www.bettyblythe.co.uk
Very cute cafe / cake shop with midnight feasts, dressing up tea partys etc.
Definitely should check out
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Another cute competitor
www.bettyblythe.co.uk
Very cute cafe / cake shop with midnight feasts, dressing up tea partys etc.
Definitely should check out
Coffee and Crayons
Picked up your message about possible competitors and meant to post about this place I drove past before the holiday:
http://www.coffeeandcrayons.co.uk/
Looks quite arts / crafts cafe but should still check out.
http://www.coffeeandcrayons.co.uk/
Looks quite arts / crafts cafe but should still check out.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Purple Dragon -- a new member's club in London
I am back in London now and trying to get over my holiday brain! Sorry I haven't been involved! I was talking to a friend today about our idea and she suggested we check out a new family member's club which just opened up in Battersea Park called Purple Dragon. It seems you can pay for a day/week/year, etc. It also seems to cater to kids and grown-ups. It looks (from the photos) like a huge space. Anyway, it's just worth having a look at it.
Maybe one of these days we should go and check out our 'competitors'.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Richard Pierson
Another possible good person to talk to later along in our business planning process is Richard Pierson.
He's a mate from BBH, he was head of new business, but he has worked with various brands privately on business planning - I know he worked with Maggie and Rose in the early stages and he was quite critical of their plans, I think he was thinking about investing.
He's much later down the line.
He's a mate from BBH, he was head of new business, but he has worked with various brands privately on business planning - I know he worked with Maggie and Rose in the early stages and he was quite critical of their plans, I think he was thinking about investing.
He's much later down the line.
Caroline
I met with Caroline yesterday and told her the idea - she loved it and says she'd love to be involved however we want her to be - she is a wonderful and hugely talented creative but is also fantastic at branding and tonality. I'd love you guys to meet anyway - being Mums so close to eachother - and she's offered to help us brainstorm and put us in touch with designers who she thinks would achieve the look we want. i mentioned not having the budget of typical advertising clients and she thinks when a creative loves a project they'll work on it for the money thats available as opposed to their going rate. She wants to introduce us to 2 people:
Henrik - a swedish designer who she worked with on All Star Lanes (do you know the super cool retro bowling alley in Bloomsbury and Shoreditch?) who she rates as the best designer she knows - and she knows a lot.
Lady who set up a company called Bird who specialise in reclaiming furniture and reconditioning it for other uses - i.e. vase as lamp. She thinks she would be a good contact on the deco side of things.
Henrik - a swedish designer who she worked with on All Star Lanes (do you know the super cool retro bowling alley in Bloomsbury and Shoreditch?) who she rates as the best designer she knows - and she knows a lot.
Lady who set up a company called Bird who specialise in reclaiming furniture and reconditioning it for other uses - i.e. vase as lamp. She thinks she would be a good contact on the deco side of things.
The best crayons ...
The don't look too cool - but once you draw with these crayons you'll never turn back - I always stock up in Berlin. A friend who came over with her 2 kids nick-named them lipstick pens - and it is the perfect name - they have a turning mechanism like a lipstick so you don't waste colour and they glide on the paper like lipstick - made by the company that invented Fimo - I'll bring the boys back a pack from Berlin.
Grand Hotel Heiligendamm
I heard about this hotel in Germany that has a really great Kids angle.
I need to scan in some better pictures from a book I have as couldn't find great ones online - but has really cool stuff like a cool shute / slide that goes from a balcony on the first floor into the garden, a space shuttle room with computers and games for older kids and a really sweet old fashion 'street' with shops etc for make-believe play for younger kids - I quite like the idea of doing something like this in our 'soft-play' area and cosy sofa corners with murals on the walls.
I need to scan in some better pictures from a book I have as couldn't find great ones online - but has really cool stuff like a cool shute / slide that goes from a balcony on the first floor into the garden, a space shuttle room with computers and games for older kids and a really sweet old fashion 'street' with shops etc for make-believe play for younger kids - I quite like the idea of doing something like this in our 'soft-play' area and cosy sofa corners with murals on the walls.
I love my Blender
You may know of this shop through Emilie but it's a shop in Paris that Caroline told me about yesterday when I told her our idea (which by the way she loved but more on that later).
http://www.ilovemyblender.fr/ (website under construction)
All the books are books the author has read and loved - there is even a kids corner where kids look through the kids selection while parents have a cuppa.
i like the idea of our 'shop' area having a bit of a 'things we love' element - but not so cheesy. I've always quite liked in book stores when the people who work there handwrite a little card below their favourite books - it gives a sense that the people working there love books. Maybe little handwritten explanation cards as to why we are choosing to sell something might be cool.
http://www.ilovemyblender.fr/ (website under construction)
All the books are books the author has read and loved - there is even a kids corner where kids look through the kids selection while parents have a cuppa.
i like the idea of our 'shop' area having a bit of a 'things we love' element - but not so cheesy. I've always quite liked in book stores when the people who work there handwrite a little card below their favourite books - it gives a sense that the people working there love books. Maybe little handwritten explanation cards as to why we are choosing to sell something might be cool.
What kind of premise would we need?
Retail properties are classified for various different uses.
A premise selling food and drink for the consumption on the premises is under classification A3. This is important for us when looking for property. Some A1 properties may be given A3 permission if the correct measures were taken to bring the property in line with A3 requirements but not always - so we should be looking for an A3 property from the outset.
http://www.ukplanning.com/ukpskin//advice/downloads/Use-Classes-Order(England).pdf
A premise selling food and drink for the consumption on the premises is under classification A3. This is important for us when looking for property. Some A1 properties may be given A3 permission if the correct measures were taken to bring the property in line with A3 requirements but not always - so we should be looking for an A3 property from the outset.
http://www.ukplanning.com/ukpskin//advice/downloads/Use-Classes-Order(England).pdf
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Renting in Chiswick
Very quick research to see what rent would be in Chiswick .... as expected expensive.
The shop Brioche below is only 74 square metres (which I don't think is anywhere near big enough. and is £3,187 per month.
The other property is on Devonshire Road and is only 30 square metres and is £1,585.
It seems to be about £50 per sq. metre per month.
The shop Brioche below is only 74 square metres (which I don't think is anywhere near big enough. and is £3,187 per month.
The other property is on Devonshire Road and is only 30 square metres and is £1,585.
It seems to be about £50 per sq. metre per month.
Chiswick
So I had a little excursion out to Chiswick yesterday.
It seems a really good location with like-minded businesses but nothing seeming to touch what we are doing.
Plenty of great cafes and places to eat that are child-friendly (by which I mean they have high chairs) but I don't think anything with kids in mind.
I spoke to a couple of Mums about good places for kids and they always pointed me in the direction of places like Zizzi or High Road House. Apparently there is a 'nappy-ville' area of Chsiwick where Mums hang out - when I asked a Mum about it she thought it could be either Turnham Green Terrace or Devonshire Street, which are both side streets off the Chsiwick High road.
Good news is - the place was buzzing with most good cafes and shops busy yesterday between 12 and 3pm.
It seems a really good location with like-minded businesses but nothing seeming to touch what we are doing.
Plenty of great cafes and places to eat that are child-friendly (by which I mean they have high chairs) but I don't think anything with kids in mind.
I spoke to a couple of Mums about good places for kids and they always pointed me in the direction of places like Zizzi or High Road House. Apparently there is a 'nappy-ville' area of Chsiwick where Mums hang out - when I asked a Mum about it she thought it could be either Turnham Green Terrace or Devonshire Street, which are both side streets off the Chsiwick High road.
Good news is - the place was buzzing with most good cafes and shops busy yesterday between 12 and 3pm.
An easy breakfast
Sorry to keep posting about food... Bagel, cream cheese, lox -- a NYC breakfast of champions. And it's a super easy one to make and serve.
Chocolates
I can not walk by Tom's Deli in Notting Hill without going in to buy the boys a few different chocolate animals. The boys love them. At Tom's Deli they have a few big glass vases filled with these, and I think they charge a pound for each one. They look cool displayed in the glass vases, and they definitely entice the kids.
Artisan Biscuits for kids
Do you know these biscuits? They're organic kid's biscuits and they come in the cutest packaging. I always take these to friend's houses for playdates because they just look cute.
Today I found them sold in these cute lunch box tins, which are SUPER cute. I'm not sure if we would want to sell these sorts of pre-packaged things, but it's just an idea. Maybe just up on the counter for people to take home?
A good tea company
Do you know Celestial Seasonings? - nothing too special as you can buy in some (but only very big ones) Sainsburys - but the tastes are great. Mine and Tobes favourite is Sleepy Time - which is mint and chamomile but soooo much smoother then most herbal teas. Nice packaging too.
My favourite brownie (with a crappy pic)
As a choc-lover I always try a brownie in cafes and I'm yet to find one that beats my favourite cafe in Berlin's - Barcomi's.
American lady who moved to Berlin years ago and has 2 coffee shops there - they are fantastic - mixing german culture for long all day breakfasts with fabulous Amercian baking.
Awful website so pic is bad but I have the recipe in German and will make a batch to see if I can recreate (she also does the best NY chessecake that I know):
American lady who moved to Berlin years ago and has 2 coffee shops there - they are fantastic - mixing german culture for long all day breakfasts with fabulous Amercian baking.
Awful website so pic is bad but I have the recipe in German and will make a batch to see if I can recreate (she also does the best NY chessecake that I know):
Belle and Boo
I already texted you but love Belle and Boo - really reminds me of Mabel Lucie Attwell illustrations (which I've always been a big fan off - see enclosed) but more modern and elf-like.
I agree difficult to find good kids stationary and prob should find some good American brands to bring over - I love that letterpress is a big thing in the US where we have so little of it here - I do like Hello Lucky which you can buy here.
I agree difficult to find good kids stationary and prob should find some good American brands to bring over - I love that letterpress is a big thing in the US where we have so little of it here - I do like Hello Lucky which you can buy here.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Stokke chairs
Like you mentioned, the new grey color is WAY cool. We should buy a bunch, almost enough so that every table can have one, at least.
Flowers in different vases and jars
Seasonal flowers in different vases and jars. We can start saving glass containers now, so we have enough to go on each table.
Fresh juice
We should buy a commercial juicer which can turn anything into juice. Orange juice, carrot juice, apple juice, etc. Parents will like that it's fresh and natural, and we can charge a premium for it.
Monday, 24 August 2009
Vanilla cupcakes and jam
Don't these look yummy? Haven't tried them yet, but I love the way they look. Recipe is as follows:Vanilla cupcakes with raspberry jam: Makes 12
-1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened+1 tablespoon for greasing the pan
-1 cup sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1 1/2 cup plain flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 cup milk
-1 cup raspberry jam, for serving
-creme fraiche, for serving
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time.
Mix in vanilla, flour, baking powder and milk. Mix until smooth.
Spoon batters into muffin tin, filling about two-thirds full.
Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 9-10 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Serve the cupcakes with raspberry jam and creme fraiche.
Classes & Activities -- a work in progress
I thought I would start a list of the activities we want to host. And then maybe after we have some solid ideas, we can try to come up with a schedule and prices, to see just how much we could hope to make from this part of the business.
1.) Fancy dress Tea Parties: Once a week. In the afternoon to attract the after school crowd. Booking required, must sign up each week. Sit at the big table in the cafe. Limit of 10 kids?
2.) Movies in the cinema room: Kids can buy popcorn from the cafe prior to start of movie. We show cool movies -- everything from 'Finding Nemo' to 'The Lord of the Rings' to 'Ferris Beuller's Day Off', depending on age of kids, etc.
3.) Making Placemats: Perhaps a drop-in class? Takes place in the cafe at the big table. Once a week? Kids make placemats and we laminate them.
4.) Gloga: Copying Moomah here, but cool idea. Takes place in the cinema room.
5.) General art class: Make something new each week. A 10-week course. (Flexible on number of weeks). Must sign up AND PAY beforehand to reserve a place. We could offer different classes for different age groups.
6.) Cookie decorating: Decorating simple sugar cookies with icing, sprinkles, etc. Not a course, but just an occasional 'workshop'. Must sign up beforehand (so we know how many cookies to make, etc.) Who doesn't love cookies? This could also just be a seasonal thing based around holidays: hearts on Valentine's Day, Bunnies at Easter, Christmas trees at Christmas or Gingerbread men at Christmas, etc.
7.) Card making with rubber stamps:Make cards with our cool collection of rubber stamps. Might be especially good around holidays like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, etc.
8.) Story time: Featuring the 'book of the week', maybe? (A good way to push sales of our books.) This could easily be a drop-in activity because there's no planning or investment needed.
9.) Wednesday night Mum's night: A chance for mums to meet other mums. Serve wine if we have a license, otherwise BYOB. Offer cool classes like photography, sewing, cooking, pottery, etc.
1.) Fancy dress Tea Parties: Once a week. In the afternoon to attract the after school crowd. Booking required, must sign up each week. Sit at the big table in the cafe. Limit of 10 kids?
2.) Movies in the cinema room: Kids can buy popcorn from the cafe prior to start of movie. We show cool movies -- everything from 'Finding Nemo' to 'The Lord of the Rings' to 'Ferris Beuller's Day Off', depending on age of kids, etc.
3.) Making Placemats: Perhaps a drop-in class? Takes place in the cafe at the big table. Once a week? Kids make placemats and we laminate them.
4.) Gloga: Copying Moomah here, but cool idea. Takes place in the cinema room.
5.) General art class: Make something new each week. A 10-week course. (Flexible on number of weeks). Must sign up AND PAY beforehand to reserve a place. We could offer different classes for different age groups.
6.) Cookie decorating: Decorating simple sugar cookies with icing, sprinkles, etc. Not a course, but just an occasional 'workshop'. Must sign up beforehand (so we know how many cookies to make, etc.) Who doesn't love cookies? This could also just be a seasonal thing based around holidays: hearts on Valentine's Day, Bunnies at Easter, Christmas trees at Christmas or Gingerbread men at Christmas, etc.
7.) Card making with rubber stamps:Make cards with our cool collection of rubber stamps. Might be especially good around holidays like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, etc.
8.) Story time: Featuring the 'book of the week', maybe? (A good way to push sales of our books.) This could easily be a drop-in activity because there's no planning or investment needed.
9.) Wednesday night Mum's night: A chance for mums to meet other mums. Serve wine if we have a license, otherwise BYOB. Offer cool classes like photography, sewing, cooking, pottery, etc.
Sunday, 23 August 2009
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