Start-Up Costs

The cost of opening a scoop shop, like the cost of opening anything, can vary dramatically depending on where and when and exactly what you have decided to open. Did you find a perfect location in a historical district? Is the building you love in disrepair, or is it new construction? Is it in an urban market, or a more suburban area? Does your site require lots of seating? All of these things, and many more, impact startup costs. We'll walk you through these factors carefully later, but to give you a rough idea of the costs, we've put together the following lists:

 

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR FULL-SIZED SCOOP SHOPS
(APPROXIMATELY 750-1200 SQ.FT)

 

Item Estimated Cost When Due To Whom Payment is Made
Preliminary Agreement Deposit $18,500 Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Initial Franchise Fee $37,000 ($18,500 will be credited from the Deposit) Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Plans, Development & Permits $3,500 to $12,000 As Incurred Architect, City & State Licensing Authority
Leasehold Improvements & Construction $80,000 to $200,000 As Arranged Contractor
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, Casework, & Smallwares $50,000 to $90,000 As Incurred Vendors
Signage $5,000 to $15,000 As Incurred Vendors
Professional Fees $3,000 to $6,000 As Arranged Attorney, Accountant, etc.
Computer System & Software $5,600 to $6,300 Prior to Installation Vendors, Suppliers
Deposits $3,000 to $8,000 As Incurred Landlord, Vendors, & Utility Providers
Initial Training $1,000 to $3,000 As Incurred Vendors
Inventory $8,000 to $14,000 As Incurred Vendors, Distributors; Suppliers
Insurance $500 to $2,500 As Incurred Insurers
Grand Opening Advertising $3,000 As Incurred Suppliers
Subtotal: $199,600 to $396,800

 

 

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR INLINE SCOOP SHOPS
(APPROXIMATELY 450-650 SQ.FT)

 

Item Estimated Cost When Due To Whom Payment is Made
Preliminary Agreement Deposit $18,500 Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Initial Franchise Fee $37,000 ($18,500 will be credited from the Deposit) Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Plans, Development & Permits $3,500 to $12,000 As Incurred Architect, City & State Licensing Authority
Leasehold Improvements & Construction $50,000 to $100,000 As Arranged Contractor
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, Casework, & Smallwares $45,000 to $70,000 As Incurred Vendors
Signage $5,000 to $10,000 As Incurred Vendors
Professional Fees $3,000 to $6,000 As Arranged Attorney, Accountant, etc.
Computer System & Software $5,600 to $6,300 Prior to Installation Vendors, Suppliers
Deposits $3,000 to $8,000 As Incurred Landlord, Vendors, Utility Providers
Initial Training $1,000 to $3,000 As Incurred Vendors
Inventory $6,000 to $10,000 As Incurred Vendors, Distributors, Suppliers
Insurance $500 to $2,500 As Arranged Insurers
Grand Opening Advertising $3,000 As Incurred Suppliers
Subtotal: $162,600 to $267,800

 

 

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR A KIOSK SCOOP SHOP
(APPROXIMATELY 100-200 SQ.FT)

 

Item Estimated Cost When Due To Whom Payment is Made
Preliminary Agreement Deposit $18,500 Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Initial Franchise Fee $37,000 ($18,500 will be credited from the Deposit) Upon Signing Ben & Jerry’s
Plans, Development & Permits $1,500 to $5,000 As Incurred Architect, City & State Licensing Authority
Leasehold Improvements & Construction $5,000 to $60,000 As Arranged Contractor
Kiosk base fee — includes front and back counters, lighting, sinks, sneeze guards, & delivery $40,000 to $60,000 As Incurred Vendors
Equipment and Smallwares $12,000 to $25,000 As Incurred Vendors
Menu Board Systems $2,400 to $4,000 As Incurred Vendors
Signage $800 to $5,000 As Incurred Vendors
Professional Fees $3,000 to $6,000 As Arranged Attorney, Accountant, etc.
Computer System & Software $5,600 to $6,300 Prior to Installation Vendors, Suppliers
Deposits $3,000 to $8,000 As Incurred Landlord, Vendors, Utility Providers
Initial Training $1,000 to $3,000 As Incurred Vendors
Inventory $6,000 to $10,000 As Incurred Vendors, Distributors, Suppliers
Insurance $500 to $2,500 As Arranged Insurers
Grand Opening Advertising $3,000 As Incurred Suppliers
Subtotal: $120,800 to $234,800

 

ADDITIONAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES:

3 months’ operating expenses: $55,000 (estimate)
You will need additional funds to support on-going expenses, such as payroll, rent and utilities, to the extent that these costs are not covered by sales revenue. New businesses often generate a negative cash flow. We estimate that the amount given will be sufficient to cover on-going expenses for the start-up phase of the business, which we calculate to be 3 months. This is only an estimate, however, and there is no assurance that additional working capital will not be necessary during the start-up phase or after. A more detailed description of the total investment required is available in our Franchise Disclosure Document.