WONDER WOMEN
Jess Laws & Daisy Doyle
CO-OWNERS CHIZUKO
D
aisy Doyle and Jess Laws are the co-owners of chizuko, a bar and vegan eatery located in the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood. After opening in late January, their unique brand of music, atmosphere and libations has proved them to be a popular nightspot no matter the day. Daisy and Jess’s experience in the industry along with a supportive community behind them, has helped them build a thriving business that is also helping the effort to revitalize the historical neighborhood. Tell me a little about your business We own chizuko; it’s a cozy and casual bar in Belmont DeVilliers. We serve beer, wine and sake, late night vegan snacks and host events from live music to comedy. Why did you choose this field? We’ve both been in the industry since we started working and when you are in the industry for so long you are always thinking about what you would do with a place of your own. Last winter, we decided to just go for it and make all of our ideas a reality. When did you first open? We signed our lease on December 10, 2016 and opened on January 13, 2017.
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How did you make it happen or first get the business set up? With a lot of help. We had to be very resourceful. We bought everything second hand, enlisted the help of friends and family and went balls to the wall for a month straight. What are the challenges and rewards of the business? The biggest challenge is just keeping up with every day tasks. It’s a ton of work and it’s just the two of us and our chef, Kevin, in the kitchen. However, it’s extremely rewarding. We love getting to meet a variety of interesting people and when we’re open, it really just feels like hanging out with our friends. It’s a party every night.
Is chizuko more a business or a passion project? Definitely both. Being passionate about chizuko is what gives us the motivation to work so hard every day. What do you hope makes chizuko stand apart from other bars in the area? Our vision for chizuko is to make it the most comfortable place to be. Chill people, good vibes and no judgment. How important is networking to your business? Networking is important because being new business owners, we need help in areas that aren’t familiar to us, like building maintenance, paper work, etc. Luckily, we have made so many talented friends who have graciously extended a hand to help us with these things. Do you have any advice for women looking to start their own business? Our advice to anyone who wants to open a business is to just go for it. If you wait until you feel like you’re “ready,” it won’t happen. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; it’s going to happen. Don’t listen to the people who doubt you. Surround yourself with friends who support your vision.