I changed the design. Not sure if I'll keep it this way, but my sister, Donna, couldn't read the blog in the other design. People need to be able to read the blog! So for now, this is how it looks! Oh, I like the green......the color of money.....why can't the whole page be green?!?!?
Carmella's is closed this week until 11:00 am on Friday, when we open for lunch. Historically, except for last year, this is the week we close. During this week, we wrap up loose ends, brain storm, review the past year, prepare for the coming year, and organize our big party, which this year, makes it our '4th Year Anniversary Party!' The celebration will be July 29th. Clear your calendar, pen us in, do whatever you have to do, and join us for an evening of fun and games....and food! Last year's party was a blast! Deborah is the party planner and she typically outdoes herself.
Our website http://casa-italiana.info/ is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. Last month the website had more hits than it did during any month during season. We are all really excited. I'm largely responsible for keeping it updated, with lots of guidance from Deb. She's faithful in letting me know what needs to be changed, tweaked, or deleted. Go check it out for yourself. Also, we're getting many new customers who search for Italian restaurants on their GPS. Yes, we come up. Try it, you'll see what I mean.
I'm working full time in the cath lab at Manatee Memorial Hospital. The research says someone suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds, so this is a good place to work. When you're laying in bed and you feel that 'elephant on your chest', don't take a Tums, take an aspirin and call 911. Remember, you heard it here! That being said, if I'm not 100% on my game, please remember, I'm multi-tasking!
I took a 14.3 miles bike ride today after work. Biking is my new passion. It was 88 degrees out, and the shower is calling me. That means it's now time for me to call this a wrap. Plus, it's Tuesday and for awhile it felt like Monday, but now it feels like Wednesday, so I must go! See you tomorrow. Love ya!
Take care and remember, we're depending on your positive word of mouth!
August 22, 2010
Our Italian restaurant, Carmella's Casa Italiana, has great food and service, but is failing miserably due to soft sales in a weak economy. I'm Carrie, the owner, and I work with my son, Ralph, who is a cook, and my sister, Deborah, who is the main server. Tim, a friend, is the other cook.
We tried offering breakfast about a year ago, but that didn't work. OMG! We had the best breakfast pizza!
Then, we started making our own bread and have since revamped all the sauce and dough recipes. Everything was already outstanding, but there is no pick-up in sales.
So, I decided to either sell the business or just close the doors and walk away. I tried advertising it as an asset only sale. I also advertised it with an additional fee for including the intangibles. The intangibles would be the recipes, website, customer data base, etc. Couldn't find any serious buyers.
We started telling our customers we were leaving. They begged us to stay on a little longer. Didn't seem like an option because it always felt like I was throwing good money after bad. Plus I was advised by brokers-in-the-know to get out if I couldn't triple the sales. That tripling of sales seemed awfully far-fetched......So guess we are leaving.
I encouraged my staff and other family members to come up with ideas to reinvent the business. Afterall, these are hard-workers and dedicated workers, and really, nobody wants to lose a job, especially since there are so few jobs. Ideas slowly trickled in.
Then last night it came to me! Why not phase out the restaurant part of the business, apply for different licensing, and then reinvent ourselves as an Italian Market. Ralph's Italian Market. Ralph's Italian Market at Carmella's Casa Italiana.
So, that's where we are now. Ralph is enthusiastic. Deborah is cautiously optimistic. I am ecstatic. Later this week Ralph and I are going out to visit Italian markets in Clearwater and Lakewood Ranch. Apparently, there are no Italian markets in Bradenton. We hope to capture the north Sarasota and north and west Bradenton individuals who like to buy and cook quality food/products at affordable prices. Of course, as our reputation expands, we want to capture everyone.
I'll keep you posted! Stay tuned as we move on to our next adventure, at the same location:
5408 26th Street West
Bradenton, Florida 34207.
We tried offering breakfast about a year ago, but that didn't work. OMG! We had the best breakfast pizza!
Then, we started making our own bread and have since revamped all the sauce and dough recipes. Everything was already outstanding, but there is no pick-up in sales.
So, I decided to either sell the business or just close the doors and walk away. I tried advertising it as an asset only sale. I also advertised it with an additional fee for including the intangibles. The intangibles would be the recipes, website, customer data base, etc. Couldn't find any serious buyers.
We started telling our customers we were leaving. They begged us to stay on a little longer. Didn't seem like an option because it always felt like I was throwing good money after bad. Plus I was advised by brokers-in-the-know to get out if I couldn't triple the sales. That tripling of sales seemed awfully far-fetched......So guess we are leaving.
I encouraged my staff and other family members to come up with ideas to reinvent the business. Afterall, these are hard-workers and dedicated workers, and really, nobody wants to lose a job, especially since there are so few jobs. Ideas slowly trickled in.
Then last night it came to me! Why not phase out the restaurant part of the business, apply for different licensing, and then reinvent ourselves as an Italian Market. Ralph's Italian Market. Ralph's Italian Market at Carmella's Casa Italiana.
So, that's where we are now. Ralph is enthusiastic. Deborah is cautiously optimistic. I am ecstatic. Later this week Ralph and I are going out to visit Italian markets in Clearwater and Lakewood Ranch. Apparently, there are no Italian markets in Bradenton. We hope to capture the north Sarasota and north and west Bradenton individuals who like to buy and cook quality food/products at affordable prices. Of course, as our reputation expands, we want to capture everyone.
I'll keep you posted! Stay tuned as we move on to our next adventure, at the same location:
5408 26th Street West
Bradenton, Florida 34207.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
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