Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Canning.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my career in marketing and after about ten years in the field, I took a leap of faith and quit the corporate world to work side by side my husband at his independent gourmet grocer and restaurant. As a first timer in the food service industry, I took to the business like a wide-eyed student and learned everything from the front of the house to bookkeeping. During my time at the shop, our pastry chef was exploring a variety of sweet treats for the weekend farmers market. She found a home run with her grandmother’s recipe for scones. Scones?! Exactly. But as the popularity grew for her sweet and savory pastries we knew we had a concept on our hands that could live on its own. Our goal was to create a special neighborhood spot that could stand out from the retail chains. Our difference is personalized customer service, the best scone in the city, and of course a great cup of coffee courtesy of Halfwit Coffee Roasters, a local roaster and now partner in the business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Opening a new independent business is going to be a challenge but I have always looked at hurdles as a positive not a negative. Our love and passion for Scone City makes dealing with the city and their processes palpable. Watching families bring in friends to their “spot” on a Saturday morning takes the place of a big marketing budget. And asking customers -now friends accounting questions over a cup of coffee makes the lack of a traditional infrastructure enjoyable.
Please tell us about Scone City.
The answer is simple and straightforward. I truly believe that we sell the best scone in the city. Our team begins their morning at2 amm to provide the shop with freshly baked scones seven days a week. Only the freshest ingredients are used to bake over 20 different varieties of sweet and savory treats. Once in the shop, our team of talented baristas can make a delicious coffee but that is not a differentiator in our neighborhood. What sets us apart is the care that we take with each and every customer. Our team strives to make you feel like family by knowing your name, how you like your coffee, and remembering to congratulate you on that big presentation you gave the day before. We are here to give you that little bit of positivity to get your day started on the right foot.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Although I am very proud of Scone City and what we offer our customers, I think it is very important to do one thing amazing well and focus all of our energy toward that goal. In this case, if we were to start over we would simplify our business even further and eliminate the espresso machine and all of its glory. By doing so, we would make our labor pool much larger, since latte art is no longer a requirement, and of course costs of equipment, raw materials, and maintenance would disappear. There are plenty of amazing coffee shops in our neighborhood and the majority of our customers come for scones and add on a coffee, not the other way around.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1632 W Division Street, Chicago IL 60622
- Website: www.sconecity.com
- Phone: 773.904.8722
- Email: contact@sconecity.com
- Instagram: sconecity
- Facebook: sconecity
- Twitter: sconecity
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/scone-city-chicago
Image Credit:
Galdones Photography (@hugegaldones)
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