Check that box complete

Odd and successful plumbing re-inspection today. Yes. We then proceeded to CITY HALL and met with a terrific representative in the business office, submitted $660 and were told that the health inspector will be out in 3-10 business days and then our business license will be mailed to us by first-class U.S. mail 3-5 days after that. Then we are open for business. Finally.

Quick note, bite-sized, organic, coconut date rolls are as delicious as they are addictive.

Monday, Monday, daa daa, daa daa daa daa.

Monday between 8AM-3PM is the window for the follow-up inspection for the plumbing inspector. We were required to place a backflow device on our RO water filter (yes, in case there is a loss of water pressure the City does not want our perfectly filtered water to flow back into the general water supply, hmmmm). So it has been installed by a plumber with a special backflow license (yes, that does exist in the City). Once we pass this inspection we can go to City Hall and submit for a Health inspection. Hoop, many many hoops. And product continues to flow into the store. And the Clover machine is a dream, the coffee is incredible.

And the Plumbing Man Cometh

The very short list of plumbing adjustments that the plumbing inspector asked for have been made, now we wait for him to come and sign-off on the changes so we can apply for the business license which triggers the health and fire inspections, which after we pass, allow us to pay for the business license and then we are allowed to open. Easy.

Many orders placed today. Our product mix (as I have written before) is thoughtful with a broad mix or items that reflex the delicious, the highest quality, and the unique and hard to find. No Raisin Bran here (although Raisin Bran may in fact be delicious, it just is not what we choose to eat or offer).

I digress

DeHavilland Maeve Matilda.

The name of the newest addition to the Z&H "family" that was born this morning at 3:33AM. She is actually the only genetically factual Zaleski AND Horvath running around (not so much running on day one, more of resting comfortably) on earth. She is a lovely girl and in the coming months she will be making appearances at the MarketCafe. Look for the orange pram. 

Lots of MarketCafe information to pass a long, but we will leave that for tomorrow. Raise your hand if you are ready to taste the best small batch goat cheese that is wrapped in bourbon-soaked chestnut leaves and allowed to mellow into what is now a MarketCafe favorite in the soft cheese category.

Inspections

So, after nine months, and strange unexplained delay from the City, we had and passed our City electrical inspection. It was anti-climatic. We had thought of a balloon drop, or perhaps a marching band, but no, a simple and quick walk-through and a signature on the permit with the note, "Final OK". Tomorrow, the plumbing inspection.

Rain, Rain go away....

With common sense being our guide a weather report that reads, "Rains increase again with strong northeast winds gusting at times in excess of 30 m.p.h. Highs in the lower 70s, but turning markedly cooler during the afternoon" (thanks Tom Skilling), will keep us working in the MarketCafe on Sunday. The following Sunday looks good and our cheese will taste even better. Stay dry everyone.

ICE

We have ice. And all our equipment is humming. We are happy. Intelligentsia is coming next Tuesday to fine tune the La Marzocco, the Clover and the Fetco. They are a great group of folks and we are pleased to be able to work with them. Best of all we are just days away from fantastic coffee. We have also called for our final electrical and plumbing inspections, these will allow us to have our health and other last inspections. light at the end of our tunnel. We have our first employee orientation on Monday as well, if you know anyone who loves food and the idea of providing great service please steer them our way, we are still looking for a couple of people we would like to spend our days with surrounded by glorious food.

We are going to have a few new items with us at this weeks Community Market (Sundays, 45th and Cottage Grove, 10AM-3PM), including a couple of new cheeses, featuring a regional, bourbon-soaked leaf-wrapped goat cheese that is delicious. 

A simple Thursday in September on 47th Street

Some days are better than other, even if every day is a fantastic day. Think how lucky each of us is in our own way (go on, think about it). Today we had a great day. ComEd arrived unannounced at about 9:30AM with hard-hats in hand (lift truck as well) to connect our lines to the pole. Yes there is a Santa and a tooth fairy and a small man no bigger than 3 inches tall that lives in your top drawer. Our electrician will come on Friday to switch our electric from the puny service we now have to the robust service our equipment requires. Tomorrow we make ice (as a famous person once said, "the man who invented ice just left the building"). In a timing miracle, our plumbing was also finished today. 

Lots of work on our product mix in recent days. We continue to fine tune. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by in reent days, we want to emphasis that your continued input now and as we move forward is a valuable resource for us. Please continue to let us know what you are seeking for your community market.

signs signs everywhere.....

We now have our faux-frosted glass window signs installed. Nine signs that say a little bit about us and what we do. Even one featuring 'Wine', just positive thinking at this point, but a half full glass is always better than a half empty one. T-minus two days on the current ComEd promise for a line installation from the pole to our meter.

Sampling

Wow! What a fun day at the market!  We told many new people about the market, and sampled delicious local cheese.  We had our phone expert (my wife) in the store working on getting our phones set up.  All in all, it was a great day, although I can't wait until we have to worry about business at the farmer's market AND at the store at the same time.

CHEESE!

CHEESE! Yes, we have cheese. We will feature an edited selection of our cut-to-order cheese at the 45th and Cottage Grove Community Market this Sunday (think Sun, the rain today was crazy). This will be a preview of the large and varied cheese selection we will have in the MarketCafe.

The MarketCafe is shaping up nicely. If you are in the neighborhood feel free to stick your head in the door and say hello. Our 16 feet of deli case is now in place, and the entire working counter area is set. There is some final detail work from the electrician and plumber to be completed, but we are already setting the store. The delays have been crazy but in some cases the time has allowed us to tighten the concept. Glass half full.

Another day in the sun

Sunday was beautiful. We had our second Sunday at the 45th and Cottage market and met even more new folks that we hope to see again in the MarketCafe. We had a great time sampling some of our items and next Sunday we are going to be offering a selection of the cheeses as well.

We have now moved all of our equipment into the MarketCafe, it is great to see the slicers in place and the coffee equipment positioned...the MarketCafe is shaping up to be a temple to food, and we we surprised that what we have envisioned in our heads for so long is taking shape and seems to be better than we had imagined. Many phone calls tomorrow, with a call to ComEd at 9AM on the dot, to try and learn when they will be out to connect our power lines to the pole.