Imminent Goals and Renewed Initiative
October 26th, 2012, 11:48 am
This past week has proved both successful and challenging as we completed both the midterm presentations and a meeting with a young entrepeneur, Ben Davidson, of the Green Bean Cafe.
Our midterm presentation included some renderings of the space we hope to obtain, as well as a menu draft, and an example of the presentation booklet we have previously discussed creating. We wanted to share the menu below and some renderings below.
A basic look at features we would have on our menu. Including basic and specialty coffee and tea, and sandwiches that would embody our ecologically sustainable practices. Further revisions have already been made, and product research will be needed before we can promise many of the items we hope to offer. Mr. Davidson pointed out that it will be important to understand the produce available in a 100 mile radius, the possibility of shortages, and holding special offers.
The floorplan of The Green Room shown in the space at 30 University Avenue, with single bathroom and storage space at the rear which would be part of the renovations to the building necessary.
View of the The Green Room from a position just inside the front door of the building.
Please note the measurements used for the creation of these renderings were not to scale, a primary goal of the upcoming week.
We have been quite happy with the continued progress of The Green Room and have been increasingly excited and dedicated to the potential of bringing our business to life. We have not however, overlooked the amount of work and legalities involved with such an endeavor. Our meeting with Mr. Davidson was both an inspiring, but stern reminder of the challenges we will face as we continue with our task. We spoke in detail about the requirements and inspections our business will be subject to by health officials, and many of the concealed costs we had not yet uncovered. Mr. Davidson’s passion for what he does is easy to see, and he was hopeful that we are as passionate as him. The main takeaway from the meeting was that we will never stop learning in the process of creating a business, and research will be apart of our everyday for the duration of this process.
We feel enlightened by the information we have gained thus far, and will continue to move forward with the same fervor as we have been. The technical business aspects of the project will be of utmost importance at this time, and we will be utilizing all of the resources at our disposal.
The coming week involves a meeting with 4th year Visual Art and Built Environment student, who also is in the process of researching the metropolitan area of Windsor. We hope to make contact with the landlord of 30 University Avenue as well, and further our discussion with Dr. Mogyorody at the University of Windsor.
A Growing Business
October 19th, 2012, 7:04 pm
This week has proved to be our most eventful thus far as a potential location has required us to delve deeper into the logistics of starting a business. After speaking with the building owner of 30 University Avenue, we were advised to further our knowledge of how to run a business. We looked into specific details on running a cafe, such as: acquisition of money, regulations for building codes, and garbage removal. Our location, right across the street from the Armouries building, is seen in the picture below. (We have not yet met with Mr. Rivard to take a tour of the space, which will be our priority for the upcoming week.)
The group had established a basic business plan which will be developed further. The proposal includes company goals and objectives, long term plans and assessments, and the inclusion of brief numbers and figures. This plan will become a fundamental contract in operating this business with critical analysis of underlying aspects of our project. This will hopefully show Mr. Rivard (landlord) that our group is enthusiastic about making this idea into a cornerstone green business for the downtown Windsor core.
We have also begun to explore the issue of garbage and recycling. The unique location of the site, within the confines of two other businesses, means space for disposal is narrow and nearly nonexistent. Below is the rear entrance of the location, with lines indicating what land we are entitled to use for waste removal.
With midterm presentations approaching, we focussed on the preparation for this event. A prezi has been prepared, and we have been meeting to organize required material and layout.
We hope to make significant progress in the upcoming week, including: following up with Mr. Rivard, beginning design of renovations, and gaining a tour of the space.
A Hopeful Target
September 28th, 2012, 10:03 pm
After gaining feedback on our progess, we continued forward with detailing our project proposal in support of the Chatham Parkette. We have taken advice on redesigning our logo and would like to share below:
Taking a look around our site’s borders, we formed an interest in expanding our boundaries, specifically to the adjacent vacant building. Converting this space into a café/lounge would define the “Green Room” ideal in our efforts of bringing existance back into the green space, where its function as an exterior seating area would compliment our interior proposition.
Above: the building we hope to obtain for our Green Room in its current state.
A schedule has been made and assigning of individual tasks has begun in an effort of finalizing our goal for the semester. Focusing on funding, design, and community involvement, we anticipate to leave a lasting impression within Windsor’s downtown area.
We have realized just how important our communication with business owners and the community will be in making our project a success. Since our idea is entirely based on a building we do not have the means to rent, as well as on the participation of those within the surrounding area who we cannot offer any monetary means, we are forced to address this issue in the form of creating a presentation document for ourselves. We will individually compile a document with our backgrounds, aims, and dedication to this project as a way of introducing ourselves and showing people in the community how dedicated we are to making this project successful.
Currently all our hopes lay on our interaction with the building owner of this location, we hope to deliver good news in the coming week and be able to make rapid progress from there!
