A note left by our summer renters suggested we try the new cafe Bouchee (leaving us with a menu high lighting their favs). The food was so good. We have not yet had dinner, but their breakfast was awesome(the egg and cheese BLT is wonderful) and their lunch is also great, we had their Reuben sandwich ...yummy, and the New Orleans Beef Po-Boy with this gravy that is to die for. Everything was priced so reasonably. We bought our own bloody-mary's in on Sunday....'no worries mate' is what the New Zealand guy there said. Seemed like the place was full of locals talking with each other about fishing and catching crabs, got any fishing questions go there and ask for James...the guy really knows his stuff about the local fishing hot spots. Thanks guys for opening another really great spot to eat in Sea Grove.

I woke up this morning and was sad it was Monday. I could have really used some of their grits. And yes, dinner is great there also.

Great restaurant, but closed all of last week. Anybody know if they're closed pemanently?

There was just not enough revenue being generated to keep it afloat. It is so sad. This was a great spot. I'm gonna miss John's grits! I hope he can find a way to open back up or find another place.

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Quit whining and RUN!!

I went to Cafe Bouchee on Saturday looking forward to my Eggs Benedict? But they are gone.

I know our market is tough, but I loved their food. Where has John and Kerrie gone? I would like to follow them.

I will miss my breakfast place!

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Jon the Seagrove Lover

been here for years and have seen hundreds of small businesses leave. its tough in a tourist town. just got to wish them the best in the future...

Seems like a business plan might not be a bad idea...

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

There was a business plan Bobby J We were a little miffed by the numbers though, to remain open, we needed an avg. of $10/per person and 16 guests through the door on average per hour. We were only busy bt/n 8-9am and 1pm-2pm. The rent on this location was an absolute killer.

My comment was not meant to be directed at only you. It seems many people open up along 30A with no direct idea of how to get the people through the doors to incorporate their plan. The plan needs to include ways to get people through the doors. My experience on 30A has shown me advertising and tremendous amounts of marketing are the only ways to make it work. You all had an incredible product but the masses were unaware you were there. On a more busy route you would have killed it.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

All good points, but what is effective advertising these days? What is the best way to spend that small amount of money you have to sell yourself? That is the $1 million question right now, and it is different in every market, and changing all the time.

The best advertising of course is word of mouth, which is free. And if you put out a good product you will help yourself. BUT. I deal a lot with business people down here in Tampa, and hands down the people who are having the most trouble are the ones with the newest businesses, and sometimes the quality of product or price is not the deciding factor. It's because those people who are deciding to spend their money are actively choosing to spend it on the places they are loyal to because they want them to stay in business.

And so the newbies are struggling, unless they have a *perfect* business model, but most people do learn as they go and it takes time to get into a rhythm.

Good luck to the Bouchee folks. And God bless all the brave folks who are hanging out their shingles!

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Proud to practice indoctrination
at least when it comes to the GATOR NATION

That is the million dollar question.... Where to advertise? You spread it around. You develop a plan. Everyone knows the numbers they need to stay open but most of us have no clue how to reach those numbers. Simply opening up with a good product does not work. As times are tougher people begin to cut back on advertising. Guess what? This is really when you should kick it up a notch. If you truly do not have the money then you got to get out in the community and make a voice for yourself. I do not mean any of this to hurt anyone. Simply constructive and 30 years of watching business's open and close on 30A. Marketing is the best and most effective way to get your voice out. Find reasons to tell the world why you are the best! Tell the paper! Tell the internet! You tell them you are the best and here is why we are the best. Create the hype! Ali was the one on the greatest boxers ever. Early on in his career he would shout out, "I am the greatest." People would laugh but it really was just him marketing himself. In an interview years later he was asked about that and if he really believed he was the greatest. He said he really felt like he was but he knew no one would know this if he did not let them know. It does not have to be as arrogant as Ali but you got to be able to market yourself well enough to let people know how good you are.
I heard great things about the Bouchee folks and wish them well. Also remember that closing a door just simply opens many more. My comments are not aimed directly at them but for all the new struggling businesses along 30A. Tough times require a change in the way we typically do things. 30A has historically been extremely hard place to keep a shingle up. Simply not enough people to have a typical business plan.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

Yes from my observations 30-a seems like a tough place to make a go of businesses such as restraunts due to the brutal seasonality. I think a huge winner is something like bruno's did with 1/2 price for locals from sept-march. yes you'll make very little money but it keeps the doors open till the spring and summer were you make the money. its just like the construction or landscaping business. you basically give the product away at a little over breakeven in your slow months to keep your staff business so they don't quit and they're there during the busy season.no different than renting your house. you charge prime rates in the spring and summer and basically let snow birds stay there at rates just to pay your bills during the winter.many people in my area are now using cars like the mini as a driving billboard which is brining in restraunt business. 30-a is very challenging as theres only a certain amount of people there in the off season so no matter what many won't survive

And then you have Stinkys, Red bar and Bayou Bills that keep killing it year round. Hmmmmmm......

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

I agree with much of what you are saying but even Stinky's occasionally had tumbleweeds blowing through the parking lot last year. There aren't enough people/money to support an abundance of businesses and, as with water, level is being found. A restaurant in Destin that made solely salads has a sign on their door saying "Closed, victim of the economy". It is my contention that more businesses were unjustly buoyed by a wildly, and mostly imaginary, expanding economy than are being closed by a contracting economy. Locations rent for what the market will bear or remain empty, but I believe that this can be skewed by being in a tourist area. For example, I have to ride several miles in either direction now for a commercially produced espresso yet someone will undoubtedly come down during Spring or Summer and say "I can't believe that there is no such and such here especially with all these people to sell to!! Wow I'll open one and make a killing while working in Paradise!" Thus there is an artificially pumped up number of people willing and able to lose their shirt. Many see nothing except the good times because not living here they have no conception of how lonesome it gets for a large chunk of the year. Then you have places like the Brazilian resto on Holiday Isle that missed two Summers while spending time and money to rebuild the inside. They opened up into a Fall/Winter and managed to make it 3 months or so I beleive. This place had a host of issues but the timing certainly did not help. Competiiton is tight and so are many peoples' fists these days. I am sorry for the real pain and heartache experienced by those who are unable to proceed. Look before you leap.

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Haters gonna hate, Ballers gonna ball

Gordy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still kicking I see!

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Just because you eat the burger doesn't mean you want to meet the cow!

May be part of a business plan should be to ask people that live here year round what the off season is like. Just a hunch.

Any business selling solely salads should not blame the economy for their failure.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

And the salad place shared a parking lot with a swishy gym- how could it fail?

I would have to agree that advertising can be costly especially during the slow months. There are inexpensive ways to advertise and get the word out about your business on a shoestring budget. I have worked in the advertising business here on the Emerald Coast for several years and I also have had to deal with the local economy, tourist season and hurricanes when it has come to making a living. I have worked with several successful magazines, that continue to be successful and there is a place for this print media, especially in season. I recommend On The Coast Magazine for year round advertising because it is marketed to the locals and goes home with school aged children in their back packs. This magazine is very effective advertising. I also recommend networking and successful business cards to market yourself with. A business card should be an effective inexpensive marketing tool. Rack Cards are a great marketing tool for many types of businesses that serves as a stand alone piece of marketing, they are inexpensive, you can get 5000 for $229.00. If you add a coupon to the card it is even more effective. Customer reward cards are also very effective in the slower season because it rewards the locals for being loyal customers. I am a sales representative for a company, that was formed, by people that have been in the advertising business, here on the Emerald Coast, that saw a need for effective creative advertising for the small business owner, that would not break the bank. We are local to the area and would love to help you through the tough times, with our creative ways of advertising. One of our specialties is restaurant set up, we do great menus. I hope this post has been useful and I would love to hear from you, so please post back.I will include my link since networking is also a very effective way of advertising.

Renee Smith
rsmith@mycardguy.com
www.MyCardGuy.com
850-298-8853 ext 108
888-537-5706 ext 108

They will be missed. I absolutely loved the FOOD, and the prices too--all great and competitive.....but...

Cafe Bouche seem to fall short on the fact that is had no conviction in its interior decor--sorry that is very important in my book--it seem like the old Yanni's, but lifeless and temporary, they even put up and exterior sign that was virtually unreadable???

I alway got the same waiter there who had no personality and was too robotic.

IMO Detail are important in any restaurant!

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Abrupt and needed "change" is hard for anyone to deal with. We have to deal with new paradigms in a new world, but I think things are gradually getting better!

Good place, with a little more attention, could have been grayt!

Your grammer is atrocious. Sorry, I usually bite my tongue, just can't do it this time. Illiteracy is so prevalent, I feel that something has to be done. Go back to school!

Lulu2, I'm sorry, but I just can't believe that your second post on the board is criticizing someone's grammar when your first post had so many grammatical errors. See below:

Note the lack of punctuation in the post title, the improper use of commas and the misspelling of the word 'certainly'. Perhaps you should bite your tongue; at least until the other members of the board have a chance to get to know your more polite side...

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Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. ~ Mark Twain

Another _ _ _ _ _ _ _ comma mamma. This is just a bb where people want to discuss and possibly vent. Not type dissertations for the perfect A. Get a life....We all make mistakes. I make them daily.

You should maybe use spell check before you try to correct someone as well. Grammar has no e.

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

Y'all are misunderstanding. This lulu person is talking about either Alpha Crab's or Sun Biz's granny. Though I can't tell which of these persons' granny lulu finds so offensive. That is of course assuming that Alpha Crab and Sun Biz do not share the same "grammer", which certainly seems possible if unlikely.
and rdelong

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Haters gonna hate, Ballers gonna ball

What does grammar have to do with poor Cafe Bouchee closing? A business going under is far more important than spelling and grammar
I am awful at both. I admit it, but I'd much rather concentrate on helping local businesses succeed!

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Buy the book, kiss the cook - AlisonCooks.com

I couldn't agree with you more.

I wonder if this is the first thread that ever strayed?

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

I think most threads stray. It's common nature. The comma mammas are the ones that drive me crazy.

It does seem to me if you are going to be a comma mamma one should at least have good spelling and grammar.....

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

Absolutely! And I have never been, currently not, and never will be a comma mamma.

Very true, however, never quite this inanely! Tangents are funn when the timing is right. Ranting about someone's use of grammar is inane compared to a business folding.
I never went to Cafe Bouchee and I am sorry. I stay so busy that I rarely go anywhere to eat. I do think the lack of some advertisment may have been a reason that most people did not know about it. Around here you really need to keep your name out there. Did they come on SoWal very often? This is the best advertisment around!

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Buy the book, kiss the cook - AlisonCooks.com

I apologize for temporarily leading the thread astray. I had just read Lulu2's first post on another thread, and I momentarily allowed my frustrations with mean people to overcome my better judgement.

This thread is such a terrific place where, daily, I see everyone come together on a common ground and enjoy each other's thoughts and humor. We tease each other all the time about misspellings and, of course, have even changed some words completely to suit our sticky fingers (i.e., jsut; funn). That's all in good fun(n)!

To see someone come on the board with just their second post, and tell another poster to go back to school because his "grammer" was bad, and illiteracy is prevalent kinda set me off. Swafia has terrible dislexia; he often doesn't post because he doesn't spell or write very well, and fears being made fun of. This board should be above that, and I just wanted to point that out, although I admit that I probably should have done it in a pm. Can we get over it now?

All that being said, the folks at Cafe Bouchee were terrific and they will be sorely missed. I agree that advertising has quite a bit to do with the failure of most small restaurants and businesses in the area, and always try to do my part by spreading word of mouth and posting happy thoughts here on the board. I'm sorry that we didn't get the word out enough for Cafe Bouchee.

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Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. ~ Mark Twain

I've always thought it was stupid that the newspaper here has no restaurant reviews (though sometimes when a new restaurant opens, it's a news article) (and I don't count the NWFDN, which seems to review hot dog stands in Valparaiso for the most part).

What a great feature it would be for visitors, I think that the many, many locals who are in the business would find it interesting, and the rest of us would love to have a clue about new places.

In real foodie places (and I think we should start thinking of ourselves that way), they have restaurant "news": who's opening, closing, what chefs have changed places, who is changing their menu.

We certainly have MANY people in the area who are qualified to write on the subject of food and restaurants.

SouthWaltonDiningScene.com, I think, does a good job of keeping up with openings and closings, but (this is my fault) I forget to check it often.

Well here is my two cents.... I have owned a small restaurant on 30-A for two years and I have survived, but it has been very, very difficult.

In the summer I have 12 times the number of customers come thru my door on a daily basis that the winter....TWELVE TIMES. I only advertise in one place and learned last year that most of my customers never saw my ad...they say they see my little dinky sign out front and they also come in thru word of mouth (thanks locals!)... I also have someone who calls he sign POLICE about every few days and I have to move my dinky little sign...I wish I knew who they were so I could talk with them...my location is hard to see and my sign helps sooooo much.

My average customer will eat at Flip Flops at least 5 or 6 times during the week they stay here...not once but multiple times. I keep random metrics on customers to determine this average. They return because they say I provide a good value...good food at a decent price...no I am no as good as Stinky's by any means, but you can eat at Flip Flops and be happy for $8 to 12 in most cases.

The winters are brutal. I have tried marketing, I have tried specials, I have tried all sorts of things, but we do not have enough warm bodies in the winter to go around to all of the restaurants...the locals do come in and it is much appreciated..but we understand that we can't all eat out everyday at a different place...My wife and I try to eat out at least twice a week and visit different places...but there are still so many we places we need to visit.

I am still new and I am simple place, not like Stinky's or Red Bar etc...so my overhead is much lower, but all in all, the Winters are brutal. So my advice is to keep overhead very low, save ALL of your Summer money and do your best to keep expenses down in the Winters and hold on as best you can.... I am sure adverstising and letting people know about your business would help, but I just have not figured out the right combination for Winter...I thing Bryan does a great job at Pizza by the Sea...but I don't know how his Winters are....I also know Brunos does a good job with specials....

All in all, we give to four local charities on a monthly basis as well and try our best to give back...what else can a small busines owner do...the cost of living in paradise!!! BUT I AM HAPPY :)

Glad to have shared...please come eat a burger!

Flip Flops Grill

A great post. I do love your chili dog. I just wish you would make a small 4 or 5 oz burger.
Thanks

I actually like Colleen Coffield's reviews quite a bit- she seems to be honest in her opinions and willing to try anything. But she now only gets like one review a month, I'm guessing as part of Freedom's cost cutting, (and filling in the rest with reviews from people who don't seem to have an interest in good food) and when you're writing about places from Navarre to the Bay County line, she doesn't do as many SoWal reviews as she used to.

I am loathe to say this because it may go to your head and that is already big enough (simply an observation, not a personal attack), but for what you do you are every bit as good as Stinky's. Consistency is where most restaurants lose me sooner or later and many places never achieve consistency at all.

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Haters gonna hate, Ballers gonna ball

was that actually necessary? why clothe a compliment in an insult, or vice versa?

Geez, I was just razzing the guy joking about him having a big head though it is my true opinion that his hat size falls within normal tolerances. Since you thought I was serious and insulting then it follows that you must actually think Shea has an insultingly large head. Perhaps an apology (from you) is in order? I am sure that there is soemthing for which you are worthy of complimenting. So consider yourself complimented as well.

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Haters gonna hate, Ballers gonna ball

Oh Gordy, you will always be misunderstood. Don't ever change!!!

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Just because you eat the burger doesn't mean you want to meet the cow!

Yea, dude--you seem cool enough.

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Abrupt and needed "change" is hard for anyone to deal with. We have to deal with new paradigms in a new world, but I think things are gradually getting better!

I miss Cafe Bouchee, does anyone know if hey left town to open somewhere else? I need their eggs benedict or a new place.

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Jon the Seagrove Lover

Great thread. Even with the back-handed insults and wandering tangents!

I have the utmost respect for you year-round business owners......

(Hmm. Did I spell everything correctly?)

Hmm, normally goes hmmmm....

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

hey there iris... I think Shea's burger is perfect in every single way - including size. Its exactly right, imo. I LOVE that burger with all my heart! and the fries too!!!


I've missed you gordhead.

Once you go Gordo,you won't go back!

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I really like Flip Flops. I just like a smaller burger. Always have and always will. I eat big burgers, they just aren't my favorite. In this day and age I don't like to waste food. It's not just the money.....I have had a weight problem and choose not to eat too much but still eat well and enjoy the tastes. I am from Louisiana.......that should say it all. We went to Theo's in San Destin for a pizza. Asked for "light on the ingredients" there was no problem. Liz, the owner just said, I have never gotten that request. Hope I did it correct for you all. That is customer service.