When Chaylene Lidell and Shaughnessy Otsuji won Downtown 91原创 Business Association鈥檚 Start It Up 91原创 contest with their idea for a vegetarian-friendly restaurant, it appeared to be a well-timed stroke of good luck.
The idea for the caf茅 came about when clients at Lidell and Otsuji鈥檚 paramedical tattoo business, Studio Sashiko, kept asking where they could go for a bite to eat.
When the fish shop just down the street from the studio moved, the space looked ideal.
鈥淚 feel like we would have done this regardless of the contest,鈥� Otsuji recalled.
Then, when the pair learned the space was going to be the prize in a unique contest, they entered and won.
It was September of 2018 when they got the news.
As winners of the the Start it Up 91原创 contest, they were eligible for more than $130,000 in prizes to help them launch their business, Pink Avo caf茅.
That included six months鈥� free rent, marketing support, legal and accounting fees, business coaching, a grand opening reception, and more.
READ MORE: Public invited to weigh in on new business for 91原创 City
As it turned out, it would take more than a year before the cafe could open, thanks to a series of unpleasant surprises and setbacks that would test Lidell and Otsuji鈥檚 persistence.
鈥淲e thought that we had a perfect white box,鈥� Otsuji observed.
If they had been planning a retail outlet, it would have been a fairly simple process of filling that white box with shelves and display counters.
But a restaurant, which requires stringent standards to be met, is a more complicated kind of business.
It turned to be a bumpy ride.
One day, their project manager phoned and told them the aging premises were 鈥渞iddled鈥� with asbestos.
鈥淚t had to go down to the studs,鈥� Liddell recounted.
鈥淭hat prolonged the process.鈥�
READ ALSO: Asbestos fix slows down progress on contest-winning 91原创 caf茅
That was the bad news.
If there was a silver lining, it may have been the discovery the plaster ceiling was hiding large wooden support beams that would become a design feature in the redesigned space.
Lidell and Otsuji also endured a crash course in health regulations, like discovering they would need a grease trap, something they didn鈥檛 think would apply to them as a vegetarian restaurant.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have grease,鈥� Lidell said, but rules are rules, and their plumbing had to be redone, again.
As did the wiring.
As did the outside sign, which was in bad shape and needed to be rebuilt.
The six month free rent 鈥渒ind of came and went during the renovation process,鈥� Otsuji said.
During all of this Lidell became a mom.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know which was going to arrive first, her [the baby] or the cafe,鈥� Liddell laughed.
In fact, baby Poppy was first, on Nov. 2nd, several months ahead of the cafe.
Once the dust had settled, the result, the work of noted 91原创 interior designer Josie Smith, is a bright, high-ceilinged space.
鈥淲e basically re-did everything,鈥� Lidell observed.
After that, the novice restaurateurs hired and train cooks, baristas and cashiers, about 10 staff.
Plans are to operate, at least initially, from morning to afternoon
鈥淚 think we鈥檒l start as breakfast/lunch hour,鈥� Otsuji told the 91原创 Advance Times.
Otsuji and Lidell, who have noticed some critical comments on social media about the delayed opening, say detractors should know that winning the contest was a help, but it didn鈥檛 cover everything.
In fact, the two estimate they spent close to $500,000 of their own money getting the restaurant ready.
鈥淲e want people to know it wasn鈥檛 given to us,鈥� Lidell said.
Despite the sometimes-frustrating process, they remain enthusiastic about Pink Avo.
鈥淲e are still so excited,鈥� Otsuji said.
Lidell agreed, adding she is optimistic about their prospects for success.
鈥淲e like our chances,鈥� she said.
Teri James, DLBA executive director, was impressed, calling the cafe 鈥渁bsolutely stunning.鈥�
鈥淚t was well worth the wait,鈥� James said.
Initial reviews online have been enthusiastic, with Google Reviews comments like 鈥渁mazing鈥� 鈥済orgeous,鈥� 鈥渄elicious鈥� and 鈥渕y new favourite cafe.鈥�
The is located on the one-way, at 20534 Fraser Hwy, and operates 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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