Despite the emotional up and downs of the last few weeks, we are still here, we are still working, and we are grateful. We’re taking a minute to give you a peek into what we’ve been up to this last month.
This crisis has brought lots of opportunity to shake things up. And sometimes a good shake up isn’t the worst thing for a business. It’s hard, but there can be value in it. When things are humming along there are the constant daily challenges to manage, but for the most part once things are dialed and systems are set in place, it’s very hard to try new things. Adding new products or services requires a whole slew of logistical considerations: buying or moving equipment, changing work flow, training staff, finding suppliers or vendors, and developing new protocol. Before long, any change feels like “more work” until it doesn’t, until it becomes the new normal. Getting staff and customers on board for change isn’t an easy feat in normal times. But in a pandemic, change is the only way you survive. This fight for survival has kicked us into high gear to roll out some of the things we have been talking about literally for years.
Food program - Done! At least the baby version of it is started. Hello Avocado toast, Liege Waffles, Super Oats, “fancy” Chia Pudding, and Buttermilk biscuits.
Order ahead website & curbside pick up - Done! Visit SCOUT-TO-GO.com if you are local. We’re still working out the kinks here and there, but we are seeing 60%(!) of orders now coming through from online.
Frozen cookie dough for sale - Done! This has been in the works for a very long time, so we’re really excited to finally have it up and running. You can have Scout cookies anytime you want!
Other frozen pastries for baking at home - Done. Special coffee & treats moments at home, any time you need it.
One of my favorite things to come out of this season is the “Shaka-Latte”. To help our customers get their Scout fix, while staying at home we introduced a few days worth of iced latte in a jar. Can be shaken and served over ice, and is equivalent to 3 lattes - we like to keep one in the fridge for a little afternoon mini-iced-latte pick-me-up. Shaka-latte is here for you, Shaka-latte has your back!
The first week or so was adrenaline, working non-stop to roll these things out, each day adjusting to how service went, and preparing to do it better the next day.
We’ve been operating out of one location only, with limited hours, but it is working. It might not seem like a lot, but it is these changes that have kept us afloat these last few weeks. We ran payroll yesterday and we still have 12 staff all working hard to brighten days where we can! They are the shiny stars and we are so grateful to our team!
We’ve been able to spend a little time at our OG location chipping away at the list of improvements we’ve had for years. We always wondered how are we going to manage closing Garden St. so we can …paint, replace counter tops, move this or that…. *enter the pandemic*. We’re looking for any silver lining these days.
We’re still waiting on any sort of funding help. It was crickets on the first round of PPP and the EIDL. We’re thinking of all of our other small business buddies out there in the same boat. If there’s a business you love and they are open in any capacity, it means the world to have your support. We are all holding on the best we can to get to the other side of this!
As a THANK YOU for your orders, and love you have shown us, we are offering a discount on all online orders through the weekend.
ENTER CODE: QUARANBEANS for 15% off your total order! That includes KILOS! Which we have decided are the best size to buy during Quarantine. Our coffee and treats consumption is way up, ha! Everything on the site is included through Sunday, April 26. Oh and we just listed our new Scout Tee's that were part of our Spring Merch drop.
MUCH love to you all. Hang in there.
Love,
Sara, Jon, and your Scoutie Fam.
