Still, Samuel’s wife, Beth, bellowed into the back room for her son to relieve his father on the ladder. A tall young man who looked very much like his mother came out of the kitchen. His clothes were covered in white paint stains. He gave us a smile and a nod and disappeared outside. Shortly afterward, Samuel came in and sat down with us while Beth poured us all lemon waters with mint leaves in it. She set out a platter of finger foods, and Gabriella went in for the kill while we started talking business.
Halfway through the meeting, I brought up Gabriella’s idea of also using this venue for special events. “The restaurant industry alone is competitive, as you already know. A great way to separate yourselves from the plethora of other up and coming restaurants is to utilize this space to create experiences for clientele.”
Gabriella sat back with her tablet in her lap and watched while the couple spoke quietly back and forth, just quietly enough that we couldn’t make out their words. She cleared her throat. “Your restaurant is absolutely breathtaking, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. I would get married here, if I had a fiancé,” she added with a cheeky smile.
The husband and wife duo chuckled.
Gabriella leaned forward. “If this is something you’re interested in doing, might I suggest something?” She looked to me for permission as much as she did them.
We all nodded.
Gabriella sat up a little straighter. “Once all the construction work is finished, we could bring in a photography company and some models to stage some weddings here. We could frame some shots in black and white and hang them on a gallery wall in the hallway there, just outside the women’s washroom. It won’t interfere with the minimalist scheme you have out in the dining area, but it will catch the eye of the ladies using the washroom, and let’s be honest, their eyes will be the only ones that matter. We could also publish the printed photos online. Mr. Cassidy’s business website shows all of his previous start-up success stories, and we could make yours the star of the show leading up to and after your grand opening.”
Where the hell did all that come from?
Gabriella looked over at me, a hopeful smile on her lips. I could hear her unasked question. Did I do okay?
I turned to my clients. “I think Gabriella hit the nail on the head.”