Business risks that paid off in 2020

For much of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic dominated both media headlines and the everyday lives of millions around the world.

As many Bahamians remained at home and non-essential businesses were forced to close their doors over the course of numerous lockdowns, the restaurant and food service industry struggled severely.

Despite the widespread hardship, Cutelle Neymour, co-owner of Goombay House Cooking Class Studio, Goombay Bites, and most recently, the innovative and COVID-inspired restaurant Bahamian Bistro, believes that opening up this year was definitely the right call.

Bahamian Bistro, located on Christie Street, is a virtual food hall with a physical location— the first of its kind in The Bahamas. 

“It’s multiple vendors and multiple restaurants all at one location,” Neymour explained.

“It’s a very chill vibe. You get one bill – one delivery fee if you were to order online – so the concept is to cut down the cost for the customer as well as the entrepreneur,” she said.

Neymour and her business partners had already begun developing the food hall concept prior to the pandemic, but when the outbreak began, the team tailored its plans to create the virtual and physical experience that exists today. 

“Restaurants were hit really hard during the pandemic,” Neymour noted.

In fact, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, restaurants have been outlined as one of the five industries to be most harshly impacted by COVID-19.

“COVID forced us to think of how, as entrepreneurs, we can share the cost,” Neymour said. 

Since its official opening on November 20, Bahamian Bistro has provided 18 different pop-up/mobile restaurants with a physical space to offer their products.

The various restaurants share a kitchen, equipment, and staff, dramatically cutting operational costs for the businesses while simultaneously providing an extensive array of menus and meals to customers.

Patrons are encouraged to order different items from different menus, as there is no additional cost in doing so and all of the items are printed on one single check.

Goombay bites (Mexican/American cuisine), Go Griot (Haitian cuisine), Island Delight (fresh conch salad), The Junkanoo Club (Bahamian Cuisine), Holi Smoke BBQ (smoked meat sandwiches), What The Burger (gourmet burgers), and Sushi Dynamite (Asian Cuisine) are just a handful of the restaurants customers can select from. 

The pop-up/mobile restaurants included in the Bahamian Bistro food hall have one of two options in serving their products.

A vendor can either cook their food in a designated kitchen space at the location, or, more conveniently, the pop-up can provide Bahamian Bistro staff with training on how to prepare their particular product. 

“So, we have a few vendors that have done that,” Neymour said.

“They provide us with the training, they provide us with how to prepare their particular product, and our staff would execute it on the order.”

Following this style, pop-up restaurants and vendors are not required to bring on additional staff or even be physically present at the location, all helping to maintain affordable operating expenses. 

Although the Bahamian Bistro has done remarkably well in the short period of time that it has been open, Neymour indicated that she doesn’t want to get ahead of herself. 

When asked if she believed her situation would improve in 2021, she said, “I don’t want to get excited, not until it happens.

“We have a few things planned for next year, so we’ll see how it goes; take one step at a time.”

Optimism

Raheim Bain, co-owner of new restaurant The Waffle Factory 242, said he felt “very, very, very, very, positive” about the prospects of 2021.

The Waffle Factory 242, located on Mackey Street adjacent to The Commonwealth Bank Plaza, opened on August 31 of this year.

“The first day was a blast,” Bain said.

“I just spoke to my staff today and they’re excited to move on to 2021.”

He added, “We have a lot of things in store for our customers and our employees as well. We’re expanding our menu and we hope the hours extend, so we can really offer our night-time experience.”

As it stands, The Waffle Factory 242 is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., offering breakfast, lunch, and libation.

Menu items include both sweet and savory options, ranging from loaded waffle bowls and sweet waffle sticks, to breakfast sandwiches and chicken wings. 

Bain said that once the restaurant is able to extend its hours of operation and invite guests to dine indoors, they plan to double their current staff size from eight to 16 employees. 

He also said that The Waffle Factory 242 plans to conduct a door-to-door style of advertising in the new year, as he and his employees find that their social media advertising does not reach as much of a widespread audience as they would like. 

Although the past few months have been a rollercoaster ride for a wide array of businesses, Bahamian Bistro and The Waffle Factory 242 seem to be the anomaly, succeeding in a year that many believe was bound for failure.

Both restaurants agree that opening this year was worth the effort. 

“It was a big task, but I must say, it was worth it,” Bain said.

“It was a risk, but the risk paid off.”

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