I once read an article that compared starting a new business to having a baby. Opening Nibbles’ really did parallel my first pregnancy. We tried for 4 long years to get pregnant and had just about given up when I finally became pregnant with my daughter, Sammi. Nibbles was in the planning stages for about 4 years including much research, meetings with designers, feasibility studies and then the search for the right location. Once the lease was signed – 9 very long months of filing for permits, dealing with utility issues, bank loans and then finally, the build-out. Those last couple of weeks were very similar to that feeling of just wanting to get that baby out. And once you finally deliver the baby, reality hits – the pregnancy is over but the real work is just beginning and you realize that this is a very long-term commitment. According to the article I read, a business and child go through similar stages, starting in infancy through the teen years. If you’ve done your job right, they both will become independent and you learn to let go, sending them out on their own.
Nibbles is just becoming a toddler – developing a personality of it’s own. I thought Nibbles’ was going to be a play center that had good food and a comfortable setting for adults. I think Nibbles’ wants to be more of a cafe with good food and coffee, that happens to have some play areas for young children. My staff and I are taking a look at this and trying to accept this difference. (Much like I needed to learn that my little sweet baby girl had a very strong personlity and was not quite the baby I imagined while I was pregnant – once you have kids, you find out they are so much more than you could have ever dreamed!) I hope Nibbles’ will be a place where families can come hang out with their kids and feel comfortable. And I need Nibbles’ to survive financially. We want our guests feedback and ideas – it takes a village to raise a child, and it will take our “village” to help Nibbles’ grow. Ple ase send me all of your thoughts here and I will keep telling stories about how Nibbles’ is developing!”
Kathleen
November 5, 2008 at 8:19 pm |
Hi Kathleen
Me and my 18th months old son really like you cafe, what I suggest to you , you need to seat down and change you menu a little bit , I can give you some ideas you can e-mail me. But if you will have a great food, and open on weekend, the most of the people instead going to the Ihop they will come to you.
Good Luck
November 9, 2008 at 10:56 pm |
I would love to hear some ideas from our customers on menu items they would like added. We do not have full kitchen so we are somewhat restricted to the types of foods we can prepare but we are very open to suggestions. We are in the process of adding a few more “hearty” dinner items. We occasionally have some public events on the weekends – so watch our calendar for those but for now we will continue to reserve weekends for birthday parties and private events as that’s what really helps to pay our bills!
Thanks for your input – I love hearing from parents coming to Nibbles!
Kathleen