To start a coffee shop in Iceland, secure a viable site first, then run permitting and build-out in parallel to hit a 90–120‑day opening. Prioritize ground‑floor units on Laugavegur (Reykjavík) or Hafnarstræti (Akureyri); confirm zoning, fire egress, ventilation, and a grease trap (fitugildra) with the municipality before you sign. Form an ehf. and obtain a kennitala via Skatturinn/Fyrirtækjaskrá on island.is; open a business account, register for VSK at ~ISK 2m/12 months, and budget 11% VAT on food/coffee and 24% on alcohol. Apply for a food‑service rekstrarleyfi with the local Heilbrigðiseftirlit and register your HACCP‑based “innra eftirlit” with MAST; get a fire safety sign‑off and operating hours approval. If serving beer/wine, obtain an alcohol licence through the municipal council/Sýslumaður. Hire: Iceland is unionized—use standard contracts, pay per the kjarasamningur, remit pension (min. employer 11.5% + employee 4%) and vacation pay. Specify 230V/50Hz equipment, install water filtration tailored to Reykjavík’s soft water, and design for winter traffic: warm lighting, 4–6 power seats, Wi‑Fi. Use acquiring from Arion/Íslandsbanki/Landsbankinn; price in ISK with VAT included and allergens marked. Source beans locally (Kaffitár, Te & Kaffi, Reykjavík Roasters), add Wolt for shoulder seasons, and capture cruise‑day footfall with extended morning hours and Google Maps updates.
