A CONFESSION
Well, hello there, stranger!
First, let me apologize. You haven’t heard from me in a months—MONTHS—and I’m sorry. (Just writing that sentence was embarrassing). Looking back, I wish I had written down everything that has transpired because it’s A LOT.
Allow me to explain.
On October 15th, my husband and I bought a coffee shop.
A COFFEE SHOP!
Sounds crazy, right?
Trust me, I'm as surprised as you are!
I never dreamed I would one day own a coffee shop, but the funny thing is that all the things I ever DID dream are all wrapped up in this one place. Again, I haven’t written anything here in months, but my journals over the years chronicle seasons of caring for children, volunteering in church, cooking for friends, planning parties, and serving the community in a multitude of different venues.
One of the ways God blesses us is by ensuring that no experience is ever wasted.
I have always been drawn to places where conversation and connection can happen organically. In our shop, we experience that every day! We like to say, “There’s lots of places in downtown Woodstock you can go. We want to be the place where a person can simply BE.” Some people have really taken that mantra to heart. Case in point—there’s a consistent crew who park themselves in our seats every single day to work, study, or read or don’t buy a single thing. GAH! Slowly, we are turning the tide. I am beginning to hear stories about the happy place we’ve created, and every week I’m seeing our regulars for breakfast (keto bowls!) or for their twice daily dose of peppermint tea.
I have to be honest, though. The learning curve for running a business like this is steep. We have more than 20 team members, over 5000 square feet of space, and a full kitchen in addition to our coffee counter. And when we bought the coffee house, I didn’t even know how to make coffee!
I want it to be awesome.
WHAT I’M LEARNING
The other day, I was chatting with a friend who stopped by for some avocado toast and tea before her hot yoga class. I told her I was overwhelmed.
“Just remember,” she said, “you only have to do it once.”
And she’s right.
Updating the vendor contact lists.
Enrolling in bill-pay.
Hiring a CPA.
Scheduling cleaning.
I only have to do these things once, and then I can move on to whatever is next on that never-ending list of daily to-do’s.
My friend, Maureen, acknowledged the magnitude of the work and put it in perspective.
Nevertheless, now we’re five months into this adventure, and we’re still encountering all kinds of firsts.
We need a new air-conditioner.
There’s a leak in the dish room.
Our Point-of-Sale system is outdated.
The doors need to be replaced.
And on and on and on….
Such is the nature of owning a business.
As overwhelming as these last few months have been, I finally feel like I’m at a place where I can return to my first love: writing. The coffee house has given me plenty of content!
One thing I’ve learned is that when we choose to do hard things, we exercise all kinds of muscles we didn’t know we had. Consistent exercise leads to increased strength and endurance. I don’t know what the future holds, but these last five months will surely equip me for whatever is next, whether that’s more time at the coffee house or something altogether different.
Only God knows. All these “firsts” will not be wasted.