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
Vintage finds
Do you know the Three Potato Four shop? They find cool vintage things, and I feel like a lot of it really fits into our idea of what we want. I kind of like the idea of using vintage wagons as 'toy storage'. Perhaps you can put baby toys in a wagon for little ones to play with while they sit in their highchairs?
Beanbags for the movie room
I like the idea of making it a cozy/quiet room, with soft greyish walls and throwing a few bean bags on the floor for people to sit on while they watch movies. FatBoy makes big beanbags -- good for kids and for adults. Or are they too modern? Too boring?
Wooden Kitchen
Aproneers
A word I found in my book yesterday that is a 17th Century word for tradesman / shop-keepers.
I love it as a word for the people that work in the cafe - as they are not solely waiters as they have a creative role too and I'm so up for them wearing the cute aprons!
Too pretentious ...?
I love it as a word for the people that work in the cafe - as they are not solely waiters as they have a creative role too and I'm so up for them wearing the cute aprons!
Too pretentious ...?
Further thinking on the name ...
Tobi made a comment yesterday that has had my mind racing ever since - he wondered whether we could create a more ownable name that rather triggered curiosity. He said he really liked Moomah because other than just sounding cosy and cool, noone else could be possibly confused with it and it is a really strong brand name - he's got a point ...
So names that spark curiosity - I had two possible approaches:
1. Did Easton or Quin have any weird words for things that are no where near the real word? Elias says Boose for Spoon - however much we try and pronounce Spoon clearly to him he repeats it back as Boose - I thought if Easton or Quin had a similar one (especially if eating or food related but could be something totally different to add a surreal element) then the 2 nonsensical words could come together - e.g.
Woo Woo and Boose - it might even have that quite nice tone of 2 surnames together ala Melrose and Morgan?
2. Alternatively we find really unusual words that actually exist in the English language but most adults and children would not have heard of them and create something quite 'curious' that way - I went through my book of Philavery (unusual words) last night - these words I found quite funny:
Abada - Rhino
Angelet - A coin worth Half an Angle (old money)
Beek - To warm and make comfortable
Bavardage - Idle chatter
Bungo - a canoe
Biggin - a child's bonnet and a coffee pot
Gallimaufry - a jumble, a hodge-podge, a ridiculous medley
Gamp - an umbrella
Grimoire - a book of magic from the middle ages
Inchoate - at the initial point or early stages of development
Jorum - a large drinking bowl
Kinker - a circus perormer
Moodle - to mooch and meander aimlessly, to pass time doing nothing
Nipperkin - a small drinking cup (1/8 of a pint), a measure of wine or beer, any small quantity
Prink - to dress up, smarten, preen
Quiddity - the essence of something, what differentiates it.
Tantivy - a fast gallop
Whangdoodle - an imaginery creature which features in north american folklore (but Roald Dahl has used them in his books too)
Yaffle - to eat and drink (esp. noisily or greedily)
Zegedine - a silver drinking cup
Zoonist - someone who believes that natural objects are living beings
I quite like mixing some of them up - e.g.
Beek and Biggin
or I'm partial to the drinking vessels:
Nipperkin and Zegedine
Might all be a bit 'try-hard' and I still really like curiosity Cafe.
So names that spark curiosity - I had two possible approaches:
1. Did Easton or Quin have any weird words for things that are no where near the real word? Elias says Boose for Spoon - however much we try and pronounce Spoon clearly to him he repeats it back as Boose - I thought if Easton or Quin had a similar one (especially if eating or food related but could be something totally different to add a surreal element) then the 2 nonsensical words could come together - e.g.
Woo Woo and Boose - it might even have that quite nice tone of 2 surnames together ala Melrose and Morgan?
2. Alternatively we find really unusual words that actually exist in the English language but most adults and children would not have heard of them and create something quite 'curious' that way - I went through my book of Philavery (unusual words) last night - these words I found quite funny:
Abada - Rhino
Angelet - A coin worth Half an Angle (old money)
Beek - To warm and make comfortable
Bavardage - Idle chatter
Bungo - a canoe
Biggin - a child's bonnet and a coffee pot
Gallimaufry - a jumble, a hodge-podge, a ridiculous medley
Gamp - an umbrella
Grimoire - a book of magic from the middle ages
Inchoate - at the initial point or early stages of development
Jorum - a large drinking bowl
Kinker - a circus perormer
Moodle - to mooch and meander aimlessly, to pass time doing nothing
Nipperkin - a small drinking cup (1/8 of a pint), a measure of wine or beer, any small quantity
Prink - to dress up, smarten, preen
Quiddity - the essence of something, what differentiates it.
Tantivy - a fast gallop
Whangdoodle - an imaginery creature which features in north american folklore (but Roald Dahl has used them in his books too)
Yaffle - to eat and drink (esp. noisily or greedily)
Zegedine - a silver drinking cup
Zoonist - someone who believes that natural objects are living beings
I quite like mixing some of them up - e.g.
Beek and Biggin
or I'm partial to the drinking vessels:
Nipperkin and Zegedine
Might all be a bit 'try-hard' and I still really like curiosity Cafe.
Saturday, 22 August 2009
Midnight Feast
A yearly event where the cafe is open at 11.30 until 2.30 for a Midnight Feast (or maybe even a sleep over).
Mums Night Out
Just wanted to note this idea for once a week staying open late for Mum to do cool workshops - with either a alcohol license or a bring your own policy - chance for Mum to meet other Mums and to learn some cool new things - Sewing, crafts, digital photography, life drawing, creative writing, cooking etc etc.
Cash Cow?
Tobi is making good points this morning about where income is generated? he is slightly worried about the cafe element being a key income generator - his theory being that Mums are notoriously bad business for cafes as they buy a coffee and sit with it for ages at the table whilst their kids play - but they are not bringing in any extra money.
He made the good point that he thought classes (at least some on the timetable) - you should need to sign up in advance for the whole 'term'. That way you have money in advance (so you know you can afford to run the class and you know that because Mum has paid for it it might make her definitely show up for the class (and probably have a coffee and slice of cake whilst she's at it).
I think for pre-school children this is fine - I always quite liked having a fixed date once or twice a week when I had an activity planned for the kids.
Where we differentiate from alternates is in the ideas for the classes and how they are done.
The mini-classes in the cafe could be drop in - or book in advance to ensure a place? We should try and do quite a few of these everyday (maybe Mums can buy a cool looking token at the till for whatever mini-workshop is taking place, which the kid hands over to the class leader at the beginning).
We should have one area of the business which is our sure cash cow - where we expect to definitely make money - my friends are currently setting up a Nordic themed cafe / deli and had us round to sample some of their menu ideas and to discuss how they should price things etc. One of their offerings was a Swedish Hotdog - we all decided this was their cash cow - something they could offer at an irresistable price-point that would get people into their business where hopefully they would then purchase more.
We should work out what our Hot Dog is.
He made the good point that he thought classes (at least some on the timetable) - you should need to sign up in advance for the whole 'term'. That way you have money in advance (so you know you can afford to run the class and you know that because Mum has paid for it it might make her definitely show up for the class (and probably have a coffee and slice of cake whilst she's at it).
I think for pre-school children this is fine - I always quite liked having a fixed date once or twice a week when I had an activity planned for the kids.
Where we differentiate from alternates is in the ideas for the classes and how they are done.
The mini-classes in the cafe could be drop in - or book in advance to ensure a place? We should try and do quite a few of these everyday (maybe Mums can buy a cool looking token at the till for whatever mini-workshop is taking place, which the kid hands over to the class leader at the beginning).
We should have one area of the business which is our sure cash cow - where we expect to definitely make money - my friends are currently setting up a Nordic themed cafe / deli and had us round to sample some of their menu ideas and to discuss how they should price things etc. One of their offerings was a Swedish Hotdog - we all decided this was their cash cow - something they could offer at an irresistable price-point that would get people into their business where hopefully they would then purchase more.
We should work out what our Hot Dog is.
Friday, 21 August 2009
We talked about ...
. Natural is an important part of 'who we are' that is demostrated in the colour palette we use, organic food etc.
. Vintage toys and other curiosities add charm, interest, healthy link to nostalgia and ties into the 'name'.
. That we definitely need 2 rooms - the cafe and a separate space for activities that could also act as a cinema.
. Need to work out what we think would be a good maximum cover - we said if you had 20 adults then that could be potentially 40 kids as well.
. We can offer 2 different types of classes - formal classes (in the 2nd room) which has a specialist 'teacher' and should probably cost between £6 and £10 depending on what it is. Then mini-classes which could be done at a designated table in the cafe with one of the cafe-staff - things like place-mat making, greetings card with wooden stamps, cookie making etc (these should cost maybe £2 - £5 to join in? Additionally we could sell Do-It-Together Kits for you to do a little activity at your table with your child - like make a necklace kit, badge making, make a crown with jewels.
. We could either buy food in (easier and maybe get prestige of supplier) or do it on site - need to cost it out - initial idea was we could make more profit if we did it ourselves but obviously that includes employing someone. Need to investigate.
. What loos do we need - what are the rules?
. Offering wipes (and maybe nappy sacks - to eliminate odours) at changing place and having a range of nappy sizes behind the counter just in case.
. Vintage toys and other curiosities add charm, interest, healthy link to nostalgia and ties into the 'name'.
. That we definitely need 2 rooms - the cafe and a separate space for activities that could also act as a cinema.
. Need to work out what we think would be a good maximum cover - we said if you had 20 adults then that could be potentially 40 kids as well.
. We can offer 2 different types of classes - formal classes (in the 2nd room) which has a specialist 'teacher' and should probably cost between £6 and £10 depending on what it is. Then mini-classes which could be done at a designated table in the cafe with one of the cafe-staff - things like place-mat making, greetings card with wooden stamps, cookie making etc (these should cost maybe £2 - £5 to join in? Additionally we could sell Do-It-Together Kits for you to do a little activity at your table with your child - like make a necklace kit, badge making, make a crown with jewels.
. We could either buy food in (easier and maybe get prestige of supplier) or do it on site - need to cost it out - initial idea was we could make more profit if we did it ourselves but obviously that includes employing someone. Need to investigate.
. What loos do we need - what are the rules?
. Offering wipes (and maybe nappy sacks - to eliminate odours) at changing place and having a range of nappy sizes behind the counter just in case.
Do we want a brand character?
I know we are in danger of 'copying' Moomah with this one but I did like the idea of a brand element which is totally forcused at kids but cool enough that adults can appreciate it.
With the Curiosity angle it seems to throw up a whole wealth of possible 'curious' characters - off the top of my head now (and this is where you probably see a slightly odd side to me):
Chester the Cat - not to be confused with the Cheshire Cat (from Alice and Wonderland). Whilst the Cheshire Cat observed that things were getting 'curioser and curioser', Chester likes to be 'curioser and curioser'. Chester has a northern accent (the Chester accent is a mild version of the Liverpool accent)and is always poking his nose into new and interesting places and different foods. He loves meeting new people and hanging out with his 'band', The Cat-astrophes who he cat-a-wauls with late at night.
or
Curious Colin - A slightly nerdy gentleman, works in an office by day but by night and weekend he is Curious Colin - a spandex clad guy on a mission to find fun curiosities.
This might be a random idea - not even sure I like it myself - I'm blaming early morning ....
With the Curiosity angle it seems to throw up a whole wealth of possible 'curious' characters - off the top of my head now (and this is where you probably see a slightly odd side to me):
Chester the Cat - not to be confused with the Cheshire Cat (from Alice and Wonderland). Whilst the Cheshire Cat observed that things were getting 'curioser and curioser', Chester likes to be 'curioser and curioser'. Chester has a northern accent (the Chester accent is a mild version of the Liverpool accent)and is always poking his nose into new and interesting places and different foods. He loves meeting new people and hanging out with his 'band', The Cat-astrophes who he cat-a-wauls with late at night.
or
Curious Colin - A slightly nerdy gentleman, works in an office by day but by night and weekend he is Curious Colin - a spandex clad guy on a mission to find fun curiosities.
This might be a random idea - not even sure I like it myself - I'm blaming early morning ....
Names Cont.....
Also just checked (for the hell of it) www.curiosity.com - obviously taken in all categories.
However Curious Cafe is available .co.uk and The Curious Cafe is available .com (but not .co.uk)or I also tried A Curious Cafe which is available .com and .co.uk.
Another one to throw into the mix.
However Curious Cafe is available .co.uk and The Curious Cafe is available .com (but not .co.uk)or I also tried A Curious Cafe which is available .com and .co.uk.
Another one to throw into the mix.
Names
I've been playing around with various names on the 'Curiosity' theme and checking domain names (checking for .com and .co.uk) - here is what I've discovered:
The Curiosity Cafe - Not Available as either
Cafe Curiosity - Not available as .com but is available as .co.uk
Curiosity Place - available as .com and .co.uk
The Curiosity Place - Available as both
The Curiosity Pad / Curiosity Pad - both available as .com and .co.uk
The Curiosity Room - available as both
Curiosity Room - Only available as .co.uk (.com taken)
The Curiosity House - available as both
Curiosity House - only available as .co.uk
The Curiosity Den / Curiosity Den - both available as both
The Curiosity Stop / Curiosity Stop - both available as both
The Curiosity Counter / Curiosity Counter - both available as both
The Curiosity Cupboard - available as both
Curiosity Cupboard - only available as .co.uk
So from this pile - the best that we can properly own are:
Curiosity Place - something I quite like about this sounding like a street name / address (maybe somewhere Harry Potter would have stumbled upon)
Curiosity Pad - I quite like the fact that pad has this dual meaning but think it might need the 'The' in front to sound right - The Curiosity Pad
Curiosity Den - not sure this sounds good but obviously dens are appealing to kids
The Curiosity Stop - I like that this sounds a bit like Curiosity Shop but good be a problem with it as well
Curiosity Counter - not sure on this ones - sounds a bit limited.
Do you like any of them?
Any other ideas?
The Curiosity Cafe - Not Available as either
Cafe Curiosity - Not available as .com but is available as .co.uk
Curiosity Place - available as .com and .co.uk
The Curiosity Place - Available as both
The Curiosity Pad / Curiosity Pad - both available as .com and .co.uk
The Curiosity Room - available as both
Curiosity Room - Only available as .co.uk (.com taken)
The Curiosity House - available as both
Curiosity House - only available as .co.uk
The Curiosity Den / Curiosity Den - both available as both
The Curiosity Stop / Curiosity Stop - both available as both
The Curiosity Counter / Curiosity Counter - both available as both
The Curiosity Cupboard - available as both
Curiosity Cupboard - only available as .co.uk
So from this pile - the best that we can properly own are:
Curiosity Place - something I quite like about this sounding like a street name / address (maybe somewhere Harry Potter would have stumbled upon)
Curiosity Pad - I quite like the fact that pad has this dual meaning but think it might need the 'The' in front to sound right - The Curiosity Pad
Curiosity Den - not sure this sounds good but obviously dens are appealing to kids
The Curiosity Stop - I like that this sounds a bit like Curiosity Shop but good be a problem with it as well
Curiosity Counter - not sure on this ones - sounds a bit limited.
Do you like any of them?
Any other ideas?
Cheese Scone with cream cheese, onion marmelade and rocket
Seen today at Melrose and Morgan - looked delicous
Crayons -- a no brainer
Obviously we'll have crayons, but I love the Woody ones because they also act as watercolors (wet a paintbrush and 'paint' over the coloring).
I also like these wooden crayons. Just because they're different.
I like the idea of sticking the crayons in old vintage jam jars. Different shapes and sizes, on all the tables.
Shadow Puppetry
A cool class / activity for kids - maybe seasonal around halloween?
For Shadow Puppets check out Etsy Shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5571051
For Shadow Puppets check out Etsy Shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5571051
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