I got a lot of sympathetic emails from my clients and friends regarding my last post about Hennings Local. And don't expect a lot of blog posts for awhile cause I'm just going to leave that one up there for awhile so it sinks in.
Like I often say, we have a lot of savvy clients so it was interesting to hear their feedback - most of it resolved around 'these guys are obviously clueless, amateurs and don't have the experience to really think this one through and see how it's going to play out'. I agree totally, which doesn't less my frustration, it increases it, since not only have they harmed the thing I have going, it's another example of the pointless and dramatic errors business people make when they open a business up here.
So, let me dissect it, the way I would have, or would be, thinking about it.
Ok, let's just say Henning Nordanger of Henning's Local actually thought out how this might play out - this would have had to been considered.
1.) When I, Henning Nordanger of Henning's Local in Eldred entice Chuck's main guy to come and work for me at the height of the building season with 5 houses set to close in 2 months (and after labor day when my business will dry up) and without ensuring that this kid who is coming to work for me actually handles the exit situation well and after Chuck employed me in his business for more than a year and introduced me to everyone pivotal in this venture of mine, Chuck will just take it in stride and just move on with his life and business and continue to use his various and extensive methods of outreach to help my business grow.
2.)When I, Henning Nordanger of Hennings Restaurant entice Chuck's main guy to come and work for me at the height of
the building season with 5 houses set to close in 2 months (and after labor
day when my business will dry up) and without ensuring that this kid who
is coming to work for me actually handles the exit situation well, and after Chuck employed me in his business for more than a year and introduced me to everyone pivotal in this venture of mine, Chuck
will be pissed, probably won't eat at my restaurant, but will in time accept this.
3.)When I, Henning Nordanger of Hennings Restaurant entice Chuck's main guy to come and work for me at the height of
the building season with 5 houses set to close in 2 months (and after labor
day when my business will dry up) and without ensuring that this kid who
is coming to work for me actually handles the exit situation well, and after Chuck employed me in his business for more than a year and introduced me to everyone pivotal in this venture of mine, Chuck will actually be very pissed off and use his many skills, relationships and business acumen to negatively impact my fledging business, just as I negatively impacted his.
So, as a business person evaluating the cost/benefits of enticing a person out of Chuck's employment and into mine, what may that cost me, considering his companies are responsible for more diverse local spending than most all other local businesses combined?
Let's review quickly -
1. Catskill Farm's Annual Christmas Party - $4500
2. Chuck and his family's weekly business - conservatively $300/month ($3600/year)
3. Catskill Farm's gift certificates that he sends to vendors, clients, and other assorted relationships - $5600 per year.
4. General referrals from the the 200 people who come up and visit our homes and are looking for a bite to eat before blowing town - $4800 per year.
5. Home concierge and catering businesses who understand exactly where I'm coming from and now won't utilize Henning's Local to prepare the food, instead using Early Bird Cookery and other great alternatives - $10,000 per year.
6. The bad word of mouth coming from our position in the community and people deciding not to eat there, or not to eat there as much - $2000 per year (but I bet this is much higher).
So Henning made a business decision that cost him conservatively $30,000 in direct business, in year 1, without calculating the damage to his brand and reputation.
From what I know of how businesses struggle up here- to me - his relationship that he built over the 18 months of working for us was a competitive advantage, since he had a relationship with me that he could leverage into real, solid, consistent business at his restaurant.
Instead, what the general consensus seems to think, he didn't think it was important and instead played a high-handed amateur, shortsighted card.
Now the only question is - with brains like that, I'd like change the wager on my mailbox (btw Gary, you lost the bet, pay up) - will my gaudy red barn mailbox or Henning's Local last longer?
So instead of getting rave reviews from a blog that gets widely read, he gets panned - he gets less than 1 Star. That may mean a lot in reality, or maybe it doesn't. In my experience, with how hard it is to keep a business rolling up here, it's not the type of thing you want to leave to chance.
And the fact that my Steak Diane was literally swimming in some over-spiced sauce and people are already complaining about the service and the time it takes to get served - well, you gotta do better than that, regardless of how this whole Henning's Local Original Sin thing plays out.
I'm not sure I get what went on personally between you and Henning. I found your blog entry after looking up Henning's Local after having eaten there last week with another couple (four of us). The decor is charming, but they don't put on any a/c (we were there in late-July) and don't open any windows, so we were all uncomfortably hot. I ordered the trout, which was slightly burnt, and uninspired. My husband and our friend's wife had the Steak Diane. They said the same about it as you posted. It was over-peppered and swimming in sauce, but a good cut of beef. My husband, who loves steak Diane, said it was the worst he ever had. Our friend's wife said she'd had it there before, and it was better the other times. She agreed that it was 'off' that night. I tasted it, and agreed with my husband on all counts. A nice touch are the hot popovers, but they need to be served with something more inspired, like raspberry or strawberry butter. For dessert, we ordered a "citrus" tart. No one told us it was pure lemon, which we didn't want and didn't expect. We were thinking oranges and other citrus fruits, maybe even kiwi. The tart was too much lemon, and tasted metallic. There is a method to offset that occurrence in lemon tarts, and they need to research it. The other dessert we had was the chocolate ice-cream, which was delicious, and the most flavorful part of the meal. We would have had cappuccino or espresso, but when we asked we were cited the high cost of a good cappuccino machine. What, with the high NYC prices they charge, they can't spring for one so their customers can have a little capp or espresso with their dessert? Unconscionable. Anyway, this is an independent review. The food is inconsistent and lacks a "wow" factor. For what is served, the prices are way too steep, too. They're NYC prices for Kaatskill food that is not the wholesome, flavorful, consistent and high-quality Catskill food we expected. With places around like Piccolo Paese, Yiasou, and Rolling River Cafe, Henning's Local will not be on our list. So, whatever went on personally with you and Henning, the fact is that the food will make or break this restaurant, and it's just not up to par.
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