BUSINESS
PAGE A14 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013
Beach Grass Cafe listens to customers BY EMILY SORENSEN It’s been a year since new owner Jose Rios purchased the Beach Grass Cafe, located at 12845 Poway Road, from its original owner, and he’s made a number of changes, all focused on giving his customers what they want. “Jose has made a few changes since he took over,” said Brenda Hernandez, general manager of Beach Grass Cafe. “He takes customer feedback. If customers say they don’t like something, he takes it off the menu and reworks it. He’s put in a lot of effort. He’s constantly checking customer reviews to see what they like, and what they didn’t like. He’s willing to try different things, as long as the customer is happy.” Rios also changed out some of the staff for more experienced servers, said Hernandez, when he took over as owner. “The most important thing is more personalized service for the customer,” said Hernandez. Hernandez is one of those experienced staff members. She joined the Beach Grass Cafe only a month after it first opened four years ago as a dinner server, and has worked her way up to general manager with
Brenda Hernandez 10 years experience in serving. Her experience works well with Rios, a first-time restaurant owner, who also has years of experience on the serving side of the restaurant business. Originally from Encinitas, Hernandez said that Rios moved to Poway when he bought the restaurant in order to be closer to his business and be a part of the community. “Jose is very kind,” said Hernandez. “We’re very happy to have him as the new owner. He really cares about everyone here.” Hernandez said that Rios has also revamped the interior of the restaurant and has changed out some of the restaurant’s Mexican dishes for more traditional recipes. The food remains as American-style diner fare, serving breakfast and lunch from
Monday through Wednesday and breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday. Among the restaurant’s best sellers are its pancakes, said Hernandez. “Our pancakes are different,” she said. “They’re big and made with fresh fruit, chunks of fresh fruit and a little sugar. You don’t even need syrup.” Hernandez also said the cafe’s salads were big sellers. Everything at the Beach Grass Cafe is made from scratch inhouse, nothing frozen. The Beach Grass Cafe also has a beer and wine bar in the restaurant, open the same hours as the cafe. There is also a private back room, which can accommodate parties of up to 25 people comfortably for ever ything from corporate meetings to first communion parties to Christmas parties. The cafe offers free wifi and has a large television in the private room for your party’s usage. “We’re willing to work with any kind of budget,” said Hernandez. The Beach Grass Cafe is open seven days a week, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, and 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. To make a reservation, call 858-748-7770.
POMERADO NEWSPAPER GROUP
That branded image has value
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few years back I jokingly suggested to editor Steve Dreyer of this newspaper that, for April Fool’s Day, we publish a photo of me wearing a beanie copter. He asked; “Why would you mess with your brand?” While I’d gotten caught up in the excitement of the moment, Steve wisely echoed advice I’d typically give any client making a similar suggestion. A logo provides an image that buyers can immediately latch onto and remember. That’s why, when you see a lightning bolt, you immediately think “San Diego Chargers.” The world’s most prominent brands are easy to visualize because of their logos. No words are necessary because that logo is incorporated into every ad, coupon, newsletter, business card, and email. It proves a picture is worth 1,000 words, since we’ve all gotten these images stuck in our heads. Some organizations looking for quick fixes change logos thinking they’ll generate excitement and sales. More likely customers are left wondering where their favorite brand disappeared to. This shouldn’t suggest logos can’t evolve. Looking at brands like Aunt Jemima, Green Giant, Coca Cola and McDonald’s, you’ll see logos that have changed over the years. Logo evolution is as common as evolution in other parts of business, but to a lesser degree. A logo that never changes makes customers feel the company is out
Rob Weinberg ASK MR. MARKETING of touch with its clientele. And a periodic logo update tells customers the company is staying current in its offerings and still knows how to connect with them. However, these changes are well-considered and never done on a whim. There are legitimate reasons for the change including competition, new corporate directions, and shifting customer demographics. Drastic logo design changes can cause alienation and mistrust among existing and potential customers. That’s why such changes should be subtle, keeping the same basic design elements so the logo can still be easily associated with the company, product or service. And as Steve reminded me, change should not occur too often, as this suggests an organization without clear vision. So while you may one day see me wearing an Indiana Jones hat, changing logos is a delicate balance. Because after all I’ve invested in building my brand, I certainly don’t want to devalue it. With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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