When it rains it pours. Metaphorically speaking. We just hired 3 new part-time employees to help the season rush, which usually happens the day after Thanksgiving (the biggest shopping day of the year!). It’s exciting because we have a culturally diverse group: Japanese, Puerto Rican, and Spanish—not to mention our Vietnamese, Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian backgrounds. Right now, training takes place in 4-hour shifts. Soon, we’d love to hand the keys over to the most willing and competent so we can do more graphic design and pour extra time into marketing Banana Dang.
November 20, 2008 is the one-year anniversary of Banana Dang. We survived our first year with just the two of us running the show (except for help in cleaning at night). We weathered the “dry spell” of Rincon’s endless summer, and got a few accolades worth mentioning...The new Lonely Planet spotlighted our business. Local paper El Coqui did a feature on Banana Dang (you can download the story in the November issue). The Hartford Courant ran a feature on Rincon titled "No-Frills Paradise" and mentioned Banana Dang. On Trip Advisor, we are fortunate to be the #3 restaurant in Puerto Rico!
Promo-wise, check out our FREE postcard with $5 purchase in-store (stickers coming soon). It also took a year, but we finally finished the Banana Dang Guide to Rincon—a complimentary 2-pages that features all our favorite hangouts and “secrets” of the town. We also redesigned the DANG Factory logo for our own graphic design business—and got a few more jobs out of it, including designing the visual identity for the 2nd Annual Rincon International Film Festival and logo redesign for Flying Fish Parasail. Images soon.One of the best things we’ve done for our barista career is joining the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the social network Barista Exchange, a forum for barista “geeks” to talk coffee. The David Schomer bible, Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, is still the #1 required reading for anyone who wants to up his or her skill. If anyone is thinking about opening a coffeehouse, that’s the best advice we can give.
In the near future, our vision is 3-fold: expand the seating area of Banana Dang downstairs and bring the DANG Factory graphic design business upstairs (with chaise lounges, projectors...). The other “dream” is to open a Banana Dang drive-thru kiosk or a Banana Dang Guesthouse in Rincon…or San Diego?!?
That’s life on the BD front.
Mario + T2
6 comments:
Congratulations Thanh-Thanh and Mario for making it through your first 12 months. It sounds like Banana Dang is becoming an established, thriving business in Rincon. Here's to many more years of growth and goodness you will bring to Rincon, PR. We hope to make a visit sooner than later. . .
davidshaw
YEAH!!!! hip hop hooray! congratulations to both of you. i miss ya guys. we will have to laugh together again when i visit banana dang on day.
Congratulations to you both! We're so glad that all your hard work has paid off. Now, we hope to win the lottery to be able to come visit... But, hey, if you're gonna open a location San Diego, let me know. I may be able to help out!
xxoo
Thanh-Thanh and Mario that is so awesome! I know how much work and positive energy you guys threw into this business. Thanks for sharing the good news...looking forward in sipping a cup of PR's finest coffee.
in it to be it,
JOON
Congratulation! Woo Hoo, Big Year! I miss my eggspresso! I have to come back and get another. Yummy!! I love your DANG creativeness and innovation...the smoothie flavors, the latte designs, the panini sandwiches, and of course, your designs. Your place is so welcoming....I want to return :) Again, congrats T2 and Mario!
Congratulations...you've accomplished quite a bit in such a short time. I'm sure it will feel strange to have some "free time" outside of the cafe!
Cheers-Leilani
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