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Customer Success // Kona Craft Kitchen
How Wasserstrom helped Kona Craft Kitchen open its doors.
After traveling the nation in search of culinary inspiration, Stacy & Frank Leary landed upon Kona Coffee Purveyors, a small coffee shop and bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was this shop that inspired their restaurant concept in Dublin, Ohio — Kona Craft Kitchen.
- Business: New American Restaurant, Bar, Coffee
- Location: Dublin, OH
- Size: 70+ Employees
- Opened: March 2022
Kona Craft Kitchen
Kona Craft Kitchen is a café, bakery, restaurant, and resort-like cocktail lounge all wrapped into one. And of course, their Kona Coffee is the real deal, sourced straight from the Hawaiian Islands where Stacy and Frank first discovered the rich flavor on their travels. Kona Craft Kitchen offers the best in healthy and indulgent dishes, full of bright colors and fresh flavors. It’s no wonder their motto is “Follow the Fresh”.
Challenges
With a fresh business concept at hand, where do restauranteurs go for the next step?
Stacy and Frank had a strong vision — they felt confident in their concept and knew they wanted to bring a unique establishment to central Ohio. Despite their industry experience, uncertainty abound:
Their building was nothing but gravel and cement walls. Stacy and Frank knew they wanted to serve food all day and night, which would require a lot of equipment. They also wanted to plan for the future, picking up equipment now for any potential expansion.
The type of high-volume establishment they envisioned requires excellent throughput; their equipment required strategic placement to create an effective and efficient front- and back-of-house flow as well as fantastic customer service.
Their vision also required the pantry to be brought forward so that their customers could see the fresh fruit and vegetables. Another non-negotiable was the need for an employee bathroom that there simply wasn’t room for.
Last but not least, with over “10,000 different plates, bowls, and glasses” to choose from, they didn’t know where to begin. Frank and Stacy needed guidance, and fast.
The Wasserstrom Difference
Is there a restaurant supplier that provides more than just the supplies?
Restauranteurs need support. While many suppliers ship excellent equipment, their assistance ends there.
Frank and Stacy expected more; they needed a full-service, one-stop shop to guide them to their grand opening. They needed a service that will not only deliver, but install, troubleshoot, and resolve. Most of all, they needed people who could answer their questions.
This is where Wasserstrom comes in. We tailor a custom-made plan for all our customers based on their needs to provide a seamless experience, from order placement to installation field services. With our industry connections and hands on approach, we’ve got you covered.
The Solution
Wasserstrom seamlessly handles front-of-house visual aspirations with back-of-house planning & specs.
Wasserstrom helped Stacy and Frank achieve their vision with our experts in commercial smallwares and commercial kitchen design. Together, we were able to tackle the challenges this location presented.
Our smallwares specialist, Kate, supplied catalogs, samples, and organized showings just for Frank and Stacy. Most importantly, she made herself available for any questions or concerns they had. Frank and Stacy noted that the level of service she provided made it seem as though they were the only clients because she was so accessible. Kate was also able to identify the perfect pink mug that Kona’s patrons rave about.
Our kitchen designer, Jeremy, and equipment engineer, Chris, worked with an architect to add the once-impossible employee bathroom, while saving space for the multitude of equipment required for their concept. This included equipment, installation assistance, and making sure all specifications were met with electricity and gas. Jeremy and Chris made sure everything was in the right place for this business to thrive.
When their work was complete, Stacy and Frank had created a kitchen that flowed, free of bottlenecks. They also received the correct equipment with the correct setup and installation for their high-volume restaurant.
Wasserstrom was amazing to work with. When I stood in this space by myself, right where the bar is, I could hear all this right now. I could see this: the clinking of glasses, the laughter, dropping a pan in the kitchen. I could hear all of that. And it’s a dream to see it come alive.”
Frank Leary
Co-owner, Kona Craft Kitchen
Let's Work Together
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