Sith Cafe

Was that a bit grumpy?

2008-09-20T20:17:00.003+01:00

Sorry. The customer is always right. I'll do it as soon as I can!

RIGHT!

2008-09-20T19:46:00.003+01:00

So, people. Just in case you think your gentle prodding about a Gaelic version of the Sith Cafe website was going un-noticed... I have heard you.

Tell you what - as soon as I have a spare moment, between two jobs, two dogs, running a cafe and talking to the goldfish, I'll be right onto it.

Support for Gaelic evenings would greatly encourage my efforts to get the Gaelic version online...

'S e an trioblaid leis a' chanan seo, nach eil duine riamh riaraichte.

;-D

One month in...

2008-09-03T16:31:00.002+01:00

It's almost a month since we opened. Sorry about the lack of posts - suffice to say we have been a likle bit busy..!

The house is a midden. We get home about 11pm - fall into bed and leave again. The dogs are starting to tidy up for us.

But - it has all been worth it! We are starting to get returning customers, the graph is moving in the right direction, the coffee machine works, and today - WE GOT OUR BUILDING WORKS SIGNED OFF BY THE COUNCIL! Woohooo!

Now all we have to do is satisfy environmental health - which we are doing - and we will be all signed off!

In the meantime, we are promoting like nothing on earth... We had our first Saturday evening do the night of Pride - which went down a storm. Thanks to all the attendees - and the open mic-ers (despite the lack of mic!) - Jakey T, Maria, Gavin, Irene, Nathan, Catherine - you rock!

Now we have lauched our first line-up of evening and afternoon events - check them out on the website - www.sithcafe.com, the network - www.networks.sithcafe.com - or on our new Facebook group! The events include - Gaelic conversation, Knitting, a Book group, The Saturday Ceilidh and a sunday afternoon Games slot.

This journey just keeps on going! Everytime we open we learn something new. I am becoming pretty adept at working between offices, and I have a very understanding boss. (Thanks!)

Thanks too to all our friends for your support and help and willing-ness to come and drink smoothies and eat cake (as well as paint, plaster and plumb...etc...) Nice one!

Okay, off to do some washing up (and/or my paid job ;-)

Look forward to seeing you here sometime

x

Try Sìth, You'll Like It.

2008-08-19T16:27:00.002+01:00

I just put the word "Sìth" into a random slogan generator and out the title popped!

Give it a try - me likes!

Also, although we don't quite have a cafe yet, we are now serving coffee and hot drinks to take away - come in and tell us what you think.

You'll like it. ;-)

We are officially OPEN!

2008-08-11T10:15:00.001+01:00

Thank goodness for that.

Now come visit!

459 Dumbarton Road, Partick, Glasgow, G11 6EJ

We are so close!

2008-08-09T23:23:00.001+01:00

Wow. Months of stress, very hard work and general chaos are nearly at an end...

The house is a tip, the dogs are feeling slightly neglected and we can't remember the last time we washed or had a lie in, but, we have... a shop!

It's not quite a cafe yet - but it is definitely a shop!

The cafe will follow shortly, but in the meantime we are opening for business on Monday the 11th of August.

Wooohooo. Oh yes. Sith (shee) is open for business!!!!!

It has been a tough road, and there is more to come. We still need to get to a point where we can open a cafe. However, the satisfaction of reaching this point is immense. So many people have given so generously of their time, expertise, enthusiasm - and we are so grateful. Hopefully we'll find a way to repay them one day.

As the website says - gorgeous gifts and litle treats - please pop in and have a browse - we would love to see you.

Must go print and laminate signs... ah, the work is never done.

You can have some recent photos to ponder - maybe I'll post the final shop photos, or maybe you'll have to come visit and see for yourselves... ;-)

Slowly but surely...

2008-05-18T13:16:00.003+01:00

Hello!

Well. First things first - we are making progess. It's slow, but it is happening.
That's the good news. The bad news is that a couple of things have meant that we will need to push the opening date back to August.

Basically, we are waiting for final plans from our architect. We then have to submit them to the Council to get permission to mess with things like electrics etc.

So, there we have it. We will open eventually - honest!

ps. Lady B has bought an angle grinder - be afraid, very afraid!

It's a demolition frenzy!

2008-04-25T11:52:00.002+01:00

Well, I can honestly say that, by the time we open, I will truly know what is INSIDE the walls! And the ceiling.

So far we've found: ancient Italian newspaper
Similarly aged wallpaper
Windows IN THE CEILING (Explanations on a postcard?)
Beautiful brick areas framed and covered with plywood
That the bleeding and bruising never lasts long
That Jake cannae use a chainsaw (okay, in fairness, we discovered that in our own garden)
Handcrafted switchboxes, made from wood with beautiful joints. Queen B practically wet herself with appreciation

So now we need to get rid of it all! A transit will not suffice! I know we have great contacts but, unless anyone knows someone who has an army regiment, or hauler truck at their disposal... I guess we're gonna have to hire someone! (Not to mention someone with building savvy to reassure us that what we've found behind these walls is actually structurally sound!!!)

BUT IT'LL BE FINE!!!

And brilliant as well.

It has really begun!

2008-04-08T09:51:00.004+01:00

My god. It's mad. It took until last night for it to sink in exactly what we have taken on... Once I'd recovered ;-) ...it all began to look even more exciting!

Here's a quick snapshot of the progress so far...

We started on the 1st of April with a building that looked like this...

By last night (thanks to the sterling efforts of Jake, Lady B, Pauline, Liz and myself) we had one that looked like this...

Look - no walls!

Now we need to put it all back together, nicely. I think that's the hard part. Now, if only I could get a flippin' joiner to call me back...

Sith Cafe has a home at last!

2008-04-01T18:01:00.002+01:00

We got the keys!! They are in our possession. :-)

We got them at half three this afternoon and we have already been in to measure up.

The good news is that it is even better than I remembered.

It also comes with a collection of bookcases - score!

Photos to follow.

Why are we waiting...

2008-03-31T19:40:00.002+01:00

You guessed it. Still waiting for the final lease.

Should have been Friday. Should have been today. Should be tomorrow.

Nobody hold their breath.

Sith Networks hits Facebook!

2008-03-28T23:08:00.006Z

We are delighted to announce that the latest activity from Sith Networks (our social networking/virtual community portal) is available to integrate into your Facebook profile!

Follow the link, add the app and never miss a thing!
http://apps.facebook.com/sithnetworksactivity

Geek is me.

Visit Sith Networks at: http://sithnetworks.ning.com

Good things come to those who...

2008-03-28T22:44:00.002Z

Wait. Still waiting.

The lease should have been signed today. Looks like it's going to be the beginning of the week now. Another weekend of biting nails and driving past the shop front in a slightly obsessive fashion beckons.

I've heard that patience is a virtue.

Little by little

2008-03-24T20:12:00.002Z

So, in amongst all the list writing, website trawling, and financial planning, I have knocked together some draft websites for the cafe. They still need a bit of work, but they are most definitely a start.

www.sithcafe.com

And to cover the wider business stuff: www.tattonmeek.com

Changing Rooms

2008-03-17T21:29:00.002Z

Assuming the lease is signed as expected on the 28th of March, here are some shots of what we will be transforming...

On the brink

2008-03-14T22:35:00.002Z

The last tender didn't materialize...but...we are currently in the last stages of negociation for a property lease in the West End. All going well, Sith Cafe will be a reality by June this year!

Fingers crossed that all the paperwork goes through. As soon as we know for definite, we'll post some pictures!

Cafe update

2008-02-22T22:06:00.002Z

It's a new year and to be honest, nothing much has changed. We are still waiting for the outcome of the tender and right now, we're probably not sure whether it is still even the right thing. I guess we just need to wait and see.

We have started looking at other properties again too. We're back to thinking about the West End.

Personally, I'm tempted to to say screw the tender, let's just start from scratch.

It's not easy this business malarky!

The story so far...

2007-12-20T13:00:00.000Z

The business plan is finished, figures are complete, finance is in place...

All we need now are premises...

And we are sooo close! We have a tender in. Subject to changing some figures we were going to be offered the lease. We have changed the figures, and now it is a waiting game. Will we get the place we want?

Everything is crossed...