Now THAT'S a Landmark

Sometimes it takes a lot of prep to take the first step of a long journey. Today would be an example of that with Hearthstone Coffee House & Pub. We have spent this summer filing permits, securing vendors, meeting distributers, listening to our charity partners, finding employees, making menus, and dreaming of a day that we can actually brew coffee and pour beer.

But today we FINALLY began tear-out/construction on our new space. By no means is this a breather but rather a large landmark that things are happening and about to begin happening faster. To hone our own skills and begin training others we are also temporarily hooking up our espresso machine in Paige's Music on 65th today.

In the midst of all this we should take a moment to note that the things we want to do in life do not happen all at once but rather come from putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction. It takes courage, patience, time, and love. Don't be discouraged by not being at the end of the road when you are still on the journey.

Thanks for the thoughts, prayers, encouragement, and love you have shown us.

Keeping a 30,000ft. Perspective

The devil may be in the details but "the details" are a two-edged sword. We have been bogged in design layouts, interior design plans, permits, building codes, and training and in the midst of all of those things we can lose perspective. Mark and I have started Hearthstone because of a mission- not a business. We want it to be markedly different, to leave a lasting impression on our Town of Fishers and our world. We want to lives to be positively changed, people to be inspired, and to create a community that many simply don't have. We didn't want to write you today with any laborious update but to do two things: 1. challenge you to do the same, wherever you are, there is no one else in your position so do something that people will remember you for; and 2. help us- give us feedback, tell us what we are doing well that we could continue and what we are doing that we need to stop- and then buy coffee, tea, beer, food, and art and tell your friends.

We want to help you be great and we want you to help us. The days come at us faster and faster and if we do not occasionally stop and think about where we want to end up we will certainly never get there.

Something New, Old, Good, and (Not Too) Bad... and a mission

Hearthstone Coffeehouse & Pub 

If I have learned anything in the last years it is to take joy in the little things. That every day has something new, something old, something good, and something bad. Therefore, we would like to celebrate some (seemingly) little things.

For instance, this morning we got our locks replaced and keys made. Wouldn't be that big of a deal except that we had tried to get copies made before and it cost absurd amounts of money (to the tune of $30/key). Now more than just one person can have access at a time... probably a blessing and curse in the long run. Something new.

Our contractor, Fentress, was really happy because now they have schematics, plans, a designer, and a key... now if we can just get our State Design Release approved we will be set. Something old.

Surprising, when I went into let the locksmith in I found this banner across our front, hung there by our landlord The Broadbent Company. It was cool to see this sign- sometimes as I am working, calling people, meeting with contractors and suppliers I think, "This thing is NEVER going to open." Then a little thing like this happens. Something good.

Sadly, whoever hung it also managed to break the glass bulb that is right underneath and left shattered glass over the sidewalk. Something bad... but not too bad.

This whole thing isn't easy, sometimes its fun, I love the challenge, hope it succeeds, but mostly, in the long run I want it to make a difference to the people of Fishers, to our country, and to impact people globally. We are putting so much of ourselves in because we want to be a place that people come and find a piece of home in our space and with us.

As a good friend of mine said today, some people will look at that sign and say, "There's those drunks and they eat too much, they're friends with all riffraff." We hope they do, we can't think of a better compliment.

More Than a Job

Every job I have held after college was one that was more than a pay check. I worked in youth groups for the teens, the relationships that I got to build with them and the impact you saw take place over the years. I joined the United States Marine Corps because of the honor, the sacrifice, and the commitment I saw over their long history. As Mark and I start this business my mind is in the same state. We are not trying to start another coffee shop or pub but we are "beginning with the end in mind" and want to be agents of change in our community. We are giving money back for sure but we want our real impact to be our relationships with our employees and guests. Hearthstone is being built on the foundation of relationship, hope, and love. Maybe some of you out there will be loyal guests and bring others into that relationship with us, other of you may feel like you want your job to be more than a paycheck: you want to be part of impact and change. If that's you, message me and let's talk more about your potential involvement with Hearthstone Coffeehouse & Pub. Cheers.

October is Tomorrow

So Tuesday we finally got our alcohol license application turned into the state. Seriously, for a minute that was about half of my job description. Now we just have to wait for our meeting date to be announced and then go field some questions.

On a more fun note: I met with designers today to try and get some bids for working with our general contractor. One group I was really impressed by, seemed interested in working with my vision... the other one seemed barely prepared to meet. As much as when I worked in the church world I rely on my sense of people: will they do the job? will they do what they say and when they say it? are they on time? etc.

While October is months away, with all of the build-out, design, equipment orders, supplier decisions, and permits to get okayed this is a HUGE process. My day is broken up into 30-45 minute meetings punctuated by 2-5 phone calls in between.

Tomorrow I am going to do some field research in Carmel, Fishers, and Greenfield. It should be an informative day and (potentially) end the week on a lighter note.

Setting the Stage

My name is Devin Rose and I am the general manager of Hearthstone Coffeehouse  opening in Fishers, Indiana this October. We are trying to blog our experiences so that people can see what we do wrong... and, hopefully, right. By "we" of course I am referring to our president, Mark Goff. 

Starting a coffeehouse and pub is the business equivalent to having a child or getting married; you're hoping it works, that it is successful, that it can hold it's own but the road ahead is fraught with peril at every turn. What we are envisioning is a European-esque coffeehouse and pub where people can come and sit while enjoying unique fare, artisan speciality coffee, micro brew beer, and great fare. As our name implies, there will be a fireplace with comfortable seating. As we go along, hopefully, we will be able to share more of what will really look like. 

Not only do Mark and I have the usual worries of leases, building permits, sign permits, contractor issues, decorators, etc. but we have the added issue of alcohol. A liquor license literal has doubled the amount of paperwork and headaches we have as we fill out form after form and swear over and over again that we are not ex-cons, drug-addicts, and really do want to run a respectable establishment. 

This is my third week on the payroll and we just signed the lease. Which will allow us to apply for the alcohol permit amongst other things. If you are starting a business on your own and do the pre-launch stuff in addition to another job it will probably taken 4-6 weeks to get to signing a lease and then you need to allow for another 30-90 build-out on said property... which is just as well since your alcohol license takes 90-120 days to obtain. Basically, it's all "hurry-up-and-wait". 

All of the legal and lease stuff has to take priority to everything else for the time being. Forgetting to file for a permit slows down everything else you want to do. So in between applications we meet with suppliers, talk to vendors, compare prices, and set-up subsequent meetings. Right now food is the big deal there. Our coffeeshop and pub is one of experience: we want the furniture to compliment the colors, the colors the music, the music the smell, the smell the food, the food the beverages, etc. This means there are no small details if everything is to flow into everything.

My most promising food vendor at this point has set up a secondary meeting with us in their kitchen where we can sample the potential menu items they have concocted for us. She was really cool in first meeting and asked what we wanted our place to feel like, emphasized customer service, and then stated she would be right there alongside us those first weeks until we found our balance. It's not a lock yet but I liked what I heard. 

To summarize our position: we a spread thin but the water is shallow.