Intro -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: For Those Who Love Elderberries and Fine Cheese - Starting Your Own Gourmet Store -- Solidifying your vision -- Ways to Explore Your Passion -- What Do You Want Your Store to Be? -- Visuals -- Products -- Niche Markets -- Case Study: Rebecca Miller -- Limiting Your Offerings -- Size and Location -- Goal-Setting -- Creating Your Dream Store -- Chapter 2: Getting Down to Practicality - Launching Your Business -- Jump-Starting a Business -- Starting From Scratch -- Chapter 3: Making It Your Own - The Basics of Buying a Gourmet Shop -- Real Estate and Its Value -- The Value of Other Assets -- Goodwill -- Terms, Conditions and Price -- Initial Investment -- The Biggest Cost of All -- Strategies for Buying an Existing Gourmet Food Business -- Evaluating the Merchandise -- Cash Budgets -- Your Objectives -- Financing -- Borrowing Money -- How Your Loan Request Will Be Reviewed -- Closing the Sale -- Chapter 4: How to Get Support Without Being Hampered - Investing in a Franchise -- Definition of Franchising -- Advantages of Franchising -- Disadvantages of Franchising -- Franchise Financing -- Evaluating a Franchise Opportunity -- Chapter 5: Planning for Success - Writing a Business Plan -- Five Keys of Success -- What a Business Plan Includes -- A Sample Business Plan Outline -- Elements of a Business Plan -- Business Description -- Products/Services -- The Location -- Location = Customers -- The Marketing Plan -- Customer Demographic Research -- Competition -- What Will You Sell to Customers? -- Pricing -- Advertising and Public Relations -- The Management Plan -- The Financial Management Plan -- Operating Budget -- Business Plan Resources -- Chapter 6: Boots on the Ground - Pre-Opening Activities -- Governmental Laws, Regulations and Licenses -- City Business License -- Opening the Store's Bank Account.

Organizing the Pre-Opening Activities -- Pre-Opening Promotion -- Contacting Purveyors and Suppliers -- Opening Labor -- Public Utilities -- Phone Company -- Wireless Provider -- Gas and Electric Companies -- Water -- Security Needs -- Locksmith -- Fire and Intrusion Alarms -- Support Service Providers -- Sanitation Service -- Parking Lot Maintenance -- Plumber -- Electrician -- Refrigeration Service -- Exterminator -- Plant/Landscape Maintenance -- Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning -- Janitorial Service -- Coffee Service Vendor -- Florist -- Chapter 7: Your Greatest Asset - Successful Employee Relations -- The Value (and Cost) of Employees -- Hiring Store Employees -- A Shortage of Service Labor -- Key Points for Conducting Employment Interviews -- Unlawful Pre-Employment Questions -- Screening Potential Employees -- What to Look for in Potential Store Employees -- The Final Selection and Decision -- Rejecting Applicants -- Employee Handbook/Personnel Policy Manual -- Writing Your Employee Policy Manual -- Personnel File -- Training -- Orientation and Instruction -- Outside Help With Training -- Evaluating Performance -- Scheduling -- Terminating Employees -- Letting Them Go -- Managing Your Team -- Chapter 8: The Reason You're in Business - Your Customers -- Who Are Your Customers? -- People, People, People -- Presence -- Getting to Know Your Customers -- Appreciation -- Bringing in New Customers -- How to Keep Customers Coming Back -- Communicating with Your Customers -- Customers for Life -- Incentives -- Discounts -- Promotions -- Frequent-Buyer Programs -- Delighting Your Customers -- Expectations -- Ways to Delight -- Word-of-Mouth Advertising -- Points of Difference -- Your Staff Makes the Difference -- Motivating Your Staff -- Focus on Making Your Customers Happy -- Chapter 9: Getting the Word Out - Marketing Your Business.

Hiring Marketing Experts -- Do-It-Yourself Marketing -- Guerilla Marketing -- Desktop Publishing Applications and Ideas -- Yes, You Need a Good Website! -- Setting Up an Effective Website -- Hiring Web Pros -- Some Words of Caution -- Find Support With Suppliers -- Band Together -- Investing in Customers -- Calculating Your Customer Acquisition Cost -- Customer Investment -- Advertising -- The Most Eyes -- Your Advertising Effectiveness -- Chapter 10: Public Relations - How to Get Customers in the Door With Little Cost -- What Is Public Relations? -- What PR Does (and Doesn't Do) for You -- PR is Different From Advertising -- The Marriage of PR and Marketing -- Launching a PR Campaign -- Start Your PR Campaign Now -- How to Apply Your PR Plan -- Creating Your Press Kit -- What's News? -- Choosing Your PR Contacts -- Developing Allies -- Special Events -- Talking to Your Community -- Employee Relations Is Also Public Relations -- Planning for the Unforeseen -- Chapter 11: From Appliances to Zucchini - Choosing Your Sales Mix -- Food -- Making Choices -- "Lasting" Trends -- Case Study: Amy Isabella Chalker -- Going Natural -- Local Foods -- Your Niche -- Sweets -- Beverages -- Selling Food Prep, Storage, and Serving Items -- Food Equipment -- "Professional" Equipment -- Specialty Equipment -- Cooks Love Gadgets -- The Basics -- Beyond the Basics -- Shopping -- Chapter 12: Helping You to Do Your Job - Equipping Your Store -- Equipment Budgeting -- How Do I Keep Within My Budget? -- Buying Used Equipment -- Leasing Your Equipment -- Making Wise Equipment Purchases -- Which Quality Level? -- Service Contracts -- Equipment Records -- Retail-Specific Equipment, Tools, and Supplies -- Displays and Fixtures -- Wall Fixtures -- Freestanding Fixtures -- Showcases -- Package It Up -- Cash Registers -- Computers-How to Use and Profit from Them.

Business Computers -- Retail-Specific Computer Systems -- Employee Scheduling and Attendance Software -- Accounting Software -- Other Computer Uses -- Chapter 13: A Welcoming Space - Public Areas of Your Store -- Creating a Design Focal Point -- Exterior Areas -- First Impressions -- Covering Your Floors -- Up Above - Ceilings -- Let There Be Light -- Colors That Complement -- A Little Artwork -- Your Restrooms -- Front-of-the-Store Work Areas -- Senses Check -- Create a Presentation -- Window Displays -- Shelving -- Chapter 14: A Place to Get Things Done - Back-of-the-Store Work Areas -- Delivery Areas -- Storage -- Waste and Recycling -- Your Office -- Chapter 15: Attending to What's Important - Creating a Safe and Productive Work Environment -- Food Safety and Security -- Protecting Your Customers and Employees -- A First-Rate Facility -- Bugs, Insects, and Animal Pests -- Fires -- Wash Areas -- Storage Areas -- It's Good to Be Green -- Conserving Energy -- The Air We Breathe -- Drinking Water -- Chapter 16: Creating a Team - Your Store Staff -- Retail Operations Manager -- Customer Service Staff -- Teacher/Demonstrator -- Cashier -- Stocking/Inventory Assistants -- Chapter 17: How to Get What You Want - Purchasing Inventory -- Before a Single Item Is Purchased -- Create Wish Lists -- Working with Vendors -- Ask and You Shall Receive -- Inventory Levels -- Issuing -- Identifying Inventory Theft -- Chapter 18: All About Money - Cash Flow -- Managing the Store's Cash Flow -- Being Paid -- Cash Handling -- Counterfeit Bills -- Foreign Currency -- Travelers' Checks -- Checks -- Debit and Credit Cards -- Other Forms of Payment -- Chapter 19: Accounting 101 - Financial Management and Budgeting -- Accounting Software -- Budgeting -- Monthly Budgeting -- Total Sales -- Tracking Sales Growth -- Sales Categories -- Labor -- Payroll.

Controllable Operational Costs -- Services -- Utilities -- Fixed Operating Costs -- General Operating Costs -- Total Net Profit -- Chapter 20: Balanced Budget - Basic Cost Control for Retail Operations -- Operational Costs and Supplies -- Ordering Operational Supplies -- Beginning Inventory -- Make More by Spending Less -- Interpreting the Numbers -- Penny Wise, Pound Foolish -- Setting Standards -- Cost Ratios -- Pricing -- Psychology of Pricing -- Financial Analysis -- Shrinkage -- Purchasing and Ordering -- Chapter 21: Efficiency - Controlling Your Labor Costs -- Manage Time Wisely -- Creating Productivity -- Design and Equipment -- Efficient Work Areas -- Chapter 22: Moving On - Leaving Your Retail Business -- Relocating Your Business -- Your Exit Plan -- Passing On Your Business -- Grooming Your Replacement -- Selling Your Business to Your Employees -- Saying Good-Bye -- Appendix A: Resources - Build Your Own Network -- Bibliography -- Photo Credits -- Glossary.