The Only Constant Is Change
“I am not nostalgic, also because cooking gets better every year, and we get better at it too, rich with the knowledge of where we come from and the new things we are discovering.” Alain Ducasse, “Good Taste”
In the 25 years we’ve been around growth has never been our goal but change and remaining engaged are. In the past this meant changing inventories frequently and exploring new producers and tastes all the time. But COVID has turned everything upside down. We are dealing with a world that has lost its grounding, where change has been so massive and pervasive because of COVID that it’s hard to see where we’re headed in this storm.
In these conditions I thought finding calm is the antidote for these stresses.
In April I fully remodeled the shop with the goal of engaging better with customers. A café listening bar with music from vinyl records and cassette tapes was created for people to relax, sip coffee, tea, wine, or saké while listening to music. It seemed like nothing, but I think it’s hard to underestimate how much people seek spaces for some quiet time or alone time, as a friend calls it. Perhaps to decompress or to reflect by listening to music, reading a book or magazine, or writing a letter or journal to put our thoughts on paper. I believe it is in these moments we get to know ourselves without filters, to discover ideas, and see through the changes around us better.