Week 1 at the Cafe

My little cafe is now just over a week old and I'm pleased to say that I think it has potential.

We offered free coffee all week, including espresso drinks, and that generated some buzz. People tweeted about it and retweeted about it. You don't see free espresso every day.

We met many of the neighbors, who wished us well and said they desperately wanted a business to succeed in the spot, although they also warned us about all the endeavors that had failed there. I'm taking those warnings to heart, though I also think we have a better thing going than our predecessors had. It's easy to look at an operation from the outside and think you know better, but it's hard to look at the remnants of those previous businesses, from scribbled signs to bizarre inventory, without speculating about the reasons they didn't make it.

Customers enjoyed the food and the coffee. There were times when we felt downright busy. Having started several similar operations in the past, I know that it takes time to get established. I keep looking back to our first few weeks in Ballard as reference points. Our sales at this location are considerably higher than they were at the old spot during this period, although we still have a way to go before we break even.

When I opened the shop in Ballard I was having issues with the plumbing inspector, who took weeks to approve the gas line running to the grill. I'd said I was going to open on the 2nd of November, and I was determined to do so with or without a gas line. I cooked on a hot plate and kept food warm with a chafing dish. The first few days it felt heroic. By the time nearly 2 weeks had gone by I was feeling like a loser.

I kept reminding myself of that experience last week when we opened. The new place felt ready and I had plenty of support from my wonderful staff. It's not going to be easy, but I've got a good feeling about this one.