Keeping a restaurant alive is hard enough as is. But three Fort Worth-based food concepts — coworking space/coffee shop Craftwork Coffee Co. and taco joints Salsa Limón and Taco Heads — have not just stayed open; they’ve grown. And they’re still growing like crazy.
Here, the entrepreneurs behind all three concepts share their tips on when to know it’s time to grow and how to manage growth responsibly.
Olaf Growald
Craftwork Coffee Co.
It all started with… One coffee shop and coworking space on Camp Bowie Boulevard in 2016.
Now it’s… Two Fort Worth locations currently open; a forthcoming location in The Foundry District opening in August; and the acquisition of WorkFlourish, a Houston-based company that builds coworking spaces in residential buildings. With the acquisition, Craftwork plans to build 15 new locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston and Austin by 2021. The first of these will be built in Austin, in the Streetlights Residential development on Domain Drive. It’s expected to open spring 2019.
How to know when “it’s time”: “Early financial success is going to prove to be one indicator but not the only indicator,” says Craftwork CEO Riley Kiltz. “It’s really important to see the vision — in five years, what’s going to keep fueling our company? That’s ultimately at the heartbeat: Why are we doing this whole thing?”
How to handle growth responsibly: “Take your success with a grain of salt,” Kiltz says. “There’s a lot of peaks and valleys. Stay focused on the mission that you set out to achieve, and that will bring you a lot more stability, and ultimately, your customers a lot more enjoyable experience.”
Olaf Growald
Salsa Limón
It all started with… A location inside La Gran Plaza Mall off Interstate 35.
Now it’s… Three food trucks; five bricks-and-mortar currently open, including one in downtown Dallas; a Magnolia Avenue location expected to open in the fall; a location on the first floor of the Elan development across from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, expected to open in 2019; and two more locations in Dallas in the near future.
How to know when “it’s time”: “We were struggling to make our cash flow in the location in the mall [during the 2008 recession], so we had to move out,” says Salsa Limón president Ramiro “Milo” Ramirez. “Our solution was to do a food truck … That was the beginning of the change for us, getting our product outside.
“We’ve taken on a lot of opportunities that just come to us — someone wants to develop a new neighborhood, and they need you to come over — if the deal is a good deal, we’ll take it … Honestly, you’re never fully ready. You need to just keep on going. As you go forward, try to get your operations in gear; just start hiring people. That’s how we did it. We just found the opportunity, and then we made it work.”
How to handle growth responsibly: “In my opinion, a human resource system has to be the precursor to any sustained growth,” Ramirez says. “This is the most difficult thing — to hire the right people that follow your philosophy, that understand what makes people want to come back to your restaurant or your business.”
Olaf Growald
Taco Heads
It all started with… A food truck.
Now it’s… A brick-and-mortar that opened on Montgomery Street in 2016, two food trucks, and a forthcoming Dallas location opening on Henderson Avenue in August. Plus, Taco Heads is currently being served at coffee shops like Craftwork Coffee Co., Sons of Liberty Coffee, Avoca, Roots Coffeehouse, The Perk at Christ Chapel Bible Church, and the Coffee Folk trailer, which Taco Heads partner Sarah Castillo says serves the most tacos. A Taco Heads in San Antonio is also being planned. Castillo says she’s working to consolidate Taco Heads and the Tinie’s Mexican restaurant (opening on South Main Street in 2019) under one umbrella company called Neon Light District Hospitality Group.
How to know when “it’s time”: Castillo says growth is essential to keep team members and employees passionate about the business. “To keep those great team members, you need to provide more. You don’t want to work for a restaurant that just has one restaurant. You need more to keep everyone hungry and growing.”
How to handle growth responsibly: “When you have a good team and work together, stay focused and [take] one thing at a time.”