If you feel as though settling back into this kind of lifestyle, be that purchasing a building with a cafe storefront and also a home to live in, running a farm shop out of your smallholding, or whatever design you hope to go for, it’s nice to gain some insights to get you started.
That being said, because this option is a rarity in today’s marketplace, business advice is rarely customized to this need. That doesn’t have to be the case, which is why we hope to offer some useful insights below. Without further ado, please consider:
Separate Entrances
It’s important to have separate entrances for deliveries, customers, and guests. This is because, quite simply, you need to have your separate spaces respected. Having signs that point to the correct door to use, painting the professional door a more prominent color than your personal door, and dividing the latter with a porch can help you improve security, while also giving you peace of mind. It also means during your closing hours, you don’t have to worry about people trying to use your business or penetrating your personal outdoor exterior. That in itself can feel comforting.
Unique Signage
Unique signage can help you direct individuals to your business, especially if you live in rural environment with a few winding roads. Not everyone expects to drive into a residential community for a particular shop, and so having customized vinyl banners that tell individuals to turn off from a given road, or how to define your business outside of other residential options nearby, all of this makes a difference. Moreover, showing your opening hours clearly means they don’t have to drive or walk down a long road to get to your household, are annoyed that your business isn’t open, and looking to complain while you’re trying to enjoy a day off. Having this information digitally available is key also, but in-person signage remains tried and tested.
Consider Legal Capacity
If you run a small village cafe, you may have a limit of seats you can store inside before you have to provide restroom facilities. But if you don’t have an extra restroom, then that can be a problem. That’s why keeping footfall down, having outdoor seating areas where you can refer people to the public toilets nearby, and making sure fire safety and volume of people can be correctly handled is so important. With a little care and attention, you’ll have made ceratin your limitations as a household don’t cause you to fall afoul of regulations. Using legal help to define those parameters is a wise investment.
With this advice, you can live above the business you own and operate.
