Cafe Larem

Last week was Mollie’s and my first week running Café Larem. It was a bit bumpy. We enthusiastically started the week with a team meeting on Sunday afternoon. First on the agenda was a report on the cappuccino machine, truly our only asset, that had stopped working the day before we took over. It was ok after a visit from the Kampala cappuccino machine doctor…all systems go!

We went over the new rules, as well as the new opportunities. We passionately stated our intentions, commitment and aspirations for the Café’s future. “We are taking over this place because we love Gulu and we want to create a business that will provide you jobs after we leave,” I said. We talked about partnerships with local businesses (Why buy honey in Kampala when there’s Gulu-based ‘Kiss Me Honey?’) We explained that our customer base was mostly Western, mostly American actually, and so good and quick customer service was key. But we also explained that we wanted more Acholis coming in. We explained we wanted to make profits and share them with the community. We wanted pizza on the menu and a book exchange. And we needed their help. The reactions ranged from blank stares to tentative nods. Ok, Mollie and I discussed afterward, we’ll have to work on team spirit a bit.

Then the power went out. And stayed out for most of the week. Without power we cannot run our baby, the cappuccino machine nor the blender (for smoothies and milkshakes
), nor the fridge, freezer, or toaster oven. A generator came with the place, but was broken. We called the Gulu-based Generator doctor who pronounced the generator dead. He explained it would be better to buy a new one. (For $2,000!)

Yet we enthusiastically soldiered on. I placed Emily, my housekeeper, in the rotation. She was on shopping and pizza-making duty. We got her up to two pies a day (18 slices = 18 customers!) We found the secret bagel lady in Gulu and started selling the beloved holed ones at our shop. We chatted enthusiastically with our customers: a missionary family, the US military, our best friends (who’s patronage may have been slightly coerced.)

Geoffrey, our manager, went to Kampala for supplies on Tuesday. We were out of everything, including our secret ingredient for ice cream. He came back on Wednesday with the goods. And then he quit. We pleaded with him to stay a couple of extra days, since we had given our barista the weekend off, but he explained that he could not. No further explanation (although apparently he had another job…)

So manager-less and powerless, we accepted that we’d have to be closed on Friday. We’ll be back open on Saturday. Mollie and I will be on duty ourselves. I will need to hearken back to 1996, which was the last time I made a cappuccino. But I hear it’s like riding a bike!

So a bumpy first week. It turns out the restaurant business ain’t easy, even in Gulu. Oh.

But we’re getting there, or we will. On Saturday Mollie and I will run the place and iron out bumps along the way. We'll get the granola order in and the book exchange up and running. Fingers crossed I’m even posting this from the Café’s high-speed internet.

This morning, the power came back. There is a god!