I’m Audrey Vermilyea, co-founder of Monarch Espresso Bar in Tuscaloosa, AL. A decade ago, I was in your shoes, spending all of my spare time researching “how to open a coffee shop.” I pieced together a plan based on theory, Google searches, a few meetings with coffee shop owners and entered the world of entrepreneurship as fresh as our coffee.

What I needed then, I’ve written for you now.
A blueprint guide on How To Open A Coffee Shop - every detail, trial and error from someone who’s done it and still doing it.

Ten years in and I find this work as meaningful as ever. I believe coffee shops are the heartbeat of a community and an institution worth preserving.

When opening a coffee shop, there are so many decisions, both big and small, and the best guide is often experience - which is why this book is packed full of insights that could save you thousands, systems that will help you reclaim your time and perspectives that will change the way you look at cafe ownership.

I crafted this book to demystify the process of opening a coffee shop: 80+ pages documenting our experience and 12+ bonus resources to help you organize your ideas and structure your next steps. More than anything, I hope this helps you bring your idea to life and create a space that serves your community for years to come.