Dream Shops "Cafes," "Restaurants," and "General Stores" Top the List! What Are the Reasons Holding People Back from Actually Opening a Shop?
A recent survey by NEXER Inc. and Aquanet Co., Ltd. reveals that 13.0% of people dream of opening their own shop, with cafes, restaurants, and general stores being the most popular choices. However, many hesitate to take the plunge primarily due to concerns over startup funds, lack of management knowledge, and the fear of failure.
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■ Have you ever felt a longing to "have your own shop"?
Have you ever seen a stylish cafe or a unique general store and thought, "It would be nice if I could have a shop like this too"? However, it is also true that there is a major hurdle between the dream and reality.
Therefore, this time, in collaboration with Aquanet Co., Ltd., we conducted a questionnaire survey on "having your own shop" targeting 500 men and women nationwide.
* When quoting the contents of this press release, please comply with the following.
- State that the source is a "Survey by NEXER Inc. and Aquanet Co., Ltd."
- Provide a link to Aquanet Co., Ltd. (https://aqnet.co.jp/)
"Questionnaire on Having Your Own Shop" Survey Overview
Survey Method: Internet questionnaire
Survey Period: March 12 to March 23, 2026
Target Respondents: Men and women nationwide
Valid Responses: 500 samples
Question Contents:
Question 1: Have you ever thought, "I want to have my own shop someday"?
Question 2: What kind of shop did you want to have?
Question 3: Please tell us the reason. * For "Other," please also tell us what kind of shop you wanted to have.
Question 4: What triggered you to think so? (Multiple selections allowed)
Question 5: Please tell us if you have any specific episodes of when you thought, "I want to have my own shop."
Question 6: What are the reasons you cannot take the step to actually open a shop? (Multiple selections allowed)
Question 7: Please tell us what kind of support would make it easier for you to take that first step.
* As a general rule, figures are rounded to the first decimal place, so the total may not equal exactly 100%.
■ 13.0% Answered They Have Thought "I Want to Have My Own Shop Someday"
First, we asked whether they had ever thought, "I want to have my own shop someday."
As a result, 13.0% answered "Yes," and 87.0% answered "No."
Although they are a minority overall, more than 1 in 10 people have experienced the feeling of "wanting to have their own shop."
■ The No. 1 Shop They Want to Have is a "Cafe" at 24.6%, and No. 2 is a "Restaurant" at 20.0%
Next, we asked those who have thought about wanting their own shop what kind of shop they wanted to have.
The most common answer was a "Cafe" at 24.6%.
This was followed by "Restaurant" at 20.0% and "General Store" at 13.8%.
We asked about the reasons for each answer, and here are some of them.
Those who answered "Cafe"
- It has been a dream since I was little to run a shop with my whole family. If the employees are family, I wouldn't have to worry about them like I would with strangers, which is also nice. (Female in her 30s)
- I thought I could live a relaxed life while brewing my favorite coffee. (Male in his 30s)
- I fantasized that it would be fun to have a cafe themed around my hobbies. (Male in his 40s)
Those who answered "Restaurant"
- I used to work part-time at a restaurant, and I once thought about wanting to own a curry shop. (Male in his 30s)
- I want to provide cheap and delicious food. (Male in his 40s)
- I can serve the dishes I like. (Female in her 40s)
Those who answered "General Store"
- I want to sell things I like. (Male in his 40s)
- I wanted to sell cute things while being surrounded by things I like. In reality, I used to sell natural stone bracelets at events. (Female in her 50s)
- Because I was interested in imported goods. (Male in his 50s)
What they all had in common, regardless of the category, was the desire to "turn what I like into a job" and "create my ideal space."
■ The No. 1 Trigger is "Because I Wanted to Utilize My Hobbies and Special Skills" at 58.5%
Next, we asked those who have thought about wanting their own shop what triggered them to think so.
The most common answer was "Because I wanted to utilize my hobbies and special skills" at 58.5%.
For more than half of the respondents, the desire to turn what they like into a job was the trigger.
This was followed by "Because I wanted to become independent someday" at 29.2%, and "Because I encountered a shop I liked" at 18.5%. "Because I felt doubts about my current way of working" also accounted for 13.8%, indicating that a sense of discomfort with their current job can sometimes push their dreams forward.
■ Specific Episodes of When They Thought "I Want to Have My Own Shop"
Furthermore, we asked those who have thought about wanting their own shop for specific episodes.
Please tell us if you have any specific episodes of when you thought, "I want to have my own shop."
- When I felt that the time spent treasure hunting in a recycle shop was a luxury. (Male in his 30s)
- Because making bread is fun and I've always wanted to make it. (Female in her 30s)
- Sales work is tough because I have to sell things I don't think are good. (Male in his 40s)
- Because my parents ran a convenience store, I wanted to try running one myself. (Male in his 40s)
- When I was a child, I went to a model railway cafe and had a lot of fun, so since then I've wanted to run a model railway cafe in the future. (Male in his 40s)
- Because I go to various cafes, but I rarely encounter a comfortable space. (Female in her 40s)
Two trends emerge: the pattern of encountering a wonderful shop and feeling "I want to do it too," and the pattern of feeling stressed by their current way of working and thinking "I want to work freely at my own discretion."
■ The No. 1 Reason for Not Taking the Step is "Anxiety About Startup Funds" at 56.9%
So, what are the reasons why people cannot take the step despite wanting to have a shop?
We asked those who have thought about wanting their own shop what reasons hold them back from actually opening one.
The most common answer was "Anxiety about startup funds" at 56.9%.
This was followed by "Lack of management knowledge" at 36.9% and "Fear of the risk of failure" at 35.4%.
In addition to financial issues, a lack of management knowledge and experience also seems to be a barrier.
It has become clear that the three walls of funds, knowledge, and risk stand between dreams and reality.
■ What They Think "Would Make It Easier to Take the First Step If Such Support Existed"
Finally, we asked those who have thought about wanting their own shop what kind of support would make it easier for them to take that first step.
Please tell us what kind of support would make it easier for you to take that first step.
- I want insurance for first-time entrepreneurs until things stabilize. (Female in her 30s)
- A support service for the overall preparation required to open a business. (Male in his 30s)
- If I could consult about the shop's location and initial investment. (Female in her 30s)
- I thought it would be nice if there was a service that even beginners could easily use. (Female in her 40s)
- Support where you can open a shop on a trial basis while renting the necessary space and tools at a low price. (Male in his 40s)
- Support with the flow leading up to opening a shop and choosing a location. (Female in her 40s)
What is being sought are two things: "financial assistance" and "practical guidance."
In addition to voices seeking subsidies and environments where they can try things out at a low cost, the voices desiring hands-on support to think through the process leading up to opening a shop together were also impressive.
■ Summary
In this survey, we found that 13.0% of the total respondents have experienced thinking, "I want to have my own shop someday." Cafes, restaurants, and general stores were popular as the shops they wanted to have, and the trigger for many was the desire to "utilize hobbies and special skills."
On the other hand, the top reasons for not taking the step were "Anxiety about startup funds," "Lack of management knowledge," and "Fear of the risk of failure." To alleviate these anxieties, gathering information on how to open a business with low initial costs and utilizing business startup support services might be effective.
As a small first step, it might be a good idea to start by looking into consultation desks and support systems for starting a business.
<When using in articles, etc.>
- State that the source is a "Survey by NEXER Inc. and Aquanet Co., Ltd."
- Provide a link to Aquanet Co., Ltd. (https://aqnet.co.jp/)
[About Aquanet Co., Ltd.]
Location: Sanno Grand Building B140, 2-14-2 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0014
President and Representative Director: Masahiro Tamiya
TEL: 03-6277-7386
[About NEXER Inc.]
Head Office: Rise Arena Building 11F, 4-5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013
Representative Director: Yuya Miyata
Business Contents: Internet research, SEO, web branding, review contents, real shop support, website production