How do I find a crepe or waffle shop for sale?

Few listings use the words crepe or waffle in a headline. A shop may be filed as a cafe, a dessert parlour, a quick-service restaurant or a food-court unit, so a narrow search can come back empty while a good shop sits one heading over. Decide the format you want first, whether a street-front shop, a mall unit or a branded franchise location, and search each heading with that in mind.

Search under the neighbouring headings

Try cafe, dessert, bakery, quick-service and restaurant listings, then scan the descriptions for the menu. Save your searches so new postings reach you quickly. When a listing is thin on detail, ask what will be shared once you sign a confidentiality agreement, such as the lease, the equipment list and the financial statements, so you know early whether it is worth your time.

Franchise resales

Branded shops are sometimes posted by the franchisor or by the owner through a broker. Ask the franchisor how a resale works, who approves a new owner and what the buyer takes on, then have your lawyer read the franchise documents. For a closer look at the trade-offs, see franchised or independent crepe or waffle shop.

Approaching owners and brokers

If a shop in a spot you like is not for sale, a polite note offering a confidential conversation can still open a door. When a broker is involved, ask whom the broker acts for and treat the summary as a starting point for your own checks. A similar search for a donut shop follows the same steps.

• List the formats you would accept: street-front, mall, food court or franchise.
• Search cafe, dessert and restaurant headings, not only the product name.
• Keep a log of every owner or broker you contact.