We’re at the halfway mark of a five year lease, which means we have to plan for the long-term future of Alive Juice Bar. Short-term, I’m aiming for minor renovations this December. The place will still look quirky and homespun, but neater, more organized so we can better advertise non-food products like books and mugs (coming soon!). So we may shut down for a few days sometime in December, or at least reduce hours during construction — open for breakfast and dinner only.

Also need to focus on getting the place running smoothly and efficiently.  That is, hire a bookkeeper who can manage the financial paper work (it’s a disaster!); install POS system that’ll keep track of customer Credit and Tabs system and allow you to pay off your Tab from home; maybe hire someone to pay bills on time so we don’t get dinged on late fees). There’s going to be less focus on increasing traffic, more on increasing sales per customer and fixing costly leaks (we lose a three to four hundred dollars a month on unpaid Tabs because people forget about them. We lose a hundred a month on late fees because I can’t remember to pay my bills on time).  The store needs to be in a condition where I can sell it.  Not saying I’m going to sell it, it just needs to be running well enough so it can be sold.

Long-term, I’m considering the following options:

1) Stay put, do a major renovation, expand offerings and sign a 10 year lease.  Live a quiet life.

2) Sell it (to employees) and open a small full-service bistro.  The bistro can operate as a juice bar for breakfast and lunch. Outsource the juice bar side of the business, which would allow me to focus on dinner service.  (Running a small bistro has been a dream of mine). Live a quiet life.

3) Stay put, find Darth(ette) Vadar to lead expansion and take over the world.  Hectic, intense life.

4) Stay put, find Darth(ette) Vadar to lead expansion, kill Darth(ette) Vadar, sell business to Sith Lord most capable of spreading Alive Juice Bar values and products.  Spend eternity in Hell.

Will discuss the purpose of Alive Juice Bar in next post.