What should I do in the first season after buying an ice cream shop?

An ice cream shop does most of its business in a short stretch, so the way you start matters. If you close in the off-season, you have more time before the busy period. The first season will test your staffing, your supply and your patience. What you do before the first line forms at the counter decides how calm the busy weeks feel.

Use the off-season before you open

Spend the quiet time learning the shop. Run every freezer, dipping cabinet and machine, and make a list of what needs repair or service. Ask the seller for the opening routine, the cleaning schedule and the supplier calendar. Walk the shop as a customer would. Then sit down with your accountant and set up the books before sales begin.

Hire and train seasonal staff early

If you plan to hire seasonal workers, good ones may take other offers, so don’t leave it late. Start recruiting early, and ask whether any of last year’s team wants to return. Train people on the flavours, portions and cleaning routine before the rush, not during it. A shop that opens with a prepared crew can look after customers, while a rushed one will lose them.

Keep the flavours and suppliers regulars expect

Regulars come back for particular flavours and a particular cone. Keep the list, and the mix and topping suppliers, as they were for the whole first season. Learn the delivery days and ordering cut-offs, and keep a little buffer for hot weekends. Changes can wait until you have seen a full season and know what people actually order.

Watch the first busy weeks

Be on the floor during the first busy weekends. Note where lines form, what sells out and what staff struggle with. Keep simple daily notes. They will help you plan next season, and our answer on checking an ice cream franchise resale lists records worth keeping.