ABOUT THE LANDING RESTAURANT
Business Description
The Landing is a new restaurant that will provide a casual yet sophisticated dining experience in downtown Nipigon. Mrs. Shawna Dampier intends to purchase a building in downtown Nipigon, across from the tourist park, and renovate it to include a 30-seat restaurant, and three rental apartments on the second floor. The Landing will be open 7 days a week offering healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees made on site from fresh ingredients.
Ownership and Management
The Landing will be owned and operated by Shawna Dampier. Mrs. Dampier is an energetic, outgoing individual with fifteen years experience in the restaurant industry in Ontario, including four years working in a restaurant in Nipigon. She is fully familiar with every aspect of running a small restaurant, and has all the appropriate training and certifications to do so. In preparing this business plan, Mrs. Dampier has done a thorough job of researching the business development and funding opportunities, all zoning, licensing and regulatory requirements, renovation and start-up costs, suppliers, and the unmet demand for restaurant services in the Nipigon area.
Key Initiatives and Objectives
Key objectives in this plan include:
• Purchase and renovation of the building.
• Opening of the restaurant in January 2012, and the addition of an outdoor patio seating area in Year 3.
• Creation of a healthy and attractive foodservice alternative for residents and visitors in Nipigon.
Market Opportunities
At present people dining out in Nipigon have very few alternatives other than burgers, fries and other greasy short order food. Residents (or visitors) who want to enjoy a nice dinner made from fresh ingredient with a glass of wine in an attractive setting, have to drive an hour and a half to Thunder Bay. Moreover, local restaurant choices are about to get worse. Two restaurants are due to close in the next year, including the Nipigon Cafe, which is the only restaurant in the downtown core convenient to the visitors’ park and local offices and businesses.Although restaurants in small towns must have something to appeal to everyone, from children to seniors, the key target markets for The Landing will be:
• Professionals working in the downtown (primarily a breakfast and lunch crowd).
• General township residents, especially couples and groups looking for a nice place to enjoy an evening out.
• Travellers, visitors and tourists.The Town and the Economic Development Office are very supportive of this initiative, as it will create 6 to 10 new local jobs and contribute to the revitalization of the downtown core. There is also a large unmet demand for rental housing in the area, and three newly-renovated apartments will be a welcome addition to the housing inventory.
Competitive Advantages
Existing local restaurants have a very limited selection of food choices, especially for fresh or healthy food. Further, they lack the ambiance and customer service to attract local customers who want an enjoyable dining experience, and the curb appeal to attract travellers and visitors. Local residents actually drive as far as Thunder Bay for small luxuries that are not available locally, such as enjoying a cappuccino in a pleasant cafe. If they’ll go to Thunder Bay, Mrs. Dampier is certain they will drive around the block, and The Landing’s delicious food, warm atmosphere and great customer service will keep them coming back.
Marketing Strategy
The key to promotion in a small town is word-of-mouth. Mrs. Dampier is an active community member who is already well known through her job, her family, and her many volunteer activities. People in the community have heard that she intends to start a new restaurant, and she is receiving tremendous encouragement and support, both from potential customers and from the Town itself. Promotional strategies will include highway signage directing visitors to the restaurant, newspaper coverage, a Facebook page, a grand opening, and special events, such as music nights featuring local musicians.
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