Since opening Full Circle Café & Espresso Bar downtown Stevensville about seven years ago, owners Jayme and Ryan Bendoski have tried to be the kind of people who use their position to give back to the community.
Now, they are the ones seeking the community’s help as they make difficult decisions in the fight to keep their business afloat.
How it happened
About six months ago, the Bendoskis said they realized Full Circle was no longer profitable the way it was being operated. They were burning through their COVID relief money and struggled to balance the increased costs of food and paying competitive wages with the quality of products and service customers have grown to expect.
They took on a loan to buy some time and figure out how to right the ship. They began offering evening hours, expanded the menu and negotiated a deal with DoorDash. By the end of 2022, though, it became obvious more drastic changes were needed.
At the end of March this year, Full Circle told its customers that April was going to be the month that could make or break the business. They laid off three employees, removed some menu items, closed the café on Wednesdays to cut payroll and even issued a Facebook plea for customers to come in and support them due to an uncertain future.
The good news, Jayme said, is the community responded.
“We did the highest numbers of sales we’ve ever seen three days straight,” Jayme said. “It was insane. It was amazing. I cried every day. I was just taking to people to their tables, listening to these inspirational things that they’re telling me … and then just crying. It’s been lots of highs and lows these last couple of weeks.”
Even with the influx of in-store support, Jayme said there is still a long way to go if they want to be sustainable – and time is of the essence.
“It’s a literal cash flow game right now in terms of keeping the lights on,” she said. “We never thought we’d be here.”
Hands up, not out
Even as the financial situation at Full Circle became more dire in recent weeks, the Bendoskis didn’t want to ask for handouts. In fact, when friends of the café offered to create a GoFundMe, they initially refused.
“My husband and I were both like ‘no, we’re not expecting handouts,'” Jayme said. “Sure, we’re asking customers to come in and help us, but to ask for donations didn’t sit right.”
Jayme said they have always seen the business as a platform to help others, not the other way around.
“For seven years, we’ve taken a lot of pride in being the helpers – being the ones that are helping the family that’s raising money for their kiddo with cancer, or supporting the kids’ ball teams,” Jayme said. “To turn the tables and not only have to say ‘no’ to that stuff when we’re asked, but also to be the ones needing the help, it sucks.”
Jayme said the couple’s pride wouldn’t allow them to take money for nothing – until one of the customers offered a different perspective.
“One of the amazing humans that was really pushing for this and really feels like it can help us was like ‘this isn’t a handout, this is a hand up,” Jayme said. “It’s literal full circle. Sometimes you’re the helper, sometimes you’re the one needing the help. She literally single-handedly changed our minds about it in the course of a couple hours.”
The GoFundMe has raised nearly $3,000 as of Friday night, with a listed goal of $50,000. All money will be used to keep the business going through April, which Jayme said is historically one of the slowest months they have.
Becoming sustainable
If Full Circle is able to make it until May, The Bendoskis have a new business plan ready to increase profitability in addition to the payroll cuts and menu changes. New hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Monday.
On days the café is closed, Jayme and Ryan will focus on the catering side of the business. They’ve also entered into a partnership with Radtke Farms to utilize the café kitchen for cooking Radke jams once catering orders are complete, as another way to increase revenue while cutting payroll. They are connecting with resources like Cornerstone’s Women’s Business Center and the small business mentors at SCORE.
“We’re not just asking for a Band-Aid of money because that’s not going to fix the actual problem,” Jayme said. “Helping us in this way, supporting us right now will hopefully allow us to tweak the things that need to be tweaked and effect change for the business long-term.”
Additional changes may include switching to counter service or QR code menus for outdoor seating, additional changes to hours of operation, streamlining kitchen efficiency, building the grab-and-go counter and working with the building owner to resolve ongoing plumbing issues that have closed the café during busy times.
“My husband and I, we did not go to school to be business owners,” Jayme said. “It’s kind of like this business has grown into something that we never even really thought that it could or would. The sales volume is not the problem. We have the sales volume, but it’s that we have to correct the model.”
With all the changes, though, Jayme said Full Circle intends to maintain the high standards of quality the customers expect.
“Our customers have an expectation for a certain level of quality of our product and there’s not a lot we can do to change that,” she said. “They also have high expectations of our customer service, so this is where we’re hoping to have wiggle room to change things, while still holding on to their love and support. … It is our hope that all of these changes will be the difference between Full Circle surviving at all, and thriving for years to come.”
To support the Full Circle GoFundMe, click here.
By Ryan Yuenger
ryany@wsjm.com
