The Reopening
Huzzah! We are re-opening officially on March 1st. Give us grace while we get the new menus corrected online and get the small details in place, but for those of you enthusiasts that want to make a reservation asap, you can click HERE to do so. Thank you for your kindness, understanding and support during this process. We’re thrilled to be back. In traditional fashion, David has some words to share..
It seemed so easy at the time. The little pandemic-inspired market we had opened in the wine bar occupying much needed table space now that outdoor seating had gone cold. The ice cream shop next door was suffering under the burden of too much rent for unneeded space. Let’s make a deal.
We filled the ice cream shop with refrigeration and to-go meals in phases as we crept through the opening I had cut into the adjoining wall. As The Marketplace oozed into the newly acquired space I busied my pencil designing a bold new future, including a dazzling retail shop, redesigned kitchen and full bar with wine cellar. This would also be our chance to replace the outdated and undersized HVAC system. We planned to close in September and October and knock out this ambitious project.
Not so fast said Washington County. The building department was in crises for lack of staff. Although I had been informed that the plan review period would require 120 days, I did not know there was a four-week intake period (that became six weeks) before the review would start and then another weeks-long wait to post the approval once the review was complete. Nonetheless, I began my new career as a one-man demolition crew, working nights, early mornings and weekend to remove demising walls and dismantle the kitchen ceiling. I then began erecting 6x6s and 5x12 glulam beams to ready the space for the September onslaught.
September almost killed me. We closed Labor Day weekend and began packing lumber. I had already fallen off the ladder once or twice and a series of mishaps left me with a strained rotator cuff. I said we would reopen September 27th. There was absolutely no way we could open on the 26th but the doors flew open on the 27th. One week went by. Two weeks went by. I couldn’t recover. Rest, chiropractic, physical therapy, more rest. Eventually I healed. On to January.
The permit was finally issued in October. Phase 2 would occur in the new year; we would close January 1 and reopen on February 9, in time to ramp up for Valentine’s Day. Things got dicey. I struggled to get my subs lined up, particularly the HVAC contractor. I would get hopeful and then nothing would happen. The bid I’d been waiting for came in at $159,000; my budget was $50,000. I was actually grateful when I received a quote for just over $100,000. This was not my only budget overrun. Plumbing was $10,000 over budget, electrical $20,000. Equipment cost increases and supply chain delays affected every line item. $100,000 over budget. $150,000 and counting. The cash cushion went away. Then so did the rest of the cash. Meanwhile the execution of building permits continued to be a travesty. As the project began to wind up I had seven subcontractor permits pending, some of which has been in the system for months. Once I got the permit there was a week delay in scheduling all inspections. I got a lot of help from sympathetic staff and supervisors at the County, which eventually saved our life, but the energy consumed to accomplish this in the face of delays and surging costs made breathing difficult. There is a certain abdominal cramping sensation that inhibits my ability to check our bank balance. Not much point anyway.
How will this story be told? There are a slew of final inspections happening, the bar construction will wrap up and we will reopen. Hopefully we will close on that equity line of credit, sell a car or two in time, get an additional contribution from our landlord (who has been great so far) open to great fanfare and spend the next year or two paying down debt and replenishing our coffers.
Is it worth it? We were doing okay. There was money in the bank. But we didn’t have the restaurant that we and our neighbors truly want. I believe in the project, in our success, in our staff. We will get there. Excuse me now; time for another Rolaid.
