We just wanted to take this time to sincerely thank everyone who has read our blog, supported and encouraged us this year. We couldn't have done it without you!
Here's to a great 2010. May everyone's deepest desires come true.
Justin & Katie
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
More Bumps in the Road
They say that the road to success is always filled with bumps. In our case, it's been filled with twists, turns, bumps, pot holes and pretty much any other kind of analogies you can think of. While visiting family on the East Coast we got an email from Wayne. He was supposed to be giving the owner of the building we love an offer while we were gone. But this email contained yet another bump.
He composed the offer and was about to call the owner about it when he noticed that the Hawthorne Theatre on 39th and Hawthorne was up for sale (the business, not the building). It's a great location and could easily be adapted to all of our businesses, with the addition of an already functioning venue space. So now he wants to explore that space as an option for all of us. The offer for the other building has been put on hold, at least for the time being.
We're just rolling with the punches. We're going to go look at the space with Wayne tomorrow, even though in our hearts of hearts we really want the other location. But we also want to make sure Wayne is happy with his decision and won't regret it. We don't want him to have any "what if" thoughts if he goes with us and our location. But then again, if he decides he doesn't want our location we need to figure out what our next move is.
People keep telling us we have the patience of saints. I think it just comes with the territory. Hopefully in the end we'll be all the better for it.
He composed the offer and was about to call the owner about it when he noticed that the Hawthorne Theatre on 39th and Hawthorne was up for sale (the business, not the building). It's a great location and could easily be adapted to all of our businesses, with the addition of an already functioning venue space. So now he wants to explore that space as an option for all of us. The offer for the other building has been put on hold, at least for the time being.
We're just rolling with the punches. We're going to go look at the space with Wayne tomorrow, even though in our hearts of hearts we really want the other location. But we also want to make sure Wayne is happy with his decision and won't regret it. We don't want him to have any "what if" thoughts if he goes with us and our location. But then again, if he decides he doesn't want our location we need to figure out what our next move is.
People keep telling us we have the patience of saints. I think it just comes with the territory. Hopefully in the end we'll be all the better for it.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Well it looks like Wayne is going to put an offer in on the building before Christmas. If his offer is accepted we'll be one step closer to opening our store!! And it'll be the best Christmas Present Ever!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Yes!!!
We had a great meeting with our would-be landlord tonight. Second time this week. We went to the Caldera Public House near Mt. Tabor. I highly recommend it to anyone in Portland. Next step, the bank. Wish us luck!!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
KBOO Benefit - Wednesday, December 16th
Justin's been spending a lot of his Sunday nights lately at the KBOO Community Radio Station. He's been guest DJing on our friend DJ Sesqui's show Astral Traveling. All of the Sunday Night DJs are getting together to do a big fundraiser for the station. They have asked us to come sell records at it.
Report Lounge - 1101 E Burnside - 9PM - $5 Suggested at the door
Report Lounge - 1101 E Burnside - 9PM - $5 Suggested at the door
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Let's Make Christmas Mean Something!
It's been a busy Hall of Records day! We sent out our second newsletter this morning. It usually takes a couple of hours to get it together.
Justin has printed off a bunch of copies of his new funky holiday mix: Let's Make Christmas Mean Something! You can download it at his blog. I've spent the afternoon labeling a bunch of hard copies.
We'll be at the Jade Lounge tonight for Justin and Dameian's bi-weekly Gems and Giants. If you come you can get your very own copy of the holiday mix! It's also our friend Alli's birthday so it's guaranteed to be a fun time!
Gems & Giants
1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 7:30PM
Jade Lounge
SE 24th & Ankeny, PDX
Justin has printed off a bunch of copies of his new funky holiday mix: Let's Make Christmas Mean Something! You can download it at his blog. I've spent the afternoon labeling a bunch of hard copies.
We'll be at the Jade Lounge tonight for Justin and Dameian's bi-weekly Gems and Giants. If you come you can get your very own copy of the holiday mix! It's also our friend Alli's birthday so it's guaranteed to be a fun time!
Gems & Giants
1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 7:30PM
Jade Lounge
SE 24th & Ankeny, PDX
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Making Moves
Next week we're taking our potential business partner to tour our potential location. He's going to meet the current owner and take a look at the back of the building. The main thing he's looking for is to see if there's enough space to build a recording studio. He's a recording engineer that is looking to build a studio and also have a live music venue attached to a coffee shop. It's the perfect compliment to our business as well as a perfect fit for the space we want. We just hope he sees it that way, too. :)
We have no idea if we're going to rent the building, buy the building, or if we're even going to do anything with this potential partner. All we know is that we're getting this location one way or another. Or atleast die trying.
We have no idea if we're going to rent the building, buy the building, or if we're even going to do anything with this potential partner. All we know is that we're getting this location one way or another. Or atleast die trying.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The location roller coaster ride
It's been a very tumultuous time for us lately. For the first time in 10 months we have been seriously looking at locations other than the one we have our heart on. It's not because we don't think we'll get the one in inner SE. We just want to keep our options open. The owner of the building has changed his tune somewhat and given us an "all or nothing" scenario to rent or buy out the space that is entirely too large for just our little Hall of Records.
We met with Wayne last night about potentially partnering with him to create a whole Hall of Records/Music Venue with a recording studio in the back in the SE location. Of course, the current owner of the building is a hurdle we have yet to really attempt to cross with this idea. We just wanted to let Wayne know about the situation. And even if it's not him, it might be someone else that may be interested in doing a large complex. The location is just that good.
The location we looked at on Sunday was on NE Sandy and 28th, next to Katie O'Brien's Irish Bar. It was a nice size, hard wood floors, historic storefront; just like we wanted. It's just not in the 'hood we really want to be in. There are also potential issues with the city over 'assembly occupancy' and there being just one bathroom.
I just found another one in the Hollywood District. It's still not "our neighborhood" but at least it's a super cute neighborhood with foot traffic. We may go look at it again today.
We're waiting to hear back from Wayne about his impressions of our dream location. He went to look at it in person for the first time after we met last night. He may have some potential other locations, too. We'll just have to wait and see...
We met with Wayne last night about potentially partnering with him to create a whole Hall of Records/Music Venue with a recording studio in the back in the SE location. Of course, the current owner of the building is a hurdle we have yet to really attempt to cross with this idea. We just wanted to let Wayne know about the situation. And even if it's not him, it might be someone else that may be interested in doing a large complex. The location is just that good.
The location we looked at on Sunday was on NE Sandy and 28th, next to Katie O'Brien's Irish Bar. It was a nice size, hard wood floors, historic storefront; just like we wanted. It's just not in the 'hood we really want to be in. There are also potential issues with the city over 'assembly occupancy' and there being just one bathroom.
I just found another one in the Hollywood District. It's still not "our neighborhood" but at least it's a super cute neighborhood with foot traffic. We may go look at it again today.
We're waiting to hear back from Wayne about his impressions of our dream location. He went to look at it in person for the first time after we met last night. He may have some potential other locations, too. We'll just have to wait and see...
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Blast from the past may be key to the future
We've been walking a fine line with how to proceed with our intended location. There are a lot of different scenarios that could take place. We could rent from, partner with or buy out the current owner. We don't really know which form it's going to take because there are a lot of factors and a lot of people involved. But we're lining up all our ducks so that no matter which way it goes, we will be ready. The truth is that no one (besides us) really knows what they want. But we know what we want, and we want it bad.
Anyways, we're not in a position to be able to buy out the current owner by ourselves. We'd need help. And that's where our blast from the past comes in. A long time ago we met with a guy named Wayne. I wrote about him in my very first blog posting. So Wayne wanted to buy a building with enough room for a recording studio, music venue and our coffeehouse. The idea was to team up with him and run the coffeehouse as Hall of Records and have an adjoining live music space and studio. We looked at multiple buildings with him but none were quite right.
So flash forward many, many months. A few days ago I found an ad on Craigslist for a venue space that had a studio built out. It sounded like it might be promising for Wayne, so I forwarded it to him. We hadn't heard from him in months and he was super excited to hear from us. He's still looking for a location for his hybrid business. We ended up meeting him last night at the venue down near the Albina/Mississippi Max Stop in the industrial district. Turned out that the venue wasn't right, but it seems like the stars were aligning because I needed an excuse to let him know about the possibility of buying our intended location. He was super interested, but I couldn't tell him exactly where it is yet.
The next few weeks and months should be very interesting. We're getting to the point where we've been patiently waiting for this location for so long that if something doesn't happen by this winter, we need to let the owner know that we need to move on. Ah, it's such a tricky situation!! But we're positive that it's all going to work out, one way or another. And we're using the time we have now to be ready for whatever comes down the pipe.
Anyways, we're not in a position to be able to buy out the current owner by ourselves. We'd need help. And that's where our blast from the past comes in. A long time ago we met with a guy named Wayne. I wrote about him in my very first blog posting. So Wayne wanted to buy a building with enough room for a recording studio, music venue and our coffeehouse. The idea was to team up with him and run the coffeehouse as Hall of Records and have an adjoining live music space and studio. We looked at multiple buildings with him but none were quite right.
So flash forward many, many months. A few days ago I found an ad on Craigslist for a venue space that had a studio built out. It sounded like it might be promising for Wayne, so I forwarded it to him. We hadn't heard from him in months and he was super excited to hear from us. He's still looking for a location for his hybrid business. We ended up meeting him last night at the venue down near the Albina/Mississippi Max Stop in the industrial district. Turned out that the venue wasn't right, but it seems like the stars were aligning because I needed an excuse to let him know about the possibility of buying our intended location. He was super interested, but I couldn't tell him exactly where it is yet.
The next few weeks and months should be very interesting. We're getting to the point where we've been patiently waiting for this location for so long that if something doesn't happen by this winter, we need to let the owner know that we need to move on. Ah, it's such a tricky situation!! But we're positive that it's all going to work out, one way or another. And we're using the time we have now to be ready for whatever comes down the pipe.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The art of the display
I find it kind of funny that I have never in my life worked in retail and yet I own a business that (at this point) is strictly retail. We are expanding our offering to now include album frames. It's something we want to do in our store and so we figured we might as well start now. We're going to the University of Oregon tomorrow morning to be vendors at the KWVA Music Fair. So I made a little display for our new album frames.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Signs
We were watching some kind of extreme food show the Food Network the other night and they just happened to be profiling Voodoo Donuts here in Portland. Voodoo is known for their outlandish donuts like ones covered in bacon or Captain Crunch. But what we learned from the show was that it took the guys two years of trying before they finally opened. They somehow managed to scrape by while still pursuing their dream. And then one day it finally happened, because they didn't give up.
I'm taking this as some kind of a sign. In January we hit our two year mark. It's also the month we'll know for sure if we have the location we have been working on the last year. All signs point to January, but no matter what, we'll keep going.
I'm taking this as some kind of a sign. In January we hit our two year mark. It's also the month we'll know for sure if we have the location we have been working on the last year. All signs point to January, but no matter what, we'll keep going.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
U of O Music Fair
Thank goodness for the blogosphere!! A few days ago our friend Dan from Jump Jump Music and The Night Owl Record Show blogged about an upcoming music event at the University of Oregon. The campus radio station KWVA is hosting their 3rd Annual Music Fair on November 7th.
They are looking for vendors and low and behold, we're looking for more events to sell! So now we're going down to Eugene on the 7th.
It looks like we're going to expand our offerings, too. We had been thinking that we wanted to sell other things in our store like album frames for your wall and record players. So we're going to make our first foray in to selling other items in Eugene by bringing some vinyl record frames.
They're acrylic frames that are open on the side so you can slide the album in and hold it without damaging it. They get great reviews and even the Smithsonian uses them to display albums. Plus they aren't the kind you can get at Urban Outfitters or Target. So we'll see how they do. Hopefully they will be a big hit :)
They are looking for vendors and low and behold, we're looking for more events to sell! So now we're going down to Eugene on the 7th.
It looks like we're going to expand our offerings, too. We had been thinking that we wanted to sell other things in our store like album frames for your wall and record players. So we're going to make our first foray in to selling other items in Eugene by bringing some vinyl record frames.
They're acrylic frames that are open on the side so you can slide the album in and hold it without damaging it. They get great reviews and even the Smithsonian uses them to display albums. Plus they aren't the kind you can get at Urban Outfitters or Target. So we'll see how they do. Hopefully they will be a big hit :)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Creation of..... a newsletter
I spent two whole days working on our first newsletter and it turned out great! Now I'm obsessed with the analytics of seeing how many people opened it. We got two people that opted out of our newsletter :( One person we don't even know and have no record of them signing up so we don't even know how they got on there. The other one was a DJ we met at the Belmont Street Fair. Guess we're not cool enough.
But I got amazing feedback from our friends! Mail Chimp did us right!
I tried to give people a reason to want to read it. So I included music that we've been listening to a lot and some cuts from Justin's blog Dusty Nuggets. Eventually we'll add another category of new records we just got in. But this time we just got back from a big sale and hadn't gotten anything new in yet. Plus it's probably more important for once we have a storefront. It's funny, every day, with or without a storefront, we become more and more like a legitimate business. :)
But I got amazing feedback from our friends! Mail Chimp did us right!
I tried to give people a reason to want to read it. So I included music that we've been listening to a lot and some cuts from Justin's blog Dusty Nuggets. Eventually we'll add another category of new records we just got in. But this time we just got back from a big sale and hadn't gotten anything new in yet. Plus it's probably more important for once we have a storefront. It's funny, every day, with or without a storefront, we become more and more like a legitimate business. :)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Night Owl Wrap Up
Saturday was a long, but super fun, productive day. We got to the Night Owl Record Show about 1:30PM to set up. Early entry started at 3:00PM and regular admission started at 5:00PM and went til 9:00PM. We met tons of really nice people and got to spend some quality time with the people we've been selling with for a while.
Our friends Reid and Rachel came and got a bunch of really good stuff. Rachel picked up one of my favorite albums from us, The Menahan St. Band, Make the Road By Walking. We took a break from the overwhelmingness of the records and played a few games on the Megatouch. They had never played before but I totally enveloped them into the fantastic world of Photo Hunt.
Towards the end of the night our friends Alli and Tony showed up. Alli was on a mission to find a Wings record but did not find one. :( After the show we went to our favorite Thai place for a late dinner. Alli and Tony met us there and then we all met up with some other record sellers at the Gold Dust Meridian. We hung out with a bunch of record sellers from Seattle and our friends Erik and Graham. All in all it was a super fun way to cap off a very productive day.
Justin made a video of the show:
Our friends Reid and Rachel came and got a bunch of really good stuff. Rachel picked up one of my favorite albums from us, The Menahan St. Band, Make the Road By Walking. We took a break from the overwhelmingness of the records and played a few games on the Megatouch. They had never played before but I totally enveloped them into the fantastic world of Photo Hunt.
Towards the end of the night our friends Alli and Tony showed up. Alli was on a mission to find a Wings record but did not find one. :( After the show we went to our favorite Thai place for a late dinner. Alli and Tony met us there and then we all met up with some other record sellers at the Gold Dust Meridian. We hung out with a bunch of record sellers from Seattle and our friends Erik and Graham. All in all it was a super fun way to cap off a very productive day.
Justin made a video of the show:
Night Owl Record Show: Fall 2009 from Justin Meyer on Vimeo.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Night Owl this weekend!
I wish I had taken pictures at the last Wax Broker Riot!!! But alas, I was too busy playing hostess. The night flew by. I wish I had had more time to spend with all of our amazing friends that came out. But someone always had to be manning the record table, too.
The party was a success. We had people waiting at the door for us before we even got there! We're hoping to see a lot of those same people when we sell records at the Night Owl this weekend.
The party was a success. We had people waiting at the door for us before we even got there! We're hoping to see a lot of those same people when we sell records at the Night Owl this weekend.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Location Stories
I feel so lucky that I have had the opportunity to help so many people start their own businesses. A few of my restaurant clients are getting ready to open their doors and it makes me so happy to know that I had a part in it. In the past few months, I have written business plans for about 5 people with restaurant aspirations in Portland as well as been on the periphery of many others. Each one has had its own series of lessons that have huge value to anyone wanting to start their own business.
Of everything I have seen, the most constant lesson is that finding the right location is hands down the most important and hardest part. I know a lot of people that have been looking for locations for a very long time. It makes me feel better knowing there are others in the same boat as us. And of the clients that do have locations I have seen some pretty crazy stuff happen.
I've seen one landlord turn out to be a complete nut job and lock the owner out of their own restaurant, losing everything inside and their entire investment. Another person lose their location because a higher bidder came along and they did not have their contract in writing. I've seen another get really lucky and fall in to a great location but they were 100% not ready mentally (we have to see what happens with this one). I've also seen people be so anxious for a location that they jumped at the first one that came along and ended up making a huge mistake that they're now trying to get out of.
The crazy thing is that this is all part of normal business. We have experienced a lot of the same lessons first hand in our 1.5 year long quest. But success, to me, means not giving up when faced with these pitfalls. I keep reminding myself that this is normal. One of these days, all our dues will be paid and the result will be beyond our wildest dreams.
Yesterday, we were walking down SE Hawthorne and noticed that the Chance of Rain Cafe had newspaper in the windows. We walked up to see what was going on just as the new owner was coming outside for some fresh air. He said he had bought the place a week ago and was turning it in to a breakfast and lunch place called Magnolia. We talked with him for about 5 - 10 minutes (turns out he's also from Nashville) and then went on our way. I wish I had asked him about how he found the place or how long he was looking for one. I'm sure he would have had a good story too.
Of everything I have seen, the most constant lesson is that finding the right location is hands down the most important and hardest part. I know a lot of people that have been looking for locations for a very long time. It makes me feel better knowing there are others in the same boat as us. And of the clients that do have locations I have seen some pretty crazy stuff happen.
I've seen one landlord turn out to be a complete nut job and lock the owner out of their own restaurant, losing everything inside and their entire investment. Another person lose their location because a higher bidder came along and they did not have their contract in writing. I've seen another get really lucky and fall in to a great location but they were 100% not ready mentally (we have to see what happens with this one). I've also seen people be so anxious for a location that they jumped at the first one that came along and ended up making a huge mistake that they're now trying to get out of.
The crazy thing is that this is all part of normal business. We have experienced a lot of the same lessons first hand in our 1.5 year long quest. But success, to me, means not giving up when faced with these pitfalls. I keep reminding myself that this is normal. One of these days, all our dues will be paid and the result will be beyond our wildest dreams.
Yesterday, we were walking down SE Hawthorne and noticed that the Chance of Rain Cafe had newspaper in the windows. We walked up to see what was going on just as the new owner was coming outside for some fresh air. He said he had bought the place a week ago and was turning it in to a breakfast and lunch place called Magnolia. We talked with him for about 5 - 10 minutes (turns out he's also from Nashville) and then went on our way. I wish I had asked him about how he found the place or how long he was looking for one. I'm sure he would have had a good story too.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sweet Sweet Music
It's been a while since I've done a narrative posting so I thought I was about due. We're getting excited for the party coming up on Friday. We got a new $5 Crate full of some sweet sweet vinyl.
I've really been loving the Mayer Hawthorne Record and bought multiple copies of his heart shaped 7". I checked with the label today and it seems like they're already sold out. Another online store is selling it for $40!! I'm glad I got my copies before they sold out :)
Admittedly, Justin is the vinyl collector but I get to throw my opinion into the mix every once in a while. He asked me to make a list of some current artists that I wanted to add to the sale bins. So I added The Bamboos, The Apples, Budos Band, El Michels Affair and Nicole Willis, among others. I've been really loving them all lately, especially the Bamboos with Alice Russell. I encourage everyone to check them out!!
And on the indie rock tip, we are super excited because The Features are coming to Portland November 15th!! Justin knows these guys personally and used to play in a band that was on their same label. He introduced them to me a few years ago and they're SO FUN!!! They will be at the Doug Fir playing with the Whigs.
If you are in Portland come on out to the party on Friday and get a taste of some of our sweet sweet sounds.
I've really been loving the Mayer Hawthorne Record and bought multiple copies of his heart shaped 7". I checked with the label today and it seems like they're already sold out. Another online store is selling it for $40!! I'm glad I got my copies before they sold out :)
Admittedly, Justin is the vinyl collector but I get to throw my opinion into the mix every once in a while. He asked me to make a list of some current artists that I wanted to add to the sale bins. So I added The Bamboos, The Apples, Budos Band, El Michels Affair and Nicole Willis, among others. I've been really loving them all lately, especially the Bamboos with Alice Russell. I encourage everyone to check them out!!
And on the indie rock tip, we are super excited because The Features are coming to Portland November 15th!! Justin knows these guys personally and used to play in a band that was on their same label. He introduced them to me a few years ago and they're SO FUN!!! They will be at the Doug Fir playing with the Whigs.
If you are in Portland come on out to the party on Friday and get a taste of some of our sweet sweet sounds.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Next Party Friday October 2nd!!
Wax Broker Riot; Vinyl Sale & Party
Friday, October 2, 2009
7:00PM Records Go on Sale / 8:00PM Party
It's a Beautiful Pizza
3342 SE Belmont Ave
Portland, OR 97214
Hope to see you there!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
7:00PM Records Go on Sale / 8:00PM Party
It's a Beautiful Pizza
3342 SE Belmont Ave
Portland, OR 97214
Hope to see you there!!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Big Dig Seattle Pics
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Big Dig Seattle
This Saturday we're heading up to the beautiful city of Seattle for the Big Dig Record Show. Justin met the organizer, Christian, at the Night Owl Record Show last spring. They have kept in touch and Christian asked us to come up and sell records at his show. According to our friend Eric, we have to bring our "A" game to the show. Apparently there are going to be some high rollers in the vinyl world attending.
We're just excited for the opportunity to meet more people and spread the word about the Hall of Records.
We're just excited for the opportunity to meet more people and spread the word about the Hall of Records.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Belmont St. Fair Pics
We had such a good time yesterday! We met TONS of new people and sold a bunch of awesome vinyl. Thank you so much to all who came out!!!
All packed up and ready to go
Setting up
Heather & Dave
Alli's Card Display
Our favorite street!
Trolly!
Posting up!
Nothing like a little grass between your toes
Love the stilts
Cutest lemonade pusher I've ever seen
Bike Art a la Tim Burton
Friday, September 11, 2009
Our First Signage
We just finished making our first piece of signage for the Belmont Street Fair tomorrow. Justin's aunt Marie is a photographer here in town and she had a record-centric photo shoot for us. The picture is her in a hat (very much like the kinds of hats Justin wears) inspecting the vinyl. We were hoping to have our logo done in time for tomorrow, but that hasn't happened so this will do. And it looks good anyway.
We are really looking forward to tomorrow. Our friends Heather and Alli will both be participating in the fair as well.
And it turns out that KBOO triple booked guests this Sunday night so Justin's going to wait until next Sunday to be a guest. That way he should have the whole show to himself.
See ya on the street!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
KBOO & a big weekend!
This Sunday Justin is going to be representing Hall of Records on Astral Traveling on KBOO. The show runs 6:30 - 8:00PM Sunday Nights on 90.7FM Portland.
That means he's DJing at the Zilla Sake House Friday, selling records at the Belmont Street Fair all day Saturday and then he'll be on the radio on Sunday. Big weekend!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Zilla Sake House
Our good friend Edgar is the manager at the Zilla Sake House on Alberta. We have come to frequent the place a lot and Edgar asked Justin to DJ on Friday night. Edgar also happens to run a radio show on KBOO Sunday nights and asked Justin to come on as a guest this weekend. I'll do another post soon about the KBOO show. But if you're around on Friday night come on out to the Sake House! This man knows his sake and is not afraid to show you!
(photo borrowed with love from Yelp)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Belmont Street Fair Booth Assignment
The Belmont Street Fair is next weekend! We just got the map of where our booth will be. We'll be the very first booth on the right as you come up Belmont from Downtown, next to the stage. We are pumped (!) and hoping that the bands will be good since we're there all day :)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Jade Lounge Tomorrow Night
Tomorrow night we're going back to the Jade Lounge for Justin and Dameian's bi-weekly Gems and Giants.
Jade Lounge
SE 24th & SE Ankeny
Portland
1st & 3rd Thursdays
Jade Lounge
SE 24th & SE Ankeny
Portland
1st & 3rd Thursdays
Monday, August 31, 2009
Movement
So we've had some movement at our location lately. I can't say much but it's a step in the right direction. We had a great conversation with our would-be landlord, reiterating our interest in the space. We may soon have an opportunity to be able to start small and eventually grow in to it. Hopefully we'll be able to figure some stuff out this week or next.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Community Involvement
I am super excited because this Tuesday there is an open house for the New Community Center at SE 12th and Stark.
About two months ago I got a survey in the mail asking my opinion for what I'd want in a community center. The survey focused on the new swimming pool which was EXACTLY what I wanted to express my opinion about.
Growing up I spent every single day of the summer at our local swimming pool. We had two glorious diving boards, a one meter and a three meter, that I probably spent 95% of my time on at the pool. At age 8, I was the only girl that knew how to do a One and a Half Sumersault and I reveled in the attention.
My sophomore year in high school we got a swimming and diving team at my school. I jumped at the opportunity and spent most of my days getting up at 5AM to go to practice before school. Looking back, I definitely think it instilled a sense of discipline that has carried through in to my adult life.
Before moving to Portland, I did some research on the state of diving in Oregon. It's not good. Zero high schools have swimming or diving teams and only one of the colleges has a swim team (but no diving and it's only girls). During the heat-wave of this summer we went to the pool and saw kids lining up to jump off the side of the pool!! These kids are in desperate need of some diving boards!!
So when I got my survey in the mail I wrote all over it that I thought the children of Portland deserved some diving boards. I also wrote that I wanted to help in any way I can. Never-mind that I have a deep seeded wish to create an Olympic level diving facility (full of trampolines, harnesses and foam pits) one day. But we need to start somewhere.
If anyone's interested the next meeting is:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25th
BUCKMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
320 SE 16TH Ave.
7PM - 9PM
About two months ago I got a survey in the mail asking my opinion for what I'd want in a community center. The survey focused on the new swimming pool which was EXACTLY what I wanted to express my opinion about.
Growing up I spent every single day of the summer at our local swimming pool. We had two glorious diving boards, a one meter and a three meter, that I probably spent 95% of my time on at the pool. At age 8, I was the only girl that knew how to do a One and a Half Sumersault and I reveled in the attention.
My sophomore year in high school we got a swimming and diving team at my school. I jumped at the opportunity and spent most of my days getting up at 5AM to go to practice before school. Looking back, I definitely think it instilled a sense of discipline that has carried through in to my adult life.
Before moving to Portland, I did some research on the state of diving in Oregon. It's not good. Zero high schools have swimming or diving teams and only one of the colleges has a swim team (but no diving and it's only girls). During the heat-wave of this summer we went to the pool and saw kids lining up to jump off the side of the pool!! These kids are in desperate need of some diving boards!!
So when I got my survey in the mail I wrote all over it that I thought the children of Portland deserved some diving boards. I also wrote that I wanted to help in any way I can. Never-mind that I have a deep seeded wish to create an Olympic level diving facility (full of trampolines, harnesses and foam pits) one day. But we need to start somewhere.
If anyone's interested the next meeting is:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25th
BUCKMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
320 SE 16TH Ave.
7PM - 9PM
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Crazy Calendar
Justin wanted to take a picture of our calendar this month because it's never ever been this full. We've had so much going on and September is beginning to look like it could be the same way.
We've been helping our friend Betty out at the Street of Dreams on the weekends. It's really fun and we like being able to do this together. If we can get paid and still be together, then even better.
I got three new clients in the past week and have set up meetings with two other people for next week. I love being able to help all these people. I have a problem sitting still, so the busier I am the better. This issue has been illuminated this summer as we wait for our location to pan out. We've been trying to find the balance between continuing to focus on our record store while at the same time being patient. Keeping our calendar packed has been a great way to pass the time.
About a week ago we were watching TV and ended up sticking to the Portland Public Access channel. They were having a meeting about Small Businesses and how Portland was trying to be a player in the global economy. There was one lady that owned a green building company and she said a lot of things that rang true to me, like how if you don't need venture capital from the OEN they don't know how to help you. I had a similar experience. So anyways, she just happened to come by the Street of Dreams last weekend and I jumped at the opportunity to introduce myself. But I will give Justin credit; he recognized her first. So now we've been emailing back and forth and I'm meeting with her next week. Seems like she's building a mentorship program that I might want to be a part of.
When you live the life of an entrepreneur you have to jump at opportunities like that. Probably only 25% of the opportunities lead somewhere, but that's a pretty great statistic for me. I'm excited to see where it may lead.
Justin is DJing at the Jade Lounge tonight. We have a bunch of friends coming out and we're looking forward to it.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Local First!
We decided a long time ago that we wanted to be a part of the Local First movement. It's important to us to be able to help perpetuate the local economy.
One of my clients has a day job at a restaurant that gets all their produce from the Farmer's Market. It got me wondering about how that works in the off season. From what I can tell, there are only two year-round farmer's markets; the People's Farmer's Market and the Hillsdale Farmer's Market. One is on Wednesdays and the other is only twice a month on Sundays in the winter. I think I need to do some more investigative research in to how this whole thing should work. It seems to me that we'd need to re-stock produce at least twice a week.
We're also trying to figure out what we're doing with coffee. Originally we intended on selling Stumptown Coffee but the location we are looking at has too many other other establishments selling Stumptown. So we may want to go another direction. Our friends at the Little Red Bike Cafe use Courier Coffee Roasters and they're mighty delicious.
We're big fans of Grand Central for bread and Sunshine Dairy for milk and cheese. But in terms of bread, we're open to suggestions because GC seems to get stale after a very short amount of time. But then again maybe I just need to start using some Debbie Meyer Green Bags :)
What I am MOST excited about using are Earth Cups.
They're made from a company in Bend and are not only made from renewable resources but they're completely biodegradable!
Can we please just open already?!?!?
One of my clients has a day job at a restaurant that gets all their produce from the Farmer's Market. It got me wondering about how that works in the off season. From what I can tell, there are only two year-round farmer's markets; the People's Farmer's Market and the Hillsdale Farmer's Market. One is on Wednesdays and the other is only twice a month on Sundays in the winter. I think I need to do some more investigative research in to how this whole thing should work. It seems to me that we'd need to re-stock produce at least twice a week.
We're also trying to figure out what we're doing with coffee. Originally we intended on selling Stumptown Coffee but the location we are looking at has too many other other establishments selling Stumptown. So we may want to go another direction. Our friends at the Little Red Bike Cafe use Courier Coffee Roasters and they're mighty delicious.
We're big fans of Grand Central for bread and Sunshine Dairy for milk and cheese. But in terms of bread, we're open to suggestions because GC seems to get stale after a very short amount of time. But then again maybe I just need to start using some Debbie Meyer Green Bags :)
What I am MOST excited about using are Earth Cups.
They're made from a company in Bend and are not only made from renewable resources but they're completely biodegradable!
Can we please just open already?!?!?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Cash & Carry
I'll start this off by saying, I love what I do. I love creating businesses and helping others to create their own. I currently have three clients, all of which are in the food industry. Every time I go through the business planning process with them I get to re-live my own business plan and tweak it as we go.
Last week I took one of my clients to Cash & Carry for research. The first time I was ever in this store I was like a kid in a candy store. It actually rivaled my kid in a candy store experience of working the American Music Awards in '05 and being surrounded by celebrities everywhere I went. I was in heaven.
To anyone familiar with Smart & Final, Cash & Carry is their bigger, stronger, smarter older brother. It's the go-to place for restauranteurs in Portland. They have everything from produce to paper products to basically anything you can think of that goes in a restaurant.
I brought my client there because not only is it a feeding ground for great ideas, but it makes you think of things that you hadn't thought of before. We brought notebooks and pens and I had her write down everything that she wanted. This will all go in to her budget. We spent about an hour and a half in there bouncing ideas off of each other and having a blast.
I highly recommend anyone thinking about opening up a place to go on an exploratory mission to Cash & Carry. It's the most fun you'll have in a grocery store.
Last week I took one of my clients to Cash & Carry for research. The first time I was ever in this store I was like a kid in a candy store. It actually rivaled my kid in a candy store experience of working the American Music Awards in '05 and being surrounded by celebrities everywhere I went. I was in heaven.
To anyone familiar with Smart & Final, Cash & Carry is their bigger, stronger, smarter older brother. It's the go-to place for restauranteurs in Portland. They have everything from produce to paper products to basically anything you can think of that goes in a restaurant.
I brought my client there because not only is it a feeding ground for great ideas, but it makes you think of things that you hadn't thought of before. We brought notebooks and pens and I had her write down everything that she wanted. This will all go in to her budget. We spent about an hour and a half in there bouncing ideas off of each other and having a blast.
I highly recommend anyone thinking about opening up a place to go on an exploratory mission to Cash & Carry. It's the most fun you'll have in a grocery store.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Logo Design Process
Thanks to some amazing friends, we have been able to somewhat figure out what we want in a logo. Justin and I are by no means graphic artists so we enlisted the help of some friends. Each has helped us narrow down what we're looking for and we are eternally grateful.
I wanted to share with you some of the examples one of our friends did for us. It's pretty cool to see them all in one place.
When we went to him we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted based on previous efforts. He just wanted to show us some other options. I quite like how witty the third one on the top is. He's incorporating a sphinx, which plays off the whole Hall of Records pun.
The second one on the top is most like our original idea, only before we had seen it in a wrapped computer font instead of hand drawn. We're going to play around with the letters and add embellishments. Justin really likes the stars in the bottom left drawing. We're basing them off another logo we found online.
I'm excited to see where this goes. We're expecting another round here soon.
I wanted to share with you some of the examples one of our friends did for us. It's pretty cool to see them all in one place.
When we went to him we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted based on previous efforts. He just wanted to show us some other options. I quite like how witty the third one on the top is. He's incorporating a sphinx, which plays off the whole Hall of Records pun.
The second one on the top is most like our original idea, only before we had seen it in a wrapped computer font instead of hand drawn. We're going to play around with the letters and add embellishments. Justin really likes the stars in the bottom left drawing. We're basing them off another logo we found online.
I'm excited to see where this goes. We're expecting another round here soon.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Night Owl Blog
Two times a year, vinyl lovers from all over the world come to Portland for the Night Owl Record Show. Justin sold records at the last one and we're happy to be a part of the upcoming show on October 17th.
They recently started a blog and this week they featured Justin! So nice!
They recently started a blog and this week they featured Justin! So nice!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Beat Off Video
Justin made a new video of last night's Beat Off at Holocene! We had a blast!
Beat Off Beat Battle: Portland, OR 8-5-09 from Justin Meyer on Vimeo.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Beat Off Part Deux
Tonight we're selling records the Beat Off at Holocene. This is the second time we're doing it and we're looking forward to it. We met a lot of really cool people last time.
We were supposed to also sell at Rock the Runways on the 15th, but something happened with the city and they aren't having any vendors this year. But we just got a call about a record show up in Seattle in September that we're probably going to go to. I'll jump at any chance to go see Seattle again.
I'm going to my first women-only networking event next Tuesday. It's more for my business consulting business than the record business, but since both are growing, I'll talk about it. I just finished ordering my business cards, signing up for LinkedIn and creating my own website. It's free, so it's not much, but hey, it's better than nothing!
We were supposed to also sell at Rock the Runways on the 15th, but something happened with the city and they aren't having any vendors this year. But we just got a call about a record show up in Seattle in September that we're probably going to go to. I'll jump at any chance to go see Seattle again.
I'm going to my first women-only networking event next Tuesday. It's more for my business consulting business than the record business, but since both are growing, I'll talk about it. I just finished ordering my business cards, signing up for LinkedIn and creating my own website. It's free, so it's not much, but hey, it's better than nothing!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sammy's
Right now I am in Post-Sammy Heaven. In our house, Sammy's = Sandwiches.
We just had the most amazing lunch we've had in a long time.
Today is the day we start testing spreads for our sandwich menu. We're keeping our menu simple with soup, salads and sandwiches. And we know that any restaurant can get the top quality bread and the top quality meat, but the real difference is in the spread.
So I went to the store and got Grand Central Como Bread, Deli Turkey and all the ingredients to make Chipotle Mayo, Pesto Mayo and Homemade Vegan Mayo.
After two attempts to make the Vegan Mayo, I'm sad to report that I may have to figure out another recipe. No matter how slowly I poured the oil in it just did not thicken! So oh well.
But the Chipotle and Pesto Mayo's were amazing!!!
We're thinking Pesto Mayo on Turkey and Chipotle Mayo on Oven Roasted Chicken or on a BLT. YUMMY!!!!!!
Okay, now I'm going back to my food coma :)
We just had the most amazing lunch we've had in a long time.
Today is the day we start testing spreads for our sandwich menu. We're keeping our menu simple with soup, salads and sandwiches. And we know that any restaurant can get the top quality bread and the top quality meat, but the real difference is in the spread.
So I went to the store and got Grand Central Como Bread, Deli Turkey and all the ingredients to make Chipotle Mayo, Pesto Mayo and Homemade Vegan Mayo.
After two attempts to make the Vegan Mayo, I'm sad to report that I may have to figure out another recipe. No matter how slowly I poured the oil in it just did not thicken! So oh well.
But the Chipotle and Pesto Mayo's were amazing!!!
We're thinking Pesto Mayo on Turkey and Chipotle Mayo on Oven Roasted Chicken or on a BLT. YUMMY!!!!!!
Okay, now I'm going back to my food coma :)
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Great Heat Wave of 2009
I wonder if people in Portland will look back on this week and remember what they did during the great heat wave. We've been alternating between beers and wash cloths, just trying to stay sane. And today is going to be worse; 108 degrees. All this in a city that doesn't believe in air conditioners. Despite the heat, we've managed to still have a lot of fun.
This past weekend when my parents were in town we went to the Oregon Brewer's Festival at Waterfront Park. My Dad had been looking forward to it for months and it was even in the 1000 Places to See Before You Die book. There were thousands of people there and it got a bit nuts at times. But it gave us a perfect opportunity to look for beers for our beer menu.
We want to have a menu that is diverse, local and seasonal with a flair of organic. We also really like interesting fruit beers. Some of our favorites were:
Stumptown Tart (Bridgeport Ale House - Portland, OR) Marionberry Beer!
Organic Chocolate Stout (Bison Brewing - Berkeley, CA)
Cream Ale (Fearless Brewing - Estacada, OR)
Raspberry Wheat (Vertigo Brewing - Hillsboro, OR)
The Great White (Lost Cost Brewery - Eureka, CA)
Organic Acai Berry (Eel River Brewery - Fortuna, CA)
We'll also have some Ambers, Lagers, Pale Ales and Hefeweizen.
MMMMMMMM.... Can't wait for some of these beers to be flowing from our taps!!
This past weekend when my parents were in town we went to the Oregon Brewer's Festival at Waterfront Park. My Dad had been looking forward to it for months and it was even in the 1000 Places to See Before You Die book. There were thousands of people there and it got a bit nuts at times. But it gave us a perfect opportunity to look for beers for our beer menu.
We want to have a menu that is diverse, local and seasonal with a flair of organic. We also really like interesting fruit beers. Some of our favorites were:
Stumptown Tart (Bridgeport Ale House - Portland, OR) Marionberry Beer!
Organic Chocolate Stout (Bison Brewing - Berkeley, CA)
Cream Ale (Fearless Brewing - Estacada, OR)
Raspberry Wheat (Vertigo Brewing - Hillsboro, OR)
The Great White (Lost Cost Brewery - Eureka, CA)
Organic Acai Berry (Eel River Brewery - Fortuna, CA)
We'll also have some Ambers, Lagers, Pale Ales and Hefeweizen.
MMMMMMMM.... Can't wait for some of these beers to be flowing from our taps!!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Cheers!
In an attempt to work on the things that we can, we've been doing a lot of menu planning lately.
Way back when we first started doing research I stumbled upon a great site called BNET. Some of the articles you have to pay for but at the time there were all these amazing free articles about the state of the restaurant business. I started to notice a specific magazines called Cheers that was especially insightful. I subscribed to the magazine and now get it sent to our house.
I have steadily grown more and more impressed with this publication. This particular issue has amazing insights in to how to craft your beer menu, how small plates are ruling the industry and how to give the "millenials" what they want.
As I was reading it I kept thinking of all the people I've been helping lately and how each one could benefit from this magazine. I would strongly recommend it to anyone in the restaurant business, whether you're already open or just doing research.
And on a somewhat related note, I have now had a hand in starting three separate bar/restaurants here in Portland. Woo Hoo!!
Way back when we first started doing research I stumbled upon a great site called BNET. Some of the articles you have to pay for but at the time there were all these amazing free articles about the state of the restaurant business. I started to notice a specific magazines called Cheers that was especially insightful. I subscribed to the magazine and now get it sent to our house.
I have steadily grown more and more impressed with this publication. This particular issue has amazing insights in to how to craft your beer menu, how small plates are ruling the industry and how to give the "millenials" what they want.
As I was reading it I kept thinking of all the people I've been helping lately and how each one could benefit from this magazine. I would strongly recommend it to anyone in the restaurant business, whether you're already open or just doing research.
And on a somewhat related note, I have now had a hand in starting three separate bar/restaurants here in Portland. Woo Hoo!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Clarence Duffy
Justin's DJing Thursday night at the Jade Lounge on SE Ankeny & 24th. 7PM. It's a good time; half price apps, drink specials (I think) and some funky tunes. Plus we'll be there :) I haven't seen some of our friends in a while, so I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, July 17, 2009
It's Friday!
It's Friday!! and we're gearing up for a BIG weekend. My parents are coming in to town this weekend for their first ever trip to the Pacific NorthWest. It also happens to be the 24 Hour Fundraiser for Relay for Life.
Sarah, Lisa and I (among many, many others) have been working our butts off preparing all the events and entertainment for the event. It's 80's Themed and I can't wait to see the Best 80's Hair Contest, 80's Exercise Lap and the 80's Prom that we have been planning!
I'm also planning a trip to the Japanese Garden, Mt. Tabor Park and Kennedy School with the rents. Busy, busy weekend!
The logos have started coming in and they look great! Our friend Edgar is getting really in to it, buying books on 60's and 70's funk records and logos. I can't WAIT to see what he comes up with.
I also got a new business plan client. It's for another restaurant here in Portland. With every new client the whole process gets easier and easier. I think it may actually be time to start charging more :)
And on a related note, we took a MUCH NEEDED break from reality on Wednesday and headed to the Coast. God, we live in a beautiful place.
Sarah, Lisa and I (among many, many others) have been working our butts off preparing all the events and entertainment for the event. It's 80's Themed and I can't wait to see the Best 80's Hair Contest, 80's Exercise Lap and the 80's Prom that we have been planning!
I'm also planning a trip to the Japanese Garden, Mt. Tabor Park and Kennedy School with the rents. Busy, busy weekend!
The logos have started coming in and they look great! Our friend Edgar is getting really in to it, buying books on 60's and 70's funk records and logos. I can't WAIT to see what he comes up with.
I also got a new business plan client. It's for another restaurant here in Portland. With every new client the whole process gets easier and easier. I think it may actually be time to start charging more :)
And on a related note, we took a MUCH NEEDED break from reality on Wednesday and headed to the Coast. God, we live in a beautiful place.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Expanding
Thank you to everyone who came out on Saturday!!
It always takes me a few days to recover. This past Saturday was a success (!) and a whole new experience because we did it on the patio. It gave it a much more laid back vibe which was great, yet not much of a "riot." Despite that, we had people who said they liked it better outside.
We had a great mix of old friends and new faces. Khalil from Hammond Beat Records brought some of his labels' records to sell. The 45's we got from him have been filling our house with funky goodness ever since. In addition to friends, we've started to get repeat customers, which is really exciting!
Right now we're prepping for the Beat Off, Rock the Runways and our next party. We love a lot of things about doing our parties at the pizza place but we may need to branch off in to more of a bar setting.
We've been discussing maybe approaching the GoodFoot about doing a party there. The club is really cool, in our neighborhood and they do a lot of funk nights. Dameian even spun there on the 4th of July. Only thing is that we'll probably have to do it on a week night, where at the pizza place we can do it whenever we want. Decisions, decisions!
There's a lot more going on behind the scenes, too. We have four different friends working on logos for us and it's pretty exciting. We're so grateful because with every new logo we see we can figure out what we like and what we don't like. We want to have a banner with both our logo and the Wax Broker Riot logo for the Belmont Street Fair, which is September 12th.
At the same time, we've been doing a lot of work on our menu. Betty, a good friend of the Portland family, has offered to teach us about sauces and dressings. We're going to start experimenting and there's even been talk of expanding it into it's own business on the side. I like to kill about four birds with one stone :)
I have a client who I am helping put a business plan together for a new bar. We're in research mode, so we're going around and scoping out other bars for pros, cons and ideas. I am almost completely re-tracing the steps I did when I was putting our business plan together, only this time it's a different style bar so it's a completely new experience. It's reinforcing everything we've been doing for the past year and a half.
Ah life is good when you seize opportunities.
It always takes me a few days to recover. This past Saturday was a success (!) and a whole new experience because we did it on the patio. It gave it a much more laid back vibe which was great, yet not much of a "riot." Despite that, we had people who said they liked it better outside.
We had a great mix of old friends and new faces. Khalil from Hammond Beat Records brought some of his labels' records to sell. The 45's we got from him have been filling our house with funky goodness ever since. In addition to friends, we've started to get repeat customers, which is really exciting!
Right now we're prepping for the Beat Off, Rock the Runways and our next party. We love a lot of things about doing our parties at the pizza place but we may need to branch off in to more of a bar setting.
We've been discussing maybe approaching the GoodFoot about doing a party there. The club is really cool, in our neighborhood and they do a lot of funk nights. Dameian even spun there on the 4th of July. Only thing is that we'll probably have to do it on a week night, where at the pizza place we can do it whenever we want. Decisions, decisions!
There's a lot more going on behind the scenes, too. We have four different friends working on logos for us and it's pretty exciting. We're so grateful because with every new logo we see we can figure out what we like and what we don't like. We want to have a banner with both our logo and the Wax Broker Riot logo for the Belmont Street Fair, which is September 12th.
At the same time, we've been doing a lot of work on our menu. Betty, a good friend of the Portland family, has offered to teach us about sauces and dressings. We're going to start experimenting and there's even been talk of expanding it into it's own business on the side. I like to kill about four birds with one stone :)
I have a client who I am helping put a business plan together for a new bar. We're in research mode, so we're going around and scoping out other bars for pros, cons and ideas. I am almost completely re-tracing the steps I did when I was putting our business plan together, only this time it's a different style bar so it's a completely new experience. It's reinforcing everything we've been doing for the past year and a half.
Ah life is good when you seize opportunities.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Newsletter & Portables
The days counting down to our parties are always so exciting! I ordered a new portable record player so people could listen to records at our parties and we didn't expect it to come until next week, but it came today!!
Sometimes guys will bring their own but I figure if we get in the habit of always having one then they won't have to worry about it. Plus it's going to be a major feature once our store is open, so it's never too early to start!
We've also been hitting the pavement to come up with a logo, website and email newsletter. Thanks to my new friend, Nedra, I woke up this morning, checked my morning blog roll and discovered she had written a blog about a product that was exactly what I needed; a newsletter template.
So guess what?!? Now we have a NEWSLETTER SIGNUP PAGE!!
Until we get an actual website up, we'll just use our MYSPACE. But at least we have something!
Sometimes guys will bring their own but I figure if we get in the habit of always having one then they won't have to worry about it. Plus it's going to be a major feature once our store is open, so it's never too early to start!
We've also been hitting the pavement to come up with a logo, website and email newsletter. Thanks to my new friend, Nedra, I woke up this morning, checked my morning blog roll and discovered she had written a blog about a product that was exactly what I needed; a newsletter template.
So guess what?!? Now we have a NEWSLETTER SIGNUP PAGE!!
Until we get an actual website up, we'll just use our MYSPACE. But at least we have something!
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