To start a coffee shop in Bosnia and Herzegovina, pick your entity and location first: d.o.o. (limited liability) or sole trader (obrt/preduzetnik), and a high-footfall lease in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, or Mostar with municipal approval for signage and an outdoor “bašta.” Register the business (KD BiH 56.30 Beverage serving) with the competent authority (court/APIF), obtain JIB, open a BAM account, and fiscalize a certified cash register with the entity tax administration; register for VAT (17%) once your turnover exceeds 50,000 KM. Secure a hospitality permit and the “minimalni tehnički uslovi” decision, fire-safety clearance, sanitary approval, HACCP documentation, staff medical checks/sanitary booklets, and contracts for waste removal and used oil. In FBiH/RS/Brčko, verify smoking rules and ventilation, and get a permit for outdoor seating; license in-store music with AMUS (and related CMOs). Fit out with 3–6 kW power for the espresso machine, water filtration, grease trap, and two-compartment sinks; choose roasters and maintenance SLAs. Hire and register staff with health/pension funds; set SOPs for dialing in espresso, cleaning schedules, FIFO storage, and temperature logs. Launch with card POS, local delivery partners, and social profiles; price via recipe costing and PDV impact; track daily KPIs (COGS, labor %, average ticket, wastage, shrinkage).
