Proposal by Jay Solomon, Owner Jay's Gourmet Food Company

Ode to Joy Café Business Proposal

Download the Business Proposal, (a 121KB file download).

1. Concept: This upscale café will feature gourmet coffee drinks, unique breakfast fare, light 'artisan' lunches, desserts, and seasonal specialties (such as soups, ice cream, cannolis, and iced lattes).
   
   
2. Breakfast Menu: We will feature Denver's first Gourmet Oatmeal Menu with a choice of mix-ins (such as cranberries, raisins, pecans, maple syrup, apples, blueberries, mangoes, cinnamon). The menu will also include bistro-egg sandwiches and possibly an imaginative waffle menu (with wild choices like white chocolate-cranberry, banana, mixed-berry, corn, soy, and zucchini- pecan.)
   
   
3. Beverage Menu: "The Joy of Coffee" menu will feature premium espresso drinks such as caramel mocha, vanilla-cinnamon latte, and white chocolate latte. The target market is the customer looking for their second cup of the day; the mid-day, afternoon cup (or post-dinner beverage) tends to be highly flavored or sweetened and often topped with whipped cream… almost like a liquid "dessert."
   
   
4. Lunch Menu: "The Joy of Sandwiches" menu will feature a selection of "Artisan" sandwiches prepared with eclectic, seasonal ingredients and served up with the pomp and flair associated with a 4-star restaurant (albeit in a café setting). Menu highlights:
   
   a) Herb-roasted Chicken, roasted peppers, and goat cheese on herb rosemary ciabatti.
   
   b) Peppercorn Steak with Dijon mustard sauce, gouda cheese, and portabella mushrooms on foccacia.
   
   c) Tuscan Chicken with arugula, basil aioli, and slivers of fresh mozzarella on ciabatti.
   
   d) Three Pepper Turkey with jalapenoes, green chilies, and roasted sweet peppers on cheddar-potato ciabatti.
   
   e) Buffalo Chicken with crumbled Roquefort, Vidalia onion, and hot sauce on ciabatti.
   
   
5. Desserts: Who can resist the "The Joy of Dessert:" In the tradition of a neighborhood coffee house, we would offer a rotating assortment of desserts, including several chocolate 'cakes-by-the slice,' fresh-baked cookies, cheesecake, cannolis, brownies, and biscotti.
   
   
6. Design/Ambience: The atmosphere is casual, but sophisticated. We envision bright wood floors, high windows, and an abundance of light. Elegant, colorful art would grace the walls. This would be the opposite of the dark, sober hues found in Starbucks and many traditional coffee shops.
   
   
7. Hours of Operation: 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, open later on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays.
   
   
8. Rent-to-Own: As part of our long-term mission to become an integral part of the community, we would favor a rent-to-own, or an outright purchase of the space, similar to a condo purchase agreement.
   
   
9. Build-Out Assessment: We would seek professional advice regarding the actual design and construction of the café and consult with Urban Ventures to determine the best cost-efficient manner to proceed. (Although I have opened eight restaurants/cafes in the past twenty-two years, every previous location required leasehold/tenant improvements and were not built 'from scratch').
   
   
10. Community Responsibility: The Ode To Joy Café will pledge 3% of monthly sales to local organizations, public schools, and neighborhood non-profits. We will encourage groups to apply for an 'Ode to Joy' grant, and we will work with the Denver Foundation to identify needs in the community.

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