SBA 7(a) Coffee Shop Feasibility Study in Idaho

More cancellations than most

Cancellation among Idaho's coffee shop and snack bar approvals reaches at least 18.8% for loans approved through FY2024, rising to 21.9% when loans still undisbursed are counted. That is the cell's most unusual measure. The loans are small: the median is $159,000, only 0.71x the figure for coffee shops across the country, while half fall between $75,000 and $378,125. The state recorded 98 loans worth $28.8 million, ranks 26 among states by count, and holds the class at 5 of 39 in Idaho.

SBA's early funded cohort in Idaho has too few loans to support a charge-off rate, so the page holds that rate back. Read the blank as unknown: it is neither a number nor a zero. A lender should not infer that the class here performs better or worse than elsewhere from that gap.

Franchises, lenders and places

Franchise-affiliated borrowers account for 35.7% of loans. Zions Bancorporation, National Association holds 19 loans worth $6.3 million and Idaho Central CU holds 15 worth $8.5 million, a heavier average. Glacier Bank holds 10 worth $1.7 million, U.S. Bank, National Association 8 worth $947,000, and Columbia Bank 6 worth $1.1 million. These are holdings in SBA's records; they do not describe any institution's requirements. Ada County has 33 loans, Bonneville and Canyon 11 each, Kootenai 10, Bannock 9, Bingham 5 and Bonner 4.

Approvals ranged between 4 and 11 a year from FY2017 to FY2024, then jumped to 17 in FY2025 and 17 again in FY2026, with $5.3 million and $3.8 million. Those recent loans have had very little time to show their outcomes.

What an Idaho coffee shop study must test

The study should concentrate on the site and the customer. Count the cars or foot traffic at the proposed location by hour, identify the nearest rivals, including drive-through chains, and estimate daily transactions at an average ticket the market will bear. Because loans are modest, a few items drive the budget: espresso equipment, the build-out of a small space, and opening inventory. Say whether the project is a franchise or an independent shop, and set the lease term beside how long the improvements take to pay back. Given how many approvals never funded, the plan should demonstrate that the lease, permits and equipment orders are in hand, and the payment should be covered at a transaction count below the base case.