時隔數月之后,在今年3月末一個寒冷的下午,位于巴黎的兩家知名雞尾酒吧Bisou和Divine的32歲老板尼古拉斯·穆尼奧斯對顧客們高聲喊道:“我們又回來了,諸位!”粉色格調的Bisou酒吧位于瑪萊區,去年10月初因為第二輪封城措施而被迫停業。3月末,穆尼奧斯和一名瘦削的員工重新開門營業,但這家雞尾酒吧變成了一家手工咖啡廳。此外,服務顧客的方式也發生了變化,以前在寬敞的露臺上,服務人員在餐桌之間穿梭,但現在這家店提供外賣咖啡杯。
雖然進軍咖啡行業是應對強制停業命令的一時之舉(法國總統埃馬紐埃爾·馬克龍最近宣布,文化機構、零售店、餐廳、酒吧等最早將在5月中旬之前逐步恢復營業),但穆尼奧斯早在簽署租約時就有將此處改造成咖啡廳的打算,因此時機恰到好處。
在顧客人群當中的穆尼奧斯解釋說:“看看每天上午露臺上的陽光,顯而易見這里是開咖啡廳的理想地點。但我們經營的是雞尾酒。第一個全天開放的酒吧餐廳項目給我的啟示是,為了經營一家夜總會,你需要專注于酒吧業務。”
在積累了四年經驗和固定客戶之后,現在是嘗試咖啡業務的一次良機,尤其是在新冠疫情期間,咖啡廳是少數幾類允許繼續營業的機構之一。他繼續說道:“在第一輪封城期間,我們無法開拓新業務,因為當時情況并不明朗。等到第三輪封鎖,我們已經受夠了政府不斷變化的決策。”
穆尼奧斯聘請Coutume咖啡廳和烘焙機業務以及Belleville Br?lerie的原客戶總監(曾經榮獲法國世界咖啡沖煮大賽冠軍)卡羅琳·諾伊布森來培訓咖啡團隊,她將在Divine恢復營業之后負責管理該酒吧。
但穆尼奧斯同時也在利用這段時間發展雞尾酒業務,期待著能夠逐漸恢復正常運營。由于酒吧恢復營業之后必定要減少座位,因此穆尼奧斯計劃推出開胃酒餐盒,其中包括Divine菜單中的250毫升瓶裝雞尾酒和零食,顧客可以從任何一家酒吧取餐,在戶外享用或在家中聚餐。穆尼奧斯表示:“Divine酒吧90%的座位在室內,因此我們無法再像以前一樣招待所有顧客。這是在短期內維持客戶體驗的一種方式。”
Bisou和Divine的顧客主要來自巴黎本地,而全球頂級酒吧Candelaria有很多顧客來自其他城市,他們什么時候能夠重新回到這座城市目前還是未知數。今年晚些時候,這家墨西哥酒吧餐廳將迎來開業10周年紀念日,其老板約什·方丹和卡利納·索托-委拉斯克斯利用停業這段時間以及從政府獲得的補助對室內進行了翻新,并推出了瓶裝雞尾酒(為員工籌辦虛擬雞尾酒會的公司尤其喜歡他們的產品)。
方丹和索托-委拉斯克斯還是Le Mary Celeste和Hero兩家餐廳酒吧的老板。為了恢復營業,他們希望巴黎市的市長安妮·伊達爾戈去年6月執行的“新冠露臺”措施可以繼續執行。該措施允許Candelaria在戶外安排不超過20名顧客的座位。方丹說:“有傳聞稱市長將把露臺經營許可作為每年夏季的固定措施。所以我們投資購買了更高品質的戶外設施,能夠拆除之后留到明年使用,從而節省了額外成本。”但問題是:這些投入是否足以增加業務?
方丹稱:“我們擔心如果政府允許增加戶外座位,但很快取消補助,我們應該怎么辦?去年我們復工的時候生意火爆,但由于客容量限制和固定成本,我們一直虧損。”如果政府很快取消補助,包括他們的酒吧在內,許多商戶的經營就會面臨風險。
因此,經營者更有理由將收入來源多元化。方丹和索托-委拉斯克斯計劃推出一項輔助業務Ceremony,這是一項自然發酵葡萄酒和雞尾酒訂購服務,從6月開始面向全法國提供。方丹指出:“這當然是為了應對目前的情況。我們還會推出一項B2B服務,將為沒有能力聘請調酒師或沒有設置吧臺的餐廳供應大瓶裝雞尾酒甚至桶裝酒。”
不過,這段時間結束之后的未來前景依舊充滿了不確定性。方丹預計業務會有明顯好轉,但他認為如果沒有旅游業,業務復蘇將面臨挑戰。“巴黎服務本地居民的酒吧和餐廳已經嚴重飽和。如果少了數以百萬計的潛在顧客,可能很少有酒吧和餐廳可以維持運營。”
妮農·勒孔特對未來幾個月的經營前景同樣感到焦慮,但原因與方丹不同。Brutos是一家以巴西烤肉聞名的新式酒吧,位于樹木茂盛的加德特廣場。勒孔特是老板之一。從2020年年初以來,她與丈夫兼業務合伙人盧卡斯·鮑爾·德·坎波斯一直在籌建Bar Principal酒吧,與Brutos酒吧之間只隔了一家店鋪。他們在去年春天巴黎實行嚴格封城措施期間簽署了租約,不久獲得了一筆貸款,在秋季之前開始裝修(并支付租金)。由于寬敞的戶外用餐空間已經獲得巴黎市政府批準,因此這對夫婦能夠調整室內設計,以確保可以靈活應對不斷變化的餐廳客容量規定。他們放棄了高腳桌,因為這種餐桌會導致戶外家具無處存放,他們選擇沿墻布置長條柜臺,上方放置自然發酵葡萄酒,配備節約空間的高腳凳。
雖然所有跡象都表明這家酒吧有望在今年春末開業,但人員招募問題依舊讓勒孔特夜不能寐。她憂心忡忡地表示:“在你不確定什么時候能夠開業的情況下,組建團隊困難重重。我收到許多很棒的簡歷,但我無法向求職者承諾開業日期。”勒孔特花了兩個月時間回巴西探望家人。由于巴西政府沒有提供補助,許多企業已經難以為繼,這讓她再次確認可以在法國經營是多么幸運,因為法國政府為商戶提供了慷慨的支持。
然而,勒孔特感覺雖然自己站在了起跑線上,卻擔心無法達到預期的目標。她說:“我們有很高的預期。人們經過近八個月的隔離之后,希望能夠呼朋喚友痛飲一番。我們希望把新店介紹給消費者。我們一定要保證萬無一失。”(財富中文網)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
時隔數月之后,在今年3月末一個寒冷的下午,位于巴黎的兩家知名雞尾酒吧Bisou和Divine的32歲老板尼古拉斯·穆尼奧斯對顧客們高聲喊道:“我們又回來了,諸位!”粉色格調的Bisou酒吧位于瑪萊區,去年10月初因為第二輪封城措施而被迫停業。3月末,穆尼奧斯和一名瘦削的員工重新開門營業,但這家雞尾酒吧變成了一家手工咖啡廳。此外,服務顧客的方式也發生了變化,以前在寬敞的露臺上,服務人員在餐桌之間穿梭,但現在這家店提供外賣咖啡杯。
雖然進軍咖啡行業是應對強制停業命令的一時之舉(法國總統埃馬紐埃爾·馬克龍最近宣布,文化機構、零售店、餐廳、酒吧等最早將在5月中旬之前逐步恢復營業),但穆尼奧斯早在簽署租約時就有將此處改造成咖啡廳的打算,因此時機恰到好處。
在顧客人群當中的穆尼奧斯解釋說:“看看每天上午露臺上的陽光,顯而易見這里是開咖啡廳的理想地點。但我們經營的是雞尾酒。第一個全天開放的酒吧餐廳項目給我的啟示是,為了經營一家夜總會,你需要專注于酒吧業務。”
在積累了四年經驗和固定客戶之后,現在是嘗試咖啡業務的一次良機,尤其是在新冠疫情期間,咖啡廳是少數幾類允許繼續營業的機構之一。他繼續說道:“在第一輪封城期間,我們無法開拓新業務,因為當時情況并不明朗。等到第三輪封鎖,我們已經受夠了政府不斷變化的決策。”
穆尼奧斯聘請Coutume咖啡廳和烘焙機業務以及Belleville Br?lerie的原客戶總監(曾經榮獲法國世界咖啡沖煮大賽冠軍)卡羅琳·諾伊布森來培訓咖啡團隊,她將在Divine恢復營業之后負責管理該酒吧。
但穆尼奧斯同時也在利用這段時間發展雞尾酒業務,期待著能夠逐漸恢復正常運營。由于酒吧恢復營業之后必定要減少座位,因此穆尼奧斯計劃推出開胃酒餐盒,其中包括Divine菜單中的250毫升瓶裝雞尾酒和零食,顧客可以從任何一家酒吧取餐,在戶外享用或在家中聚餐。穆尼奧斯表示:“Divine酒吧90%的座位在室內,因此我們無法再像以前一樣招待所有顧客。這是在短期內維持客戶體驗的一種方式。”
Bisou和Divine的顧客主要來自巴黎本地,而全球頂級酒吧Candelaria有很多顧客來自其他城市,他們什么時候能夠重新回到這座城市目前還是未知數。今年晚些時候,這家墨西哥酒吧餐廳將迎來開業10周年紀念日,其老板約什·方丹和卡利納·索托-委拉斯克斯利用停業這段時間以及從政府獲得的補助對室內進行了翻新,并推出了瓶裝雞尾酒(為員工籌辦虛擬雞尾酒會的公司尤其喜歡他們的產品)。
方丹和索托-委拉斯克斯還是Le Mary Celeste和Hero兩家餐廳酒吧的老板。為了恢復營業,他們希望巴黎市的市長安妮·伊達爾戈去年6月執行的“新冠露臺”措施可以繼續執行。該措施允許Candelaria在戶外安排不超過20名顧客的座位。方丹說:“有傳聞稱市長將把露臺經營許可作為每年夏季的固定措施。所以我們投資購買了更高品質的戶外設施,能夠拆除之后留到明年使用,從而節省了額外成本。”但問題是:這些投入是否足以增加業務?
方丹稱:“我們擔心如果政府允許增加戶外座位,但很快取消補助,我們應該怎么辦?去年我們復工的時候生意火爆,但由于客容量限制和固定成本,我們一直虧損。”如果政府很快取消補助,包括他們的酒吧在內,許多商戶的經營就會面臨風險。
因此,經營者更有理由將收入來源多元化。方丹和索托-委拉斯克斯計劃推出一項輔助業務Ceremony,這是一項自然發酵葡萄酒和雞尾酒訂購服務,從6月開始面向全法國提供。方丹指出:“這當然是為了應對目前的情況。我們還會推出一項B2B服務,將為沒有能力聘請調酒師或沒有設置吧臺的餐廳供應大瓶裝雞尾酒甚至桶裝酒。”
不過,這段時間結束之后的未來前景依舊充滿了不確定性。方丹預計業務會有明顯好轉,但他認為如果沒有旅游業,業務復蘇將面臨挑戰。“巴黎服務本地居民的酒吧和餐廳已經嚴重飽和。如果少了數以百萬計的潛在顧客,可能很少有酒吧和餐廳可以維持運營。”
妮農·勒孔特對未來幾個月的經營前景同樣感到焦慮,但原因與方丹不同。Brutos是一家以巴西烤肉聞名的新式酒吧,位于樹木茂盛的加德特廣場。勒孔特是老板之一。從2020年年初以來,她與丈夫兼業務合伙人盧卡斯·鮑爾·德·坎波斯一直在籌建Bar Principal酒吧,與Brutos酒吧之間只隔了一家店鋪。他們在去年春天巴黎實行嚴格封城措施期間簽署了租約,不久獲得了一筆貸款,在秋季之前開始裝修(并支付租金)。由于寬敞的戶外用餐空間已經獲得巴黎市政府批準,因此這對夫婦能夠調整室內設計,以確保可以靈活應對不斷變化的餐廳客容量規定。他們放棄了高腳桌,因為這種餐桌會導致戶外家具無處存放,他們選擇沿墻布置長條柜臺,上方放置自然發酵葡萄酒,配備節約空間的高腳凳。
雖然所有跡象都表明這家酒吧有望在今年春末開業,但人員招募問題依舊讓勒孔特夜不能寐。她憂心忡忡地表示:“在你不確定什么時候能夠開業的情況下,組建團隊困難重重。我收到許多很棒的簡歷,但我無法向求職者承諾開業日期。”勒孔特花了兩個月時間回巴西探望家人。由于巴西政府沒有提供補助,許多企業已經難以為繼,這讓她再次確認可以在法國經營是多么幸運,因為法國政府為商戶提供了慷慨的支持。
然而,勒孔特感覺雖然自己站在了起跑線上,卻擔心無法達到預期的目標。她說:“我們有很高的預期。人們經過近八個月的隔離之后,希望能夠呼朋喚友痛飲一番。我們希望把新店介紹給消費者。我們一定要保證萬無一失。”(財富中文網)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
“We’re back, baby!” yells Nicolas Munoz, the 32-year-old owner of two popular cocktail bars in Paris, Bisou and Divine, to clients he hadn’t seen in months on a chilly late March afternoon. After shutting for a second lockdown in early October, Munoz and a skeleton staff reopened the doors to the pink-hued Bisou in the Marais district in late March not as a cocktail bar, per se, but as a craft coffee shop. And they couldn’t serve guests in their usual way—shimmying between tables on their spacious terrace—but in to-go cups.
While the foray into coffee initially appeared as a response to the ongoing forced closures (per President Emmanuel Macron’s last announcement, the reopening of cultural venues, retail stores, and restaurants and bars will happen gradually as of mid-May, at the earliest), it was simply the right time for an idea that was part of Munoz’s strategy for the space from the moment he signed the lease.
“When you see the sunshine we get on the terrace in the morning here, it’s obvious that it’s an ideal spot for a coffee shop. But our trade is in cocktails,” Munoz explains between clients. “I know from my first bar-restaurant project that was open day and night that if you want to develop your business as a nightspot, you need to focus on that first.”
Now, with four years of experience and a solid clientele on his side, it was an opportune moment to test the waters, particularly during a period when coffee shops are among the few establishments permitted to remain open. “During the first lockdown, we weren’t in a position to launch anything new given all the unknowns,” he continues. “By the third, we were done letting ourselves be subjected to the government’s constantly changing decisions.”
Munoz hired Caroline Noirbusson—previously client director for Coutume café and roasters and Belleville Br?lerie (and a World Brewers Cup French champion)—to train the team on coffee before she eventually moves over to her permanent role managing Divine, whenever it’s allowed to reopen.
But Munoz is also using the time to build out his cocktail offering and anticipate a slow return to normal operations. Given the reduced seating capacity that will inevitably be enforced upon reopening, he’s planning to roll out aperitif boxes, which will include 250-milliliter bottled cocktails off the Divine menu and snacks that clients can pick up from either bar and take to outdoor or at-home gatherings. “Ninety percent of our seating at Divine is indoor, so we won’t be able to welcome everyone back the way we’d like,” he says. “This is a way of maintaining our experience in the short term.”
Where Bisou and Divine clients hail predominantly from Paris, Candelaria, ranked among the world’s best bars, has historically drawn a heavy out-of-towner crowd whose return to the city is, for the moment, unknown. As the bar-taqueria approaches its 10th anniversary later this year, co-owners Josh Fontaine and Carina Soto-Velasquez have used this time and much of the government aid they’ve received to refresh the bar’s interior as well as to push their bottled cocktails (they have been particularly popular among companies looking to run virtual cocktail hours for employees).
For reopening, Fontaine and Soto-Velasquez, who also own Le Mary Celeste and Hero, are banking on the continuation of the “COVID-terraces” Mayor Anne Hidalgo implemented last June which would allow Candelaria to seat up to 20 clients outdoors. “There’s a rumor that the mayor will make these terrace permits permanent for each summer season. So we’ve also invested in a better quality setup that can be dismantled and stored, so we won’t have the extra cost next year,” Fontaine says. The question remains: Will all the investments be enough to boost business?
“What would be concerning is if they let us open outdoor seating but cut off the aid immediately,” Fontaine says. “Last year, when we reopened we were super busy, but given the capacity limits and fixed costs, we were losing money.” If the government support dries up too soon, theirs won’t be the only business at risk.
All the more reason to keep diversifying revenue streams. The duo is working on launching an annex business called Ceremony, a natural wine and cocktail subscription service that will be available nationally beginning in June. “It’s definitely a reaction to the situation,” Fontaine says. “There will be a B2B offer as well, where we’ll propose large format bottled cocktails or even kegs for restaurants that don’t necessarily have the capacity to hire a bartender or have a bar.”
Still, emerging from this period is fraught with uncertainty. Fontaine expects business to come back strongly, but adds that if there’s no tourism, recovery will be a challenge. “Paris has too many bars and restaurants for its local population alone. If you take millions of potential clients out of the scenario, chances are that few will survive.”
Ninon Lecomte shares Fontaine’s anxiety surrounding the months ahead but for different reasons. Co-owner of the neo-bistro Brutos, known for its Brazilian grilled meats, Lecomte and her husband–business partner, Lucas Baur de Campos, have been working since early 2020 on opening Bar Principal, a venue two doors down from their restaurant in the leafy Square Gardette. They signed the contract during the capital’s strict lockdown period last spring, secured the loan shortly thereafter, and began renovations (and paying rent) by fall. With advanced approval from the city for spacious outdoor seating, she and Baur de Campos were able to adjust the interior design to ensure they can adapt flexibly to changing rules on capacity. Instead of high tables that would leave little room to store all of the outdoor furniture they need, they opted for a long counter lining the wall, beneath bottles of natural wine, along with space-saving bar stools.
As all signs point to a late spring launch, the challenges that keep her up at night involve staffing. “It’s incredibly difficult to build a team when you don’t know when you can open. I’ve never received so many good CVs, but I can’t promise them a start date,” says Lecomte with great concern. Two months spent visiting her family in Brazil, where a lack of aid has left many businesses languishing, reaffirmed how lucky she has been to be operating in France where state support has been generous.
Nonetheless, Lecomte feels as if she’s at the starting block but afraid to miss the mark. “Expectations are high. We want to introduce people to our new spot as much as they want to be out socializing over drinks after nearly eight months of closures,” she says. “We have to get it right.”