Chapter 109 Renting a Store
After being busy all night, the colleagues were tired and sleepy. After finishing their staff meal with satisfaction, they went back to their rooms.
Meili, Lolisa, and Jiangyou agreed to go together after waking up from their daytime nap to select a new location for the branch. Tomorrow was the third day of the Midsummer Carnival, when all the merchants would be packing up and going home. This was a good time to pick up some bargains and buy some things that might be needed for the branch.
They all agreed to use the profits from tonight's crayfish sale as start-up capital for preparing a branch tomorrow.
If the branch wants to stay open for a long time, it has to rent a store, buy tables and chairs, and seasonings... Although the branch is not responsible for brewing and making soy sauce, it only sells finished products shipped by Jiangyou and dishes such as crayfish, but the initial expenses are still inevitable.
Although Jiangyou was the owner, the two girls figured that since they were running the business together and sharing the profits, they should also share the costs. Since they didn't have much money, the most logical option was to use the profits from the branch during the holiday as start-up capital and reinvest it in future operations.
Sharing happiness and hardship, these two little witches may not understand the principles of business, but they are very loyal. Jiangyou likes to work with such partners who can talk to each other. Whether they can make money is another matter, the most important thing is to have fun.
When looking for a partner, both ability and character are crucial; neither is sufficient. Meili excels at recreating dishes; Lolisa is quick-witted, adept at identifying business opportunities, and possesses extensive connections. Both clearly possessed the necessary skills, and now, coupled with their proven character, Jiangyou was determined.
The chef's uniform given by Aunt Wolf tonight also reminded Jiangyou that she also wanted to make two sets of work clothes for Mary and Lolisa.
To gradually establish your own brand in this alien world, unified branding, decoration style and uniforms are all key factors that will influence customer perception, and these details must be carefully planned.
"It's a bit of a headache to think about the style of the branch store before the main store is even finished. However, the two stores' core businesses are slightly different, so it's fine as long as the styles are broadly similar. They don't have to be completely the same," she pondered. "Although the main customers of both stores are local residents, there's no reason to rule out the possibility that some travelers will want to visit the main store after visiting the Witch's Forest branch!"
If two stores are exactly the same, it will make these customers feel a little boring. But if the general style is consistent but each has its own characteristics and ingenuity, it will bring a sense of novelty to customers.
Jiangyou plans to standardize its signboards, employee uniforms and product packaging so that as the business grows, it can create a brand effect and allow customers to recognize the familiar store at a glance.
As for the store's interior furnishings, consider choosing consistent or similar color tones and styles. Don't aim for exact duplicates, just create a consistent atmosphere for your customers. After all, store decoration and furnishings are greatly influenced by the actual environment. A complete uniformity would require significant effort, which would inevitably cost a fortune.
Tonight's sales were still impressive. Twenty shrimp cages were nearly half full, selling a whopping 411 kilograms of crayfish, bringing in 1,233 silver coins, not counting the cost of shelling. The smashed cucumbers, braised food, plum vinegar, and salad dressings were slightly less expensive, but all together they brought in 326 silver coins. Adding these together, they totaled 15 gold and 59 silver coins, and with Jiangyou's remaining cash, that brought him nearly 28 gold coins.
Aside from the Midsummer Carnival, which rivals the peak tourist season, the actual cost of living in the Witch Village of Lanchalo is relatively low. According to Lolisa's estimate, the village's store rent, furnishings, and renovation costs are only about one-third of those in Eston West City. Perhaps once everything is purchased, the pots, knives, and lobster cages that Jiangyou had custom-made by the dwarves will still be the store's most expensive fixed assets.
But Jiangyou doesn't feel like she's at a loss - just look at the profits from the shrimp cages today. She easily caught more shrimp than yesterday, and it also saved her time setting up the stall in the morning, brewing new soy sauce, making braised food, and expanding branches. The cost of the shrimp cages has also been earned back several times today.
In this day and age where business opportunities are everywhere, time itself is money!
The heavy wallet also gave Jiangyou more courage, confidence and a more peaceful sleep. Not long after the sun rose in the morning, she woke up full of energy, her mind full of the design and ideas of the new store.
Lolisa and Meili didn't let her wait long. The two excited little witches were still at the age where they could still jump around after a late night. What's more, if everything went well today, they would own a store with their own shares in the partnership! This realization made them extremely excited, and their anticipation was almost skyrocketing!
"We discussed the location of the store last night and currently have several options." Lolisa excitedly pulled on Jiangyou's bone claw. "The warehouse isn't a long-term solution. We've picked out five storefronts for rent, and we think the two most reliable locations are next to the cafeteria and the brewery."
The witch village of Lanciaro isn't very big, but there are two places that almost everyone goes to: the cafeteria and the beer brewery. The cafeteria is one of the few places where ordinary villagers can get hot, freshly cooked food during non-holiday periods, while the brewery is the main destination for all brewers and beer-loving tourists.
In comparison, the other three locations, which are close to farmland, rivers and residential areas, appear much inferior.
"I recommend the cafeteria," Meili whispered shyly. "I'm not recommending it because it's close to home, but because my mom's cooking isn't very good."
Jiang You scratched his head, confused, "What do you mean?"
Lolisa pulled her into the cafeteria and said, "Well, this is hard to describe. You should understand it if you see it with your own eyes."
Jiangyou had been to the Witch Village cafeteria once before. In order to curry favor with the witch in charge, especially Polina, she came here early that day to borrow the kitchen to make pancakes, but she had never eaten in the cafeteria, let alone seen the cafeteria officially open for business.
As the only public dining hall in the Witch Forest Commune, it boasts a unique location, just north of the village's central square. Both major thoroughfares pass through here. At mealtimes, this is the busiest spot in the village.
Jiangyou felt that the system of this public canteen was somewhat similar to the big pot meals that her elders had talked about when she was a child. Commune members could eat here for free, and tourists only needed to buy a meal ticket to eat at will - however, the food didn't taste very good.
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