That Gut feeling

You know when you have that "gut" feeling that tells you not to do something???  Well, I got it when I finally got the lease document.  Just opening it I saw already 3 mistakes that are really bad ones, starting with the name of our business: we are defining it as "Café and Bakery", because the bakery products are a very strong point and basically the reason we started this project.
I later found out that there was a strong reason behind leaving out that part of the name:  turns out that buried down on page 35 of Appendix G there is a little line that stipulates that the Landlord can not lease to anyone selling packaged or fresh bakery products for off-site consumption...  so basically it is telling us that we can make your wedding cake, but you'll have to eat it at our café!
Right away I called Ralph and told him.  He already was complaining about other mistakes he found in the document.
So, we called our leasing agent and told him about that detail.  We were not even going to send the document to our lawyer to check it out.  The leasing agent told us that he would try to get a waiver for that, but that was the last drop.  I asked Ralph what was his gut feeling, because I didn't want to be the pessimistic one, but we all are on the same page.  This doesn't feel good!!

So basically after few months of dealing with this, we are looking for another place, and preparing for other plans.  This means that most likely I'll be spending the summer in NY...

Like dealing with a used-car salesman....

Well, things are very uncertain at this point.  To open the café we need to get a place that is appropriate.  I think we found it, We've been planning around the place, we've been there few times taking pictures, measurements, we've chosen the paint color for the walls, the fabric for the chairs, the color for the carpet... we've been negotiating the lease, we talked and talked, been back and forth, and we still don't know for sure if we will be approved to take the lease!  What we negotiated at some point is now being knocked out by new little details.  It feels like we are buying a used car at one of those dealers that makes you feel you are getting a great deal on the price, and then turns out that there a million charges that were not on the initial price.

I remember a comedian explaining about a $2,000 car with leather seats, AM/FM Stereo, CD Player, Antilock Breaks, powered doors and windows, and really great smell of "new"... but he had to pay $12,000 extra if he actually wanted the car to go around, because the $2,000 model did not include steering wheel, motor, tires or mirrors... those were "extras"...

So, as much as we want to open the cafe and move forward, we still don't know when will this happen.  Everything is still in waiting.  I'm glad I haven't rent a place in Richmond yet.

Waiting, again...

Well, I sent all the documents that the leasing company required, we are "ready to go" on our side, but we haven't heard from them yet if we are approved or not.  We are thinking in a positive way, since we are guessing that they rather have us than nobody renting their space, but until there is a definitive answer, we can't be too sure of that!
In the mean time, we continue preparations.  We have already collected few resumes that look promising. Some are impressive, but I don't think we'll be able to afford those people. At least not now.  Maybe later when we open a high scale restaurant!  But there is still enough time for that.
Other than that, I spent Memorial Day at a friend's house for BBQ.  We had a pretty good time.  I thought that by now I would be already in Richmond getting ready for opening day...

To Richmond!

I'll be on my way to Richmond tomorrow.  We'll meet with the lawyer next week, to form the company and to finally get all legal to do the next steps...  I've been sick and busy, but mostly sick.
I'm certainly looking forward to this adventure.

I am right about the toilette!

And here's the proof!

I took this image from my desktop while I was watching "The View" on Hulu, and ultra famous  legendary journalist Barbara Walters  showed this picture of her  while traveling in New Zealand, where apparently one of the attractions is ...  THE BATHROOM!

I am a firm believer that just having an interesting and out of the ordinary kind of bathroom at the café, will be a way of "word of mouth" marketing.  I'm very much looking forward for people to say...  "yes, I went to this café, and the cakes were amazing! And you gotta go and check out the bathroom!"
So far I have so many ideas, I guess I'll be changing it every 6 months or so.  I told Ina last night about that, and she laughed about it, but she likes the idea so far.

I am so looking forward to get the lease signed and starting to do all the things we have planned!

What brand of coffee is the best?

OK, so I tried some cups of coffee these last few days.  Basically the main "change" on each style is the amount of milk for each.  Expresso's is finely ground against the little bigger coffee for the regular coffee makers.  My problem is that I am too "new" at this to actually identify the acidity amount on each.  I'll have to find out the best blend to use it as the "house blend"...  but when I go to the supermarket and face all those brands, I feel lost!
Somebody told me that Arabica coffee is better because it is not too acid, and works well with everything.  I am a firm believer that we need to offer something of high quality, something that people would enjoy very much, and would match to have with some good dessert.
Again, many details of so many thing dancing in my head...  The lease dealing is going well, but we are not done yet.  

Getting serious

The dream is taking the form or reality, basically the form of a paper called "proposal" for the lease.  It looks  like a very good deal, we'll have a good grace period before the commencement of the rent, and it will definitely help us with the opening, with getting the place up to code and applying to all the necessary permits.
Honesty, it is a little scary.  As much as I want to do it, signing the lease is a compromise for 5 years! it'll be longer than many of my relationships have been.  On the other hand, I am willing to do this for at least 15 years.
So, I want to show you an example of the cakes that motivated this dream of having a cafe...

The thing is not only they look good, but they taste really good!  What do you think?
I would love to hear your comments.