It's back to school time, and even though my kids are older, I've always found this time so exciting.  At the start of any new school year, everyone has the opportunity to reinvent himself and refocus on those goals that keep us moving forward.  And, even though we aren't in school here at the Coffeehouse, we learn something new every day to help us be and do better.
     With the fair behind us, we can take everything we've learned in these past weeks and fine-tune our goal of providing the best customer service and the freshest, well-prepared foods and drinks possible.  The support we have received this past month reminds us why we are so grateful to be part of this great community.  We take each comment and suggestion seriously and love that everyone helped us prepare and execute for the fair.  From recipe suggestions to other thoughtful ideas, it truly was a team effort, and for that, we will be forever grateful.  One good friend even stopped on her way to the doctor's with a great idea she had, and it's these small gestures that make us want to improve every day.
     We did have a great time being part of the fair but I am also a little bit grateful that we have almost a year before we have to do all that over again!  Now we can get back to making this coffeehouse run smoothly and efficiently with every latte, every sandwich and every bag of coffee we sell.
     Moving forward, we'd love to host a book club or your play group get-togethers.  With the kids back in school, need a place to meet friends after morning drop-off?  We hope you will join us for a Hardwick Latte or a cup of soup and share your day with us.  Need a gift card?  They make great gifts and we can even build a gift basket in any price range.  We'd love to partner with you to design the perfect gift!
     Keep your suggestions coming, and we look forward to seeing you on the common!

     It has actually been 12 days since we opened our doors but what a wild ride it has been!  How is it that the formula I had originally written did not allow for enough food?  Or how did I not expect to go through this much mocha sauce?  Or why is there a strange message on our phone line?  These are just a few of the questions I ask myself 100 times a day.
​     Since we are all learning together how best to build mutually-beneficial relationships, I must take this opportunity to thank all of you for your unending flexibility.  When we've run out of something unexpectedly, you are great at selecting something else.  Trust me that we are working hard to not let those things happen any more but I ask for your continued indulgence while we improve.
     We are sorely tired but your enthusiastic and warm reception gives us the energy to keep learning and improving.  Your smiles inspire us; your kind words motivate us; and every kind gesture does not go unnoticed.
​     We love to see the many conversations that spontaneously happen when one friend sees another picking up mail.  We understand that all of the waiting and hard work is paying off as groups gather at tables inside, on the porch and out back on the new patio.  We'd love to host your small group, so keep us in mind as you plan events.  Did you see that we have scheduled our first event for Friday, September 1?  Hope you can join us!
​     Please know that we are hard at work to create something special, and we love your comments and suggestions.  Our WIFI is finally live at the coffeehouse so feel free to check in on Facebook while enjoying your custom-made drink.  We love the reviews we have received and keep each of them in mind as we work through the day.  If you have an area of improvement for us, we hope you will give us the chance to meet your expectations to keep you coming back.
​     Our doors are open but that is only the start of something wonderful.  So stay tuned, and we look forward to seeing you on the Common!