Nutshell has phased reopening cracked – with new offerings
REOPENING in phases with new offerings for customers is the way award winning In a Nutshell cafe in New Ross plans to do its business over the summer months.
Co-owner and chef Patsy Rogers said the food-to-go service and shop is reopening this week and a new Food Emporium selling local produce and speciality wines is planned for later in the year.
Like many businesses, In a Nutshell came up with new ideas for their business during the lockdown.
They developed their edible garden in Fethard-on-Sea, growing new salad leaves and have expanded what they are offering for their food-to-go service.
‘We are reinventing ourselves and we are feeling very positive about that. We are happy to be alive as well and that all of our family are OK,’ she said.
Patsy and her husband Philip are doing a phased opening, with the deli opening mid-week.
‘ The last three months has been a nightmare for everybody. People are mad for us to open. Philip has kept a fantastic conversation [going] with all of his customers.
‘He has built up a loyal following and has managed to maintain that throughout the pandemic; offering advice and counselling and keeping positive and mindfulness with all of his customers which has helped his reputation as being authentic, knowledgeable and trustworthy, so he is really looking forward to coming back in that capacity and improving his range.’
She said that Fáilte Ireland and, more particularly, HSE guidelines were helpful, adding that the latter are what they are adhering to strictly.
‘ There are bigger restrictions for the sit-down service. We want to get trading so we are going to get trading with the food to go and the shop. The main aim is to open; to get trading and to get cashflow and then we are going to take baby steps to develop the business further.’
‘People want to go back to dependable, trustworthy businesses and want help about food and nutrition in the context of Covid-19.
‘ There would be an anxiety about it, because we think people will have to become confident so that’s why we are taking our time to open properly so customers know when they come in here that we have everything in place and that nothing has been rushed.’
She said: ‘ To do it right it has cost a lot. Also there was a conflicting direction and no blueprint for us to follow: it was one metre, it was two metres mask and no mask.
‘We have great confidence in New Ross. That’s why, as a husband and wife team, we redid our shop-front to give customers confidence that it’s a great town and who knows maybe someone else will come in and invest. The feedback we’ve had from us doing up the shop has been phenomenal, the amount of congrats and best wishes, thank you for investing in our town.’
Anxious but optimistic, Patsy said the sit-down area will reopen depending on how business flows. ‘We’ve our outside catering service, deli and juice bar. They will all help create the confidence to further develop the food hall ideas we have and sit down service.’
She plans to sell cheeses, wines and herbs in the restaurant space.
‘People who have been at home cooking, experimenting and earning how to cook can come in and get all of the spices they, want herbs, fresh veg from our garden. Local produce: local cheeses, organic and vegan wines sold in bottles. There is a plan in place; we’re going to take it in stages. The important thing for us as traders in the town is to get open and get trading. It’s to get people feeling confident and safe – that’s the huge thing.’
WE ARE TAKING OUR TIME TO OPEN PROPERLY SO CUSTOMERS KNOW WHEN THEY COME IN THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN RUSHED