Making a Move

As we consider our business and what we have done in the last 9 months since relocating, we can reasonably conclude that it has not been the best of moves for The Little Brick House.  Though the new location is much nicer, cooler, more comfortable in the kitchen and roomier in the dining area, the business has not increased as we expected it to.  Oh, the rent tripled and we really didn't see a dramatic drop in local business but we did lose a huge amount of Shakespeare Festival business this year.  Our summer has been a huge drop off compared to last summer and that has been a struggle.  A quick and simple analysis tells me that we are dying on the vine.  That said, we are still wildly popular among local business and we do very well with our lunch crowd.  We are picking up more and more of a dinner crowd as well.  That is all positive but we are not achieving numbers that we need in order to sustain the business at the location we currently reside. 

Moving the business for a second time in a year may not seem like the best idea but we believe we have found a great situation with a landlord who is interested in having us come in and who is willing to put together a lease agreement that will be affordable and will allow us to get established.  It is a great location that is right down town and services two hotels.  There is a large conference/meeting area upstairs that will provide opportunities for increased catering and other events.  The hotels are booked solid for months with the Festival and put us right in the middle of Festival traffic.  The location is back within walking distance from SUU and is located on Main Street Cedar City.  There is a huge sign and plenty of parking.  It is just around the corner from the last place and we feel really good about it. 

The downside - it is dated inside.  I say downside but really, I love fixing up and this will provide a great opportunity to do some demolition and some rebuilding - interiorly speaking.  There will be walls and booths to knock down, carpet to remove, tile to lay, wallpaper to tear off and a lot of painting to do.  What is dark and dingy now will become bright and inviting.  Oh, there are a few other exciting things like a salad bar - we've talked about doing a salad bar since the beginning but have never had the space.  No more talk, we'll have one.  There is a bar - we will not have a liquor license but I think it would be fun to put Root Beer, Cream Soda, Apple Beer and Ginger Beer on tap at the Prohibition Bar at The Little Brick House and serve other Virgin beverages.  That may not work out... we'll see. 

My goal would be to move in before October 1.  It would take a bit of work but really, the work needed is in the dining area.  The kitchen is in good shape with a little work needed here or there and figuring out a layout that will work for us.  Hopefully we have an agreement here soon and can get started on the project shortly.  I am excited about it and see it being a very positive thing for our business, and definitely a move in the right direction.