Why Retro?

Everything old is new again. From television shows to classic cars, there is a North American affection for the 50s and 60s. So when I had the chance to buy a sleepy little ice cream store, I thought I'd breathe new life into it by going retro.

The classic neon sign from the 60's (when the store was first established) still stood proudly outside the store. It was outlined with a big cheesy flashing arrow and twinkly "running" lights that flashed after dark. So, I figured it would be pretty easy to have the sign refurbished and then match the interior decor to the outside sign.

Once I had a theme, it was pretty easy to locate and purchase furniture, signs, and other decorator items. A couple keyboard strokes and everything was on its way.

A working jukebox was harder to find, but when I did I felt like the Fozz from Happy Days. "Ehhhh!" 

Acme Chrome provided all the new, but retro furniture. It was custom coloured and could not have been better. I'm pleased to say that after 5 years of daily use, all the chairs and tables are holding up great. They sure knew how to make it back then! And lucky for me, Acme Chrome is still pumping out the top quality, Canadian-made furniture  that generations have loved.

The one thing about the retro decor and 60s music, it brings a smile to people's faces. And once you have a relaxed and cheery customer in a comfortable environment, it is much easier to then dazzle them with good food and top notch service.

Back to the Beginning

The moment that started this journey, was the moment I lost my job. I had a neat and tidy desk job, in a large public institution. I travelled for work, I hosted meetings and parties, and held court with the media. I had a good job. A great job even. I liked it. I even had a fancy title.

A round of budget cuts and I was out the door. I had two young children. My youngest was just three months old when this all took place. Talk about adding to my stress level! A toddler, an infant and my phone ringing off the hook with all my friends and coworkers calling to see what I was going to do. 

What was I going to do? 

Survive. At the most basic level I knew I would be fine. I had a supportive husband, a loving family, concrete job skills and a network of contacts right across the country.  But what did I WANT to do? That was harder to define. 

Ultimately, I boiled it down to what I WASN'T going to do. And I wasn't going to work for anyone else anymore. I did not want to be at the mercy of a corporate board or anyone else who felt I wasn't critical to the success of an organization. Not again. 

I'd always wanted to run my own business. But what? When? Where? How? And then my toddler spoke up. (And I'm not kidding.) "Mommy, buy the ice cream store!"   

My boy wants ice cream I figured. Well, we were occasional customers at the ice cream store down the street from my old office building. Another visit to the ice cream store couldn't hurt. My son had insisted "buy store" not "buy treat." And wouldn't you know it, he had indeed overheard the owner talking about selling. Apparently he had heard the conversation loud and clear the last time we had been in. Sure enough there was a tiny 11x 8.5" sign in one of the windows this time. "For Sale." 

We had ice cream that day and drove away without a word. But later, I just couldn't get that place out of my mind. I mean, I DID have years of restaurant experience from my college days. Hmmm, I wonder...