I am a firm believer in the concept of living in a space a bit before making any lasting changes. These past few weeks have proven that theory out. As you are returning to Delavan for the summer, or just getting back to us after a busy winter, you will perhaps notice our cheese cases moved to the front of the small retail store, and further established the cafe space as the independent 'eating' space with more seating and some additional high-top tables in the front windows to match.
Our front windows provide a great almost 'sidewalk cafe' experience for our patrons where they can watch all of Walworth County drive back and forth.
Our cheese cases are gaining back their higher profile as well, as they are the first thing you see when you enter Brick Street Market. We start with cheese, we offer cheese and things that go with cheese, and we end with cheese! It is very gratifying to me to hear you, our loyal customers, say to us..."This makes perfect sense."
We are still in the process of adding the decorating touches, of course, to make it seem much more like a 'real cheese shop', so you can still look forward to additions as we move through the first year in operations here in our new home.
We will be eight seasons old this summer, but essentially moving into the 'second grade', as it were. Thank you for shepherding us through our grade school of business experience, for supporting us with a guiding hand and helpful word. Thank you for continuing to buy cheese and support our local economy!
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
Jun 17, 2016
Jun 6, 2013
Monday was a fun day - we are CLOSED - however I do often spend time at the store taking care of the many business things that need attending to - including hosting visitors, like John Mahoney for a photo spread in At the Lake Magazine last March.
This past Monday, Sarah Kowal, a novice cheesemonger from River Falls, WI; stopped by to visit and share her story. She was visiting southeast Wisconsin cheese stores, and since we are one of the few left in this corner of the state, she stopped in.
The name of her enterprise is Weathervane Creamery, (you can read of her experience as a budding entrepreneur on her blog) and while not actually in a physical location just yet, plans are in the works to be located in River Falls, WI. It isn't often that I now get to go that far from the store, so it was very pleasant to have Sarah visit us in the store and here of her current experiences. She has the benefit of youth on her side, (something I envy at this point - the life of the cheesemonger is a bit more physically challenging than I realized), and it will undoubtedly help her in her business development. Sarah has a really good handle on the tools of today's entrepreneur - financing through local and investment groups, marketing through blog and social media.
I do believe the small business owner of today must adapt to the electronic tools at their disposal - their customers are and will continue to be finding them with all manner of smart devices. We are moving more and more rapidly into the age of smaller and smaller smart devices - I, personally, wonder whether we won't soon cease to use the desktop, but our laptop and tablets to access the larger monitor of our sophisticated HD televisions in our homes. All that said, word of mouth is the one most important tool -but again, reaching the customer will mean developing increased efficiency at managing the technologies the modern customer uses, multiple types of smart devices to find us means it is critical in the current age of competition and 'noise' to learn how to use them for the maximum impact.
I was impressed with Sarah's knowledge of and use to reach out and find supporters who want to help her financially. Since we started our store 5 years ago, many of the tools like 'crowd funding' were just an idea still being hatched. I envy Sarah's determination and spirit in the face of continued obstacles and think she just might have the tenacity it takes to do this kind of work. Our talk centered on cheeses as well, but I am afraid I am not as aware of some of Wisconsin's northwest cheese plants. Will definitely have to find time to go that direction and visit Sarah in the near future for a taste of dairy in the part of the state.
This past Monday, Sarah Kowal, a novice cheesemonger from River Falls, WI; stopped by to visit and share her story. She was visiting southeast Wisconsin cheese stores, and since we are one of the few left in this corner of the state, she stopped in.
The name of her enterprise is Weathervane Creamery, (you can read of her experience as a budding entrepreneur on her blog) and while not actually in a physical location just yet, plans are in the works to be located in River Falls, WI. It isn't often that I now get to go that far from the store, so it was very pleasant to have Sarah visit us in the store and here of her current experiences. She has the benefit of youth on her side, (something I envy at this point - the life of the cheesemonger is a bit more physically challenging than I realized), and it will undoubtedly help her in her business development. Sarah has a really good handle on the tools of today's entrepreneur - financing through local and investment groups, marketing through blog and social media.
I do believe the small business owner of today must adapt to the electronic tools at their disposal - their customers are and will continue to be finding them with all manner of smart devices. We are moving more and more rapidly into the age of smaller and smaller smart devices - I, personally, wonder whether we won't soon cease to use the desktop, but our laptop and tablets to access the larger monitor of our sophisticated HD televisions in our homes. All that said, word of mouth is the one most important tool -but again, reaching the customer will mean developing increased efficiency at managing the technologies the modern customer uses, multiple types of smart devices to find us means it is critical in the current age of competition and 'noise' to learn how to use them for the maximum impact.
I was impressed with Sarah's knowledge of and use to reach out and find supporters who want to help her financially. Since we started our store 5 years ago, many of the tools like 'crowd funding' were just an idea still being hatched. I envy Sarah's determination and spirit in the face of continued obstacles and think she just might have the tenacity it takes to do this kind of work. Our talk centered on cheeses as well, but I am afraid I am not as aware of some of Wisconsin's northwest cheese plants. Will definitely have to find time to go that direction and visit Sarah in the near future for a taste of dairy in the part of the state.
May 28, 2013
It will soon be our 5th anniversary as a consistently open and operating small business, and I still pinch myself when a new customer finds us and is astonished that Delavan has a great little cheese shop that also serves really good food! Really... that is us? Your kidding...You're not? WOW!
It's been a great ride to this point, and now the effort is moving from mere survival to increasing revenues to cover the new employee and increased payroll taxes that entails. (We are not there yet -
People make many assumptions of your business when you are able to stick around long enough for them to come back season after season. Assumptions which include you must be making scads of cash if you can afford to keep the doors open. (Believe me, whenever we have a rockin' day or weekend - I am looking at catching up on equipment purchases, small equipment to make our lives easier - or perhaps a unique item in inventory.) My friend, Ari Weinzweig, at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, says in his two recent books on entrepreneurship that being successful just means you get better problems. And, as I have come to find out - better does not necessarily mean prettier, or easier. Some are very messy, brain tangling, and definitely harder.
Like getting a new oven with one more shelf where we can grill more sandwiches at one time will mean completely reconfiguring the sandwich prep area we currently use. Hmmm - nope - not really looking forward to that task, as it most likely also means getting a new metro shelving unit to accomodate.
Or, better yet - which money tree can I shake to get the cash for that little project. Stay tuned to "As the cheese turns..." : )
Laura
It's been a great ride to this point, and now the effort is moving from mere survival to increasing revenues to cover the new employee and increased payroll taxes that entails. (We are not there yet -
People make many assumptions of your business when you are able to stick around long enough for them to come back season after season. Assumptions which include you must be making scads of cash if you can afford to keep the doors open. (Believe me, whenever we have a rockin' day or weekend - I am looking at catching up on equipment purchases, small equipment to make our lives easier - or perhaps a unique item in inventory.) My friend, Ari Weinzweig, at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, says in his two recent books on entrepreneurship that being successful just means you get better problems. And, as I have come to find out - better does not necessarily mean prettier, or easier. Some are very messy, brain tangling, and definitely harder.
Like getting a new oven with one more shelf where we can grill more sandwiches at one time will mean completely reconfiguring the sandwich prep area we currently use. Hmmm - nope - not really looking forward to that task, as it most likely also means getting a new metro shelving unit to accomodate.
Or, better yet - which money tree can I shake to get the cash for that little project. Stay tuned to "As the cheese turns..." : )
Laura
May 27, 2013
Special customers tasting once in a life time cheese at Brick Street Market!
Last Saturday was one of those mornings you just know as soon as you open, like the song goes "Tonight's gonna be a good night" - only it was Saturday morning - and the energy was flowing and you just have to hold on tight!
First thing, one of our favorite customers - Scott Keehn - was in from the Dakotas with a present for us to taste - a cheese from the folks at Cowgirl Creamery in Tomales Bay. This was a unique little cheese that was only offered in a very short window of time from the website and Scott just happened to be on the web site at the time. He purchased cheese for himself and brought some for us to sample. His generosity was not lost on us - and we chose to cut and sample to everyone in the store. Sam, our baker at Simple in Lake Geneva, had just come off his early shift at the bakery (bringing us some exquisite Saturday morning treats like the cinnamon roll pictured at the link above),
and customer and friend Meredith, and Dan and Kelly were also in and sampled.
I cannot tell you how really wonderful I feel when I get to taste a brand new cheese in my store. Every time we open a cheese, I am reminded that we are the first to taste that creation of milk and craftsmanship. This little cheese did not disappoint. Somewhere between butter and cream cheese with a portabella mushrooms infusion stood this little surprise gift. Scott shares our love of the sublime - and it's always a gift to us when he brings his family. And, thank you to the folks at Cowgirl Creamery for continuing to set the bar high! Loved that cheese!
The day continued a gift, as customers streamed through the store all day - bringing energy and friendship. As 4:30 finally arrived, after 42 lunches and who knows how many pounds of cheese went out the door later), we had time to finally take a breather before getting control of all the dishes and shutting everything down for the weekend. I had a great time - thanks to my great team - Jennell, Veronica, Anthony for performing admirably under pressure, and appreciate the great friends all of our customers have become! Keep on cheese-n!
First thing, one of our favorite customers - Scott Keehn - was in from the Dakotas with a present for us to taste - a cheese from the folks at Cowgirl Creamery in Tomales Bay. This was a unique little cheese that was only offered in a very short window of time from the website and Scott just happened to be on the web site at the time. He purchased cheese for himself and brought some for us to sample. His generosity was not lost on us - and we chose to cut and sample to everyone in the store. Sam, our baker at Simple in Lake Geneva, had just come off his early shift at the bakery (bringing us some exquisite Saturday morning treats like the cinnamon roll pictured at the link above),
and customer and friend Meredith, and Dan and Kelly were also in and sampled.
I cannot tell you how really wonderful I feel when I get to taste a brand new cheese in my store. Every time we open a cheese, I am reminded that we are the first to taste that creation of milk and craftsmanship. This little cheese did not disappoint. Somewhere between butter and cream cheese with a portabella mushrooms infusion stood this little surprise gift. Scott shares our love of the sublime - and it's always a gift to us when he brings his family. And, thank you to the folks at Cowgirl Creamery for continuing to set the bar high! Loved that cheese!
The day continued a gift, as customers streamed through the store all day - bringing energy and friendship. As 4:30 finally arrived, after 42 lunches and who knows how many pounds of cheese went out the door later), we had time to finally take a breather before getting control of all the dishes and shutting everything down for the weekend. I had a great time - thanks to my great team - Jennell, Veronica, Anthony for performing admirably under pressure, and appreciate the great friends all of our customers have become! Keep on cheese-n!
Mar 27, 2013
Coffee & Cheese?! But, of course, dahling!
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe - paired with Cyprus Grove Chevre Purple Haze. Light and a bit acidic, this would make a great accompanying beverage to a bagel slathered with the wonderful soft, herbal goat cheese.
Next, Costa Rica Fruta de Oro - aroma of cocoa, flavor notes of cinnamon and caramel, mild acidity and full-bodied smoothness. A great breakfast bean, full, flavorful and delicious with the nuttiness of Pleasant Ridge Reserve!
And, finally, Guatemala Huehuetenango - described as having bright notes of blueberry and apricot, with a finish of chocolate. This bean is all about dessert, so how about a little mouthful of Raspberry or Espresso Bellevitano.
Thanks so much to Eric and Jeff! They've already said they'd come back and give us another go, so look for another pairing in 2nd quarter, with totally different cheeses!
Laura
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