A good number of customers, both regular and new, have come in during the World Cup matches and wondered with reasonable concern about what on earth Bakery Bar has become. The 3 huge TV’s…the theater style seating…the long lines and the long wait times even after placing their orders, etc. On big game days and especially on weekends, it’s a mad house this month for sure and very different from our usual setup. We want to apologize for the inconvenience. But we also want to provide some background and explanation.
We showed the 2006 World Cup in our first spot on SE Water Ave after being open just 8 months. We(but really Dan!) thought it would be a great promotion idea to increase business…to bring in new and different folks. It worked really well. We had some crazy days but the space was small enough to keep it pretty manageable. As we got the NE Glisan store open 18 months ago, we knew we would do it again.
So here we are 4 years later. This time with 3 huge TV’s instead of one. This time with bigger space. This time in a great and densely populated neighborhood. We planned on a pretty good response but to be frank, it’s gotten way past our expectations. There are just a whole lot of folks coming into the place.
Yes, everyone says, “too many customers is a great problem to have.” And it is, but it’s still a problem. So we are solving as best we can and making as many adjustments as we can.
In closing, we ask all our customers, but especially those who don’t care for the month-long int’l soccer event we turned into a sports bar for, to keep the following in mind until the World Cup ends on July 11. The TV’s come down on July 12 and we will get back to normal.
- We are really busy. If the US is playing and/or if it’s Saturday or Sunday we are really, really busy.
- There are some long wait times for egg sandwiches and full breakfast offerings. Scones and coffee and cocktails and all the other stuff are at normal speed.
- Until July 11, there are games nearly EVERY DAY at 7:00a and 11:30a. Matches are over by 1:30p. The cafe mellows out a whole lot at this point.
- If you want to order food TO GO during a match when we are busy, please expect up to 30 minutes to wait. At this time, getting your order TO GO is NOT faster.
- If you have young(say under 10) kids with you, the crowded room is creating increased/additional challenges. We love kids, we love our customers with kids but during some of these matches, it can/will be tough.
Showing the World Cup has been wildly successful for Bakery Bar. We’re working really hard and we’re having a lot of fun. And we are the first to realize it’s not for everyone. As the tournament continues, we are doing our best to make sure fans and non-fans alike have the best experience possible.
GO USA!!!!
