Test Run
Today we took a solid test run at running two PJP locations. Here’s how it went:
Well, for starters, we did a last minute switch on our morning plan - Jason started the day at Nifong and I started the day at West End. Most of our staff on today’s schedule hadn’t actually been in the space yet, so I was excited to see their reactions to our new storefront.
And as expected, we had one employee report to the wrong store. I told her she may be the first, but she certainly won’t be the last. I’m usually pretty good at knowing when I’ll see a particular person for their next shift, but not now. When Mary left today, I basically said “I have no idea what day or at what store I’ll see you at later this week…but I’ll be happy to see you whenever that is.”
Next in our morning, I accidentally caught our new oven on fire. Like a Travis-running-around- looking-for-a-fire-extinguisher sort of fire. But no worries, it was fine and we didn’t even need the extinguisher. The moral of this story is that you should always look in the way back of your $15k oven to make sure they didn’t tape the user manual in a plastic bag in there. Because if they did, it burns quickly. Ahem.
Oh, and next, we realized through the billowing smoke that I forgot to order measuring spoons for that store. It’s hard to make a pie without a measuring spoon. So I went to Walmart.
And on the other side of town, Jason was smooth sailing through calm seas at Nifong…except he freaked out on me when I sent a picture of the flames in the oven. And then he realized he forgot to buy all the trash cans that we needed, so he went to Lowe’s.
Jeanne started her morning at Nifong, wherein she made a trip to Hyvee to buy fresh strawberries. When leaving, an employee asked her for her receipt and she handed it over. Then they asked for the receipt for the bottle of alcohol in her purse, but she only had an umbrella sticking out of her purse and the Hyvee employee apologized profusely. She thought it was pretty funny.
At some point in all this, we received our operating permit to officially open PJP West End. Thankfully.
Then we all reconvened at PJP West End as our baking team finished up a baking schedule. We talked it all through, trying to make a list of everything we still need in that store and identify any major issues to fix before tomorrow morning.
Then Travis, Jason, and I all needed to make trips to PJP Nifong to collect items. It’s 11 to 14 minutes between both stores, depending on the time of day.
And so tomorrow morning, we will be ready to go. We’ve got a permit, teaspoons, fire extinguishers, and a whole lot of hope. We can’t wait to show you our new space and kick off a new era in PJP history. Also, I’ll try not to burn anything down.
