The Year of the Learning Curve

2011 has been the Year of the Learning Curve for me. I had just discovered the joys of the French Press while working as a Travel & Billeting Manager on the North Slope of Alaska. The long hours at the desk weren't bad, but coffee always made it better. I had loved buying my home brewing coffee from Walla Walla Roastery in - of all places - Walla Walla, Washington.

I loved trying everything they had. and the French Press proved the perfect  method to fully taste the subtleties and uniqueness of each type. I loved the Mexican Oaxaca, Guatemalan Huehuetenango, Nicaragua Segovia, and the Sulawesi Toraja. 

When I would go back to the little coffee houses at home, the espresso options I used to love just weren't as exciting anymore. I wanted more of the coffee, not the flavorings. 

Add to this, I have children that love music. I love music. Who doesn't love music? But these kids also have beautiful voices and love to perform. There are just very, very few venues for performing. Or for people who love music to be able to go listen. And this is when the concept of Cafe Vibes began to take shape. I took barista classes with two of my daughters that hadn't yet worked in a coffee shop. 

I left my Slope job in May. and was blessed to be able to start traveling the US that summer. I began visiting coffee shops all across the country, from California, to Minnesota, to Virginia, and even Iowa!  And when I got to Northwest Arkansas... I couldn't find a decent cup of coffee. I asked around. A lot. It was a major effort just to find a coffee shop. Nearly impossible to find one with the atmosphere, quality of product, and the all around great package that I was looking for. 

My research took on a new fervor. I studied, I read, I Googled. I drove around looking for sites. In our current location in Springdale - which is in such need for a great coffee shop - I knew it would be risky for many reasons. So I began to look into starting smaller, and getting some brand recognition going. Start with great product and fantastic service... then move toward a great location with all the bells and whistles (that would include wi-fi). 

There was the drive to Little Rock to get thru the first hoop. There have been multiple trips to the City offices, and talk of variances, and permits and council meetings. This is where the curve started getting a little steep. The term "Just Do It" has gained new meaning. 

There were a lot of decisions on equipment and what to carry and how to "do" coffee for the results I wanted.  And then I discovered cold brewing methods. And things actually got more complicated. But the results? More and more what I knew in my heart I was after. 

I bought a mobile trailer with a service window and plan to utilize a temporary permit so I can move it, and take it to festivals, fairs and other events. We began the gut, got an electrician in, and the work has begun. 

The thing about Learning Curves, is that even when they're taken at a steep angle, they're generally not as fast as you'd like them to be. That is certainly the situation in my case. The plans to be open in October, became November... which became December. Now I have reached a point of, "am I at a Crossroad? or should I just take the time to regroup and go from there?"  

 I realized that the holiday season is a time for me to regroup. I know SO much more than I did six months ago. And know much more about what the questions I need to answer are. I'm coming around the back field and nearly to the homestretch. There are still decisions to be made and things to be done. And I am just beginning to glimpse the finish line.