We had plants for the first year and half we opened. It really helped warm the space but we had a plant-loving customer, who meant well, take all the plants because she felt we weren't caring for them well enough. I was able to get the plants back, but through the stress of travel, environment change (tropicals had it rough), and unnecessary pruning we ultimately lost 5 out of the 8.
Two out of the three that survived were actually family heirlooms, plants passed down through my family. I'm the 4th generation to carry them on, but I lost my mom's trust with them since they were stolen so easily from me so she's has them back for now.
We are a walk-up window operation at Piper's -- no indoor seating. But what we have is a huge outdoor area we call the Piper's Garden. It is shaded by two nearly 100-year old maple trees. Since it is spring, my landlords are working on landscaping for the year, but here's a picture of it, with my big awning in the distance. (Ignore the dirty tables... we just had a huge rainstorm and they're covered with maple seeds and mud right now. LOL)
Behind me, which you can't see, is a city part, complete with a playground. This is where most all of our city and neighborhood events are held. For the next three weeks we have Maifest, Memorial Day stuff, and the Northern Kentucky Pride. Also, to my right, is another city park which is really two tree-lined blocks that separate each lane of 6th Street.
All in all, we couldn't have picked a better spot for a booming ice cream shop!
One of the first things we noticed when opening our store, people with wheelchairs or mobility equipment had a difficult time opening and entering doors. We installed this wireless door opener package a few years ago and clients still compliment it on a weekly basis. It can really make a difference in someone's experience at your location.
