New restaurant planned for Farmers Blvd.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Earth Tones & Side Dishes is an urban music-themed casual dine-in eatery with carry-out service and a small fresh produce grocery attached.
Earth. Refers to our emphasis on fresh, whole foods in our marketplace, in our kitchen, and on our rooftop garden, and our commitment to minimizing our carbon footprint.
Tones. Signifies our ties to the tremendous jazz, funk, and hip-hop heritage of the southeast Queens community where we are based.
Side Dishes. Summarizes our philosophy that when health is your main course, everything is a side dish. This is also a sales and serving strategy based on the spending and eating patterns of our targeted demographic.
Our business will tap into an underserved market in southeast Queens, New York, which has significant purchasing power and a desire for healthier menu options, convenient access to fresh produce, and the opportunity to dine-in rather than only take-out. Our establishment will occupy a 4,300 square foot space, enabling us to deliver a more desirable experience to our customers than the typical 800-1,800 sq. ft. storefront take-out joints in the surrounding area. Initially wewill offer lunch and dinner only, but we will consider expanding to include a breakfast/brunch menu if the demand is proven.
Central to our model is offering a variety of side dishes, and KFC and Boston Market are the mainstream neighborhood-based establishments most similar to our model, primarily because they offer more than just french fries or white rice. KFC offers traditional American baked beans, potato wedges, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, and macaroni & cheese. Boston Market offers sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, sautéed vegetables, and creamed spinach. Both restaurants offer dine-in and carry-out.
Earth Tones & Side Dishes will be similar to KFC and Boston Market in terms of neighborhood convenience and usefulness for feeding a family. However, we will be different in the following ways:
(1) Our food will be healthier.
(2) Our side dishes will have greater culinary variety and will be consistent with our American/Caribbean fusion theme.
(3) Our dine-in eating is via table service rather than seat-yourself.
(4) Our ambiance will be suitable for a lunch meeting or an evening out.
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