Coffee shop loans help Loveland, Colorado cafes and espresso bars fund equipment, build-outs and purchases of existing shops. Larimer County, CO counted 136 snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, the Census group that includes coffee shops, in 2023. This page covers cafe equipment, financing options, bakery additions, build-outs and buying a cafe.
At a glance
- Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, Larimer County, CO
136 (Census County Business Patterns 2023)
- Employees in that group
1,759 (Census County Business Patterns 2023)
- With fewer than five employees
21.3% (Census County Business Patterns 2023)
Cafe Business Loans Read Against Larimer County, CO Beverage Bar Counts
Coffee shops fall in the Census group for snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, which also holds juice bars, ice cream shops and donut shops. County Business Patterns counted 136 such employers in Larimer County, CO in 2023, with 1,759 employees and $36.1 million in payroll; 21.3% had fewer than five employees, and 16 had a ZIP 80537 address (Census County Business Patterns 2023; Census ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
Nonemployer Statistics counted 13 businesses in that group without paid employees for 2024 (Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024). Full-service and limited-service restaurants, a separate group, have a page of their own.
What Equipment a Coffee Shop Runs On, Item by Item
| Item (invented price) | Price |
|---|---|
| Two-group espresso machine | $21,000 |
| Espresso grinder | $3,600 |
| Batch brewer | $4,200 |
| Ice machine | $5,800 |
| Total | $34,600 |
Financed over 48 months at an invented 10.5% annual rate, that package costs about $886 a month (our arithmetic). Water filtration, refrigeration under the counter, blenders and a point-of-sale system round out a typical list.
How to Finance a Coffee Shop Espresso Machine: Loan, Lease or Roaster Program
An espresso machine can be bought with an equipment loan, leased, or placed by a coffee roaster in exchange for a commitment to buy its beans. Illustration only, invented figures: a lease at $520 a month for 48 months totals $24,960 (our arithmetic), against the purchase price above. A roaster program can lower the upfront cost but ties the cafe to a supplier and its prices, which is a cost of its own to weigh.
The article on equipment loans and capital leases compares owning and leasing for coffee bars.
Bakery Equipment Costs for a Cafe Adding Pastry
Baking in-house adds an oven, a mixer and a display case. Illustration only, invented figures: a convection oven at $14,500, a mixer at $6,800 and a refrigerated pastry case at $9,200 total $30,500 (our arithmetic). A partner will want to know how pastry sales are expected to grow the average ticket, since that is what pays for the equipment.
How to Get a Business Loan for a Coffee Shop Build-Out
A build-out covers plumbing for sinks and floor drains, electrical for the espresso machine, counters and seating. Illustration only, invented figures: a $145,000 build-out on a term loan over 84 months at an invented 9.75% annual rate is about $2,388 a month (our arithmetic). A partner will read the lease term, any tenant improvement allowance and the contractor's bid. Permits from the city come before the work; the Loveland, CO page links the city's building pages.
Buying an Existing Coffee Shop and Its Regulars
Illustration only, invented figures: a buyer pays $185,000 for an operating cafe, puts in $37,000 and finances the rest over 84 months at an invented 10% annual rate, about $2,457 a month (our arithmetic). The value sits in the location, the lease and the regular customers, so a partner reads the seller's daily sales history and the lease's remaining term closely.
Card Sales, Tickets and Margins a Partner Reads
Illustration only, invented figures: 260 tickets a day at an average of $7.40 come to $1,924.00 in daily sales (our arithmetic). A partner reads daily card batches, the average ticket, cost of goods for coffee, milk and cups, and labor as a share of sales. A cafe with steady card sales may be offered a merchant cash advance; compare its total cost with an equipment loan before choosing.
Mobile Coffee Carts and Catering Setups
Some cafes add a coffee cart or a mobile espresso setup for events and offices. Illustration only, invented figures: a $28,000 cart with a compact espresso machine, generator and water system over 36 months at an invented 11% annual rate costs about $917 a month (our arithmetic). Event clients may pay after the event, which adds a short working capital gap to the equipment purchase; mobile vending permits are a separate question for the city and county.
Drive-Through Windows and Second Locations
A drive-through window or a second shop is a larger step than new equipment: construction, permits, more staff and a new lease. A term loan for the construction and equipment financing for the second set of machines keeps each cost on terms that fit. The first shop's sales history is what a partner reads for the second.
By Rowanrun Business Loans · Updated