BAKERI: RETAIL BAKERY ENTERPRISE

150 Wythe Avenue at North 8th Street (Williamsburg) • 718.388.8037

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Bakeri

Their Success…telling a story through their guest experience.  From the artifacts in its storefront to its layout, to its passionate and dedicated staff, everything about Bakeri paints a more in-depth picture of its concept, indicating to guests what type of products they might expect to find, what type of service they will experience, and what the enterprise values.

When guests first glimpse Bakeri, they might notice the antique scales in the window, or the mid-century light fixture illuminating the lettering on its front window, or the vintage containers perched on the ledge as though someone’s grandmother had left it there for a moment.  Inside, guests will certainly notice the 1950’s-style jumpsuits that serve as staff uniforms, the handmade signs for products, and the farmhouse-style kitchen adjacent to the main counter.  Bakeri feels as though it were the central hearth plucked from a Midwestern farm, which is echoed in its products—largely comprised of updated versions of American classics.

Furthermore, each space within Bakeri builds upon the others to create an experience for guests.  Guests can linger up front, or wander towards the back of the enterprise into its garden like one would at a home. While normally we spotlight streamlined service flow, the relaxed flow at Bakeri serves to enhance the guests’ experience, rather than detract from it.  It generates a leisureliness that reinforces the feeling of being at home in the enterprise.

With its design—both spatial and interior— coming together, the experience at Bakeri feels genuine, authentic, and comforting, just like its delicious baked goods.

Take Aways…Each element of your enterprise, from your layout to your staff uniforms, should speak to something about your concept, building upon each other to create a true experience for your guests—a feeling that they have entered a space completely separate and distinct from the world around it.  Being a guest in your enterprise should feel like a story that guests are told through the atmosphere and products you have created.

Marlow Summer Fair Event: Sunday August 11th

Join Marlow & Sons on Sunday, August 11th at the parking lot across the street
for a Summer Fair to benefit Cayuga Pure Organics, from 6pm-10pm.

Cayuga Pure Organics is a small farm near Ithaca, New York that grows organic, non-GMO dry beans and grains, including several heirloom varieties. On May 30, 2013, a devastating fire destroyed the barn that housed all of CPO’s cleaning and packaging equipment and a considerable amount of inventory. The Marlow team is raising funds so Cayuga Pure Organics can rebuild.

BKLYN LARDER: SPECIALTY AND PREPARED FOODS MARKET

228 Flatbush Avenue at Bergen Street (Prospect Heights) • 718.783.1250

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BKLYN Larder

Their Success…creating multiple revenue streams under one roof in a way that feels cohesive, organized, and inviting.  Walking into BKLYN Larder, a food lover will feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store.  And while there is literally candy (as well as chocolate, ice cream, and other sweets) all around, the store also contains a variety of crackers, pickles, meats, cheeses, and snacks, as well as a prepared foods bar and sandwiches made-to-order.  In addition, BKLYN Larder caters for holidays, parties, and meetings.   All these different business models could overwhelm a small space, but instead they work together in harmony to create an enterprise that is simultaneously bustling and intimate.

What makes this multiple revenue stream enterprise work is, first and foremost, the clear vision driving each component.   Since its opening in 2009, BKLYN Larder, from the owners of nearby Franny’s, has sought to be the go-to market for sustainable, local, homemade specialty food.  That ethos shines through in each piece of the market—from the traditionally-made cheeses, to the Mast Brothers chocolate bars, to the homemade pastries and prepared foods.

It is this vision that really helps BKLYN Larder create a synergy between its revenue streams. The vintage feel of an old-school market saturates the enterprise, harkening back to an era when the neighborhood market was the go-to place for foods of all kinds, be it a sandwich for lunch, a turkey for your holiday table, or the perfect basket of treats for a special gift.

Secondly, BKLYN Larder succeeds because the owners have kept each piece relatively simple.  They have a carefully chosen selection of prepared foods, pastries, and sandwiches, a straightforward catering menu, and a well-curated assortment of specialty items.  The store layout is likewise simple, so that guests are able to move through the enterprise freely and see each component easily against the minimalist design aesthetic.

BKLYN Larder is a model for making multiple revenue streams not only work, but work in a way that adds to its overall concept and charm.

Take Aways…When creating an enterprise with multiple revenue streams, keep in mind the vision for your enterprise and how each piece fits into that vision.  Make sure that each piece adds to your vision in some way other than additional revenue.  Each revenue stream should also enhance your overall concept.  Furthermore, it should be simple enough in its execution to keep it from overwhelming your operations and service flow.

Strangeways Coffee Opens in Bushwick

Eddie Cedeno, 29, opened Strangeways coffee shop at 87 St. Nicholas Avenue in Bushwick this week.  Cedeno got his start in the coffee industry roasting at Gorilla coffee eight years ago.  Until recently, he was a manager, roaster, and green coffee buyer for Oslo.  But when Oslo burnt down in January, Cedeno decided the time was right to pursue his dream and open his own cafe.  Cedeno and investors Zachary Nathanson (of Lucky Dog) and Salvator Fristensky (of Skinny Dennis) partnered up to open Strangeways.

The cafe focuses on single-origin coffees and espressos, with a broad array of preparations available, from a pour-over bar to an AeroPress.  Their coffee comes from carefully sourced farms in Central and South America and is custom-roasted by Oslo.  Strangeways also offers baked goods from Dough.

For more information about Strangeways, check out their Facebook page.

Ice Scream You Scream for Innovative Flavors

Grub Street tallys New York’s innovative ice cream shops at 22, and writes up their new summer flavors and favorites. In this mouth-watering round-up, we’re reminded that Odd Fellows opens on Thursday in Williamsburg — yet another reason to try out that ferry and cool off.

The Franks Announce Their Plans for Res, a Chef Residency Space in Brooklyn

At the Mésamerica Festival in Mexico City, restaurateurs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli revealed the plans for their Chef-as-Artist in Residence facility in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Their website explains their philosophy for the space. Read the whole article here.

Nightingale 9 Will Launch Lunch on Tuesday

A new addition to the ever-expanding Newton empire on Smith Street, lunch at Nightingale 9 begins on Tuesday. A full write up and menu are here.

As we wrote in PaigePapers’s Retail Spotlight, from Seersucker to Smith Canteen to Nightingale 9, these operators are showing great flexibility with their retail and restaurant savvy to the neighborhood of Carroll Gardens.

The Great Googa Mooga Returns: An Amusement Park of Food and Drink on May 17th – 19t h in Prospect Park

The Great Googa Mooga is back. Though there were inaugural challenges last year, we’re sure to check in on this food and music fest again. The culinary line up is packed, and there are still tickets available. We’ll be there (amongst the 40,000 others) in Prospect Park for a weekend of feasting and music, checking out the improvements.

 

SMITH CANTEEN: RETAIL COFFEE ENTERPRISE

343 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY • 347.294.0292

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Smith Canteen

Their Success…After opening their successful sit-down restaurant Seersucker in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, owners Robert Newton and Kerry Diamond saw an opportunity in the market to open a coffee shop, Smith Canteen, just down the street.

Though they served breakfast at Seersucker, they noticed that guests also enjoyed the espresso drinks and counter service they offered.  Seeing the desire for a coffee shop atmosphere among guests at Seersucker, the two opened Smith Canteen in 2011 to serve their needs.  The small, comfortable coffee shop focuses on coffee and espresso, as well as sandwiches, quiches, and pastries.   Though its menu and service style differ from Seersucker, its branding and atmosphere maintain the feeling guests have come to expect from the duo.

In opening Smith Canteen, Newton and Diamond smartly listened to their guests and used their lifestyle, needs, and wants to plan their concept for the coffee shop.  By taking a cue from guests in devising the coffee, sandwiches, and pastries concept, Newton and Diamond gave themselves an advantage: they already knew there would be a guest base to support Smith Canteen when it opened.  They looked to the market for an unmet need and met it themselves.

Take Aways…When considering a new enterprise, listen to and look to the needs of your target market first.  Assessing the target market will tell you what your guests seek from your enterprise.  This will help determine the core of your concept—from service style to cuisine—and make sure your enterprise has the guest base to support you from opening day onward.

OddFellows Ice Cream Co. in Williamsburg Opening Soon

OddFellows Ice Cream Co. is a Brooklyn-based, family-run business founded by Chef Sam Mason (co-owner/head chef) and husband-and-wife team Billy and Holiday. For fans of West Coast Humphry Slocombe, NYC may finally have a comparable spot.

They will be located in Williamsburg on Kent Avenue, between North 3rd and North 4thStreets and plan to open Memorial Day weekend.

In line with many fresh-faced startups, they’ve launched an Indie Go-Go Campaign. The page gives more insight as to how the business will run. Hearing Sam explain his sweet and savory philosophies on video is a must.