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When Tomeka Wallace opened Happy Cafe in Virginia Beach, Virginia, she wanted to fill a coffee void. There were no places in her hometown to get coffee that met her standards, so she decided to take her action. What started as a small cafe and sandwich shop has become a diverse eatery serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a cozy atmosphere.
This evolution didn’t happen overnight and came with some growing pains. Wallace initially focused on healthy items like salads and smoothies, but that proved difficult to sustain even with a gym across the street.
“People would come in and say, ‘Don’t you have soda? Don’t you have homemade sweet tea? Don’t you have fries?'” she says.
Restaurant hours were another business decision that challenged Wallace in the early days. Happy His Café used to be open until 8 p.m., but Mr. Wallace realized there were too few diners for him to sustain the 13-hour day operation, so he changed the closing time to 3 p.m. Did.
Ultimately, Wallace found his sweet spot through trial and error and an unwavering commitment to his customers. She taught herself how to get around in the kitchen, creating delicious burger recipes and roasted fries that were a coveted alternative to fries. She has also added dinner items to her menu to satisfy her customers who missed the evening hours. Her delicious menu and friendly service earn her a Yelp Elite Odester H.
“One of my favorite restaurants on the 757,” Odestar wrote in her review. “If you haven’t checked it out, you’re missing out on some great local restaurants that are black-owned and women-owned. I went to dinner with a friend and everything was delicious…the customer service is great. . tier. The owner is very kind and the atmosphere makes you want to come back again.”
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Wallace and his mother, who co-own the restaurant, strongly believe in the power of good customer service. With her kitchen open, Wallace greets customers as they enter from behind the grill. Her mother is the “server mascot” of Happy Her Cafe, moving from table to table, trying to make everyone feel comfortable and settled.
“There are three reasons: People come for the atmosphere.” [and] service. And food always comes last,” says Wallace. “Even if they were happy with the service, even if they said there was something on the floor or the table might not be clean, they would still come back because the service was good. Even if the food is a mess, if the service is good, , they will come back again. So service is everything.”
Odester keeps coming back to Happy Cafe because of the welcoming community that Wallace and his mother have built. She appreciates that her owner knows her personally and always takes the time to ask how her girlfriend and her son are doing.
“They’re not just there to say, ‘What do you need? What do you want?'” You can do it. [there] 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours. They want you to have a great experience. ”
Wallace also carries this hospitality into his online presence. Even if it takes her a week or two to resolve everything, whether she needs a staff meeting to discuss an incident, or if she needs to add a new menu item, she’ll be happy to help you with all of her Yelp reviews. and is determined to “get it right” with customers.
These efforts will not go unnoticed. Customers like Odester appreciate the personal touch Wallace adds to his reviews.
“Once you spend the money, it’s a done deal. But when she takes the time to go on Yelp and just say, ‘Hey, thank you,’ it definitely makes you feel valued.” ” Odester said. “I haven’t had much of a response from the owner, so if I do get a response, [respond], will definitely come back. It makes me feel like, “Okay, you value me.” [as] It’s more than just a dollar. ”
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Wallace prefers to invest her limited time outside of the kitchen on platforms like Yelp rather than social media, and believes that engaging with reviews is a productive way to attract customers who are ready to spend money. I feel that there is.
“You look at some places and they have 50,000 followers, but will you get 50,000 people to come to your facility within 30 days? [social] Platform, will it come in financially? For example, if you advertise on Yelp or post that you’re open, people will flock to you. That’s the important point for me. ”
Online platforms are a great way for businesses to promote their uniqueness. Like many reviewers, Odester is passionate about investing in local, minority-owned businesses and appreciates Happy Cafe’s ability to communicate its status as a Black-owned and women-owned business through its Yelp attributes. did. By searching for these attributes on Yelp, you can not only find places like Happy Cafe, but also share them with friends, family, and like-minded reviewers.
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“When friends come to town, they already know we’re going to Happy Cafe,” says Odester. “And because I do that, my friends are now independent. I see them posting on Yelp, they’re at Happy Cafe, and I think, ‘ Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Happy Cafe?” ?I wish you had come!Sharing business [lets] People know they are here and will stay here. So let’s give them life and do what we can to ensure that. [Happy Cafe] It’s been here for 50, 60, over 100 years. ”
In addition to friendly, hands-on customer service, Happy Cafe believes in:
- Stay flexible. Don’t be afraid to try new things and scale back changes as you decide what’s best for you, your staff, and your customers.
- Reply to reviews. Engaging with your customers online improves business operations, customer retention, and makes your customers feel like they’re more than just dollar signs.
- Increase your digital presence. Share your story online to get people to support you and invest your time in the platforms that will bring you the most benefit.
To hear directly from Wallace and Odester, listen and subscribe to the episode below. behind the review See more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.
Available on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Soundcloud.
Editorial contributions by Callie Morgan and Kristi Lindahl
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