PALAKAPE
Mobile Coffee Shop + Coffee Lifestyle
Semi-Interrupted Coffee Mornings
Brewing your own coffee can make drinking it, better. We are preparing a simple mini series, where we show how to brew coffee manually using the personal brewers collected by one Palakape.
Making coffee in the backyard, the Palakape encounters a few interruptions from time to time. The sound of the neighbors’ chickens or dogs, airplane and motorcycle noises, and sometimes, a curious little fellow visits the working table! Watch the teaser to get a glimpse!
It’s coming shortly this month, so stay tuned to our Youtube Channel and Facebook Page!
Palakape – It’s a Lifestyle
For some people, coffee is not just a drink, but a way of life. Happy International Coffee Day! What is coffee to you?
In this video: believe it or not, such is a typical coffee time for one palakape, LOL
Leaving the Park, Listing the Pluses
So it came to an end… quickly.
The last blog entry was more than 6 months ago, about us putting up a stall at a food park. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sustain our stay there. We were only able to ride the wave for some weeks, and then it started dying down. We could say, the time we posted that blog was almost the beginning of the end.
We absorbed losses, as we didn’t want to give it up early. We are a start-up after all, with a long-term vision for the company. We tried ways to promote not just our stall of course, but the food park. But ultimately, we caved in, upon the conclusion that holding on wasn’t worth it anymore. And yes, we recognize that we also had shortcomings.
Did we make the wrong decision? You can comment below! But, here’s a list of the things that made the attempt worth it.
- The first time experience – it was our first stationary shop, and naturally, first encounters happened. From hiring to operations to shutdown, not all of them were pleasant, but good experiences to learn from.
- Knowing a few good baristas – we were very fortunate to hire baristas that were quite honest and hard-working. One reason we held on to the shop was because we didn’t want them to lose their jobs. We’re keeping the connection of course, and hopefully when we rise again, we can get them back onboard.
- Developing our menu – with help from the baristas, we were also able to develop our menu, and expand our supply options. Have you tasted our drinks at the shop? Give your feedback below.
- Gaining a few more followings – we received great feedback from a few people and we felt their well wishes for us. In a consumer-driven business, it’s really comforting to see the same people coming back. If any one of you is reading this, we are sorry to disappear!
- Meeting new people – as in many experiences, it’s the people encountered that make them all the more worth it. We didn’t just gain new connections, but friends! With them we shared opinions, ideas, connections and opportunities, on top of supporting each other. Thanks to one new friend for example, we were able to set up for the first time at a wedding.
We may make the right or wrong decision, but it’s what we do while at it and after it that is important. Perhaps the key to no regrets is learning and its application. What’s next for us? You’ll know later. The dream is still alive!
P.S.
The featured image at the top is a farewell photo during our last day of operation, February 28, 2018. Thought we could just shower ourselves with coffee as a goodbye, ha!
Also… the food park as a whole has just closed, less than 1 year since its opening. So…
The Food Park bandwagon? We jumped on one BTW
Is it just a bandwagon, or will food parks be here to stay?
Food parks are a thing in the Philippines recently (or in Metro Manila at least). They are sprouting everywhere! They seem to work for Filipinos. With a laid back, non-intimidating atmosphere, and a variety of food choices (ideally), it sure is inviting to give you or your friends a good time satisfying whatever cravings you have.
Recently, as a next step to our growth, we decided to put up a small store in a food park. Localle Food Park in BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City. So if this thing is a bandwagon, then yes, we jumped on to one.
The challenge with food parks is providing good value for money. Some tend to be expensive, understandably so, as rent can be pricey in such places. We see some food parks open and maintain the hype. Others would eventually close, or lose concessionaires. And it gets more challenging when competing food parks are near each other.
With the appetite of Filipinos increasing and evolving, food parks are a good venue to explore. As a young chef or someone who just loves cooking, it’s a good venue to test your recipe. As new entrepreneurs, it is a platform to test the waters. At Localle Food Park, we met a lot of first-time entrepreneurs. Together, we are learning how to run a business, and develop our product. We aren’t sure if food parks are here to stay. Whatever the case, it’s a new learning experience for us.
Is it just a bandwagon, or will food parks be here to stay? We do hope it’s the latter.
Oh, and in case you’re in Las Piñas area, do visit PALAKAPE at Localle Food Park!
Definition: a Palakape
What is palakape? Palakape is a Filipino word to describe someone who frequently or regularly drinks coffee, or someone who likes coffee. It may also refer to someone who is dependent on coffee. So palakape can be used to describe a person with a coffee-drinking lifestyle.
Lifestyle. How about we expand the term further? It would refer not only to drinking coffee, but to the over-all coffee lifestyle that we, the owners, future members of the team, and this “community” would expand as we explore the wonderful world of coffee! Let’s use it as a noun referring to one with a coffee lifestyle, no matter how much the expanse.
So in this blog, let’s use it as an identifier or perhaps a nickname, for any Palakape owner from now on.
Follow coffee stories here in our blog!
🙂
