[Back at it after a brief but intense bout of hacking, chills, aches and congestion #mucus #phlegm #loogieworld]
A little lagniappe here, the quote in the title is from episode 19, ROTTERDAM of Cabin Pressure, a truly brilliant and hilarious BBC radio comedy written by John Finnemore. You will be eternally grateful to me if you go to iTunes (or the like) and listen to the first episode: Abu Dhabi. Please. Check it out. If you're not hooked, then maybe you should stop reading now...If you are, keep it in mind when I notify you about our Kickstarter campaign...
LATEST UPDATE regarding naming...It would be tedious for everyone (me, included) to recount the exact path that got us here, but the quick recap is that close and savvy friends smacked us up side the head pointing out that our desire to be NOLA cool was overly obscure for even for hip PDX folk. Long story short, we are reasonably confident that "Bywater Grocery" will stick. Go 'head. Blow up the name. Good karma awaits you.
I made progress on the narrative portion of the business plan today. In case you haven't done one (and this is my first!), a primary purpose of the plan is to create investor / lender confidence that the enterprise has a high probability of success. It's relatively straightforward to put together financials that tell the story you want, but the financials are meaningless if the overall story isn't cohesive and compelling.
So, y'all? Take $5K (or $5, or $5M, pretty please) out of your imaginary VC investment fund, and let me know if the following makes you feel bullish or bearish about putting your (theoretical) money on this venture. I am confident that this business will be successful; if you read this and have doubts / questions, please share. I will gladly reward you in the future with delicious food for the helpful input you provide today... Call bullshit! I'll thank you!
What is Bywater Grocery?
New Orleans is a city of neighborhoods, and every neighborhood in New Orleans has at least one Grocery or Sandwich shop where locals go day in and day out for delicious, freshly prepared “Poor Boy” sandwiches and other signature New Orleans specialties. They may eat standing at a counter or sitting at tables in the shop, perching on the stoop, or instead, take their food home to enjoy with their family. And they are fiercely loyal toward “their place” as having the best food in town.
Bywater Grocery is a food cart established in Portland, Oregon in 2014 to serve “Real New Orleans Food,” the kind New Orleans locals enjoy regularly at their favorite neighborhood spot. Mario Peri, a partner in Bywater Grocery, grew up in the working-class Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans (on North Roman Street), eating Poor Boys loaded with roast beef and dripping with delicious gravy, or spilling over with freshly fried-to-order gulf shrimp or oysters, or sometimes just piled up with an inexpensive but filling combination of french fries slathered in that delectable roast beef gravy. But regardless of the filling, the sandwich was always made on the distinctive and traditional “poor boy” bread and usually ordered “dressed” with shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickle slices and mayonnaise. Mario also ate gumbo--sausage and chicken gumbo built on a delicious roux, redolent with the Creole trinity (bell pepper, celery and onions), or seafood gumbo made with okra, deeply flavored with blue “gumbo” crabs and swimming with shrimp and oysters. During Lent, in particular, he might eat the unusual and delicious gumbo z’herbes, that traditionally must contain a minimum of seven kinds of fresh greens and is served with a pinch of “gumbo file”--the powdered bark of the sassafras tree.
Kristin Peri, the principal partner in Bywater Grocery, was introduced to and fell in love with New Orleans food and culture by her future husband, Mario, in 1990. With her professional cooking experience and life-long avocation of cooking and hospitality, she has been mastering the recipes, flavors and techniques of New Orleans foods ever since, thanks to her mother-in-law, family and friends. She has delighted hundreds of Portlanders with real New Orleans cooking through entertaining and catered events.
Who is the customer for Bywater Grocery?
Bywater Grocery serves people who appreciate unfussy, delicious food served with true hospitality. Whether it is to grab a quick lunch, sit down with the family or pick up dinner on the way home, Bywater Grocery will deliver the authentic foods of New Orleans neighborhoods with minimal waiting and at an attractive price.
How will potential customers learn about Bywater Grocery?
Bywater Grocery will generate buzz and attract new customers using social media (Tweeting specials and events, actively interacting with followers on Facebook, seeking input on the menu and specials with surveys and promotions), as well as using more traditional marketing methods--donating gift certificates to nearby school auctions, implementing a customer loyalty program, and rewarding word-of-mouth referrals.
Explain Bywater Grocery's short and longer term goals
Bywater Grocery’s short term goal is to demonstrate the validity of its business plan by rapidly meeting and exceeding break-even operations for a single cart. Once that is accomplished, we will continually improve processes and profitability. This will enable us to expand and scale our operations. As our first expansion, we intend to add a mobile food truck, which will extend our catering and event participation capabilities. Longer term, we believe in the viability of developing a “brick and mortar” location with expanded menus and full bar that maintains the core value and distinct New Orleans neighborhood experience that has been established beginning with the initial cart.
No comments:
Post a Comment