Over 50 years strong, a major recent renovation and this bar & restaurant in Norfolk reeks Greek!
So let’s start with you are you from this local area?
Yes. Born and Raised in Norfolk, Va. My whole family is from here and I graduated from Maury High School. Why did you choose this line of business? After I graduated high school. I toured with my brothers band Savannah all around the country. When we got back in town I needed to decide on a real career path. I saw how much joy the restaurant industry brought my father when he opened the business so I began working along side of him. What made you decide to start your own business vs. working for somebody else? When did you begin your business? Our family was always very entrepreneurial. My father began this business in 1966 and I joined him in 1982. Starting a business is a tough thing to do! What inspired you to keep going as you were getting it off the ground? My father started the business, but after I took over there were many challenging times and obstacles that I faced. Staying current in the large community of restaurants in Norfolk is tough. At one point I started a catering company called Creative Catering of Va when the restaurant wasn’t doing so well to supplement our income. We underwent major renovations about 2 ½ years ago and have grown tremendously since! In 2018 after owning the catering company for 12 years I can happily say that I was able to comfortably sell it because of how well the restaurant is doing. When would you really say your business went from a concept to actually functional? Looking back, what was the most difficult challenge you had to face? Investing a lot of money into renovations for a business that was not profitable was very scary and a large risk, but it was 100% worth it. We have been in business for over 50 years and would like to continue the family legacy for another 50. What do you enjoy the most about the Virginia Beach communities your business takes care of? All of our customers have been so loyal and supportive of us. They are a part of our family, and are what keep us going to want to always try and be better. If a potential customer has to pick from 3 different businesses providing what you provide, what would make your company really stand out, and they choose your company over the others? Being family owned and operated we care very much about the quality and consistency of our product and you are always treated like family when you dine with us. Our customer service is one of the things that we truly pride ourselves on. Our employees work very hard to make sure every guest leaves happy. Has internet technology played a big part in your growth, and making your company more successful? Social media has played a large part in our growth. We have been able to reach a whole new clientele with the help of facebook and Instagram marketing. Where do you see your business going forward in 2019? We hope that we will continue to grow and be able to offer great food and service to the community. Thinking back to day one, can you think of anything you may have done differently to overcome challenges and to meet your business goals in a more efficient amount of time? I wish I would’ve added a bar earlier. Alcohol sales were really low for us in the past only offering beer and wine. Adding a bar changed a lot for us. Where do you see your business in the next 3-5 years? Continuing our consistency in food and service and continuing to grow in sales. What is the best way for our readers to connect with your team and to take advantage of what your company has to offer? Follow us on social media to stay in touch with new events and food specials we have! http://www.orapaxrestaurant.com/
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So let’s start with you. Are you from this local area? I am a Virginia Beach native who graduated from the University of Virginia with a love for international studies. While working for an online learning and translation company in Los Angeles, I was inspired to learn more. With only a backpack and a one way ticket to Thailand, I found my love for all things fresh, local, and crunchy. Every morning on my way to teach English in Khoa Lak, I would stop by the local smoothie and juice shop. And by local smoothie and juice shop, I mean a small hut run by a Thai lady who made the best smoothies and juice from local fruits and vegetables. I woke up happy, healthy, and energized every day. I immediately called my sister to tell her I had figured out life and wanted to own a juice shop. In 2017, I moved back to Virginia Beach to start the Crunchy Carrot, a cold pressed business. Why did you choose this line of business? Ties in with paragraph above. What made you decide to start your own business vs. working for somebody else? When did you begin your business? June 2017 Starting a business is a tough thing to do! What inspired you to keep going as you were getting it off the ground? Some days I would come exhausted and covered in vegetables and would question if I really wanted to be in the food industry. And then I would receive a text or email from a client that would make my day worth it. After one particularly exhausting day, I received this text “I am determined not to be without your juice. I’m a believer. I plan it in my budget now! When I’m out of town, you’ll know.” She orders 5 juices every week and can’t go a week without it. It’s texts like these that make it all worth it for me. When would you really say your business went from a concept to actually functional? The idea started in Thailand and no one thought I was serious. I’m not even sure I thought I was going to be able to pull it off and make it my full-time job. One week after being home, the idea came to fruition. I was at a family dinner and made a comment to my mom’s friend about being able to make fresh, local juice for less than she was currently paying ($12 bottle) and she said sign me up. She became my first client and monthly subscriber. Looking back, what was the most difficult challenge you had to face? Cold-pressed juice is labor intensive. The most difficult challenge was finding the most efficient way to juice hundreds of pounds of produce while still keeping everything fresh. I finally invested in an amazing industrial Goodnature juicer and that has helped a lot. I want to offer the highest quality juice that is made fresh so doing that and still having a life was the biggest challenge : ) What do you enjoy the most about the Virginia Beach communities your business takes care of? Every day I am amazed by the love and support from the community in Virginia Beach. One of my regular clients came to pick up juice and saw how much I had to make and decided to just start helping. If a potential customer has to pick from 3 different businesses providing what you provide, what would make your company really stand out, and they choose your company over the others? I partner with local farmers and that makes a big difference. You can taste the difference in our Beet Street when I use beets from Cromwell produce. They are so sweet and full of flavor. I have yet to try a beet juice that tastes like mine. Has internet technology played a big part in your growth, and making your company more successful? Yes. Friends posting about Crunchy Carrot on Facebook and Instagram have brought a lot of referral business. Where do you see your business going forward in 2019? I would love to grow my subscription service which provides clients weekly juice deliveries at a discounted price. I also just finished my 200 hour yoga teacher training and would like to start incorporating yoga into my business. I am working on programs that will help calm and restore the body from the inside out. Thinking back to day one, can you think of anything you may have done differently to overcome challenges and to meet your business goals in a more efficient amount of time? No. Every challenge and mistake taught me a lesson or at least made for a good story : ) Where do you see your business in the next 3-5 years? I am launching a new product line, Crunchy Hydration. This new product line will feature Adaptogenic Herbal Waters. I would really like to grow this part of the business as well as my subscription service for Crunchy Carrot. What is the best way for our readers to connect with your team and to take advantage of what your company has to offer? Readers can order and pay online at crunchycarrotvb.com and the website explains all our juice and cleanse offerings! They can also use our messenger bot to receive coupons, more information, and links to all upcoming events. So let’s start with you are you from this local area? I am, I was born and raised in the Red Mill area of Virginia Beach. Went to high school at Ocean Lakes and also played football for the dolphins. Why did you choose this line of business? I have had a passion for NASCAR since a little boy. I have always dreamed of being in the top divisions and competing to win races! What made you decide to start your own business vs. working for somebody else? When did you begin your business? I began this business in 2016 because I wanted to pursue the passion of racing while also helping local companies with their marketing campaigns at Langley Speedway. Starting a business is a tough thing to do! What inspired you to keep going as you were getting it off the ground? I am motivated by my determination to win and the team that surrounds me. We are a tight-knit team so when I see them motivated to win it motivates me to do the best I can on and off the track. Performing at the top level for my sponsors and team members is what inspires me because without them, I would not be able to do what I love. When would you really say your business went from a concept to actually functional? While in school at Hampden-Sydney College I envisioned starting Tillman Heuer Motorsports in an effort to be able to compete at Langley Speedway in the Pro Wing Champ Kart and Enduro Divisions in 2016. The concept developed into a functional team at the beginning of the ’16 season and it has grown to great heights! 2019 is going to be our biggest year yet thanks to: Pitbull Tobacco Company, Jose Tequilas Mexican Restaurant, Atlantic Shoreline Company, and American Do It Yourself Garage. Our #14 Pitbull Tobacco Company Chevy Monte Carlo is ready for a great year! Looking back, what was the most difficult challenge you had to face? There is a lot of hard work that goes into owning a race team. There are many long nights and early mornings, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have the best partners in the world and I owe it to them to make sure we are performing at a top level every time we are on the track. What do you enjoy the mostabout the Virginia Beach communities your business takes care of? Virginia Beach is such a beautiful city and the people that live here are amazing. My team enjoys brining business to the local companies that are in our communities because when we are helping local companies we are in return helping the communities as well. I take pride in bringing brand-loyal fans to the local businesses that are within the community that I live. If a potential customer has to pick from 3 different businesses providing what you provide, what would make your company really stand out, and they choose your company over the others? Our social media marketing plan is the best in the market and our race team is one of the hardest working teams that there is at Langley Speedway, if not the East Coast. I would choose our company over the rest because we have produced great results for the partners that we currently have and we are looking to give them even more results this year. I have had 100% return on all my marketing partnerships and I cannot wait to see what 2019 has to offer for our team. Has internet technology played a big part in your growth, and making your company more successful? Of course, team website, our social media campaigns, Facebook, and Instagram pages all play a significant role in our success. Where do you see your business going forward in 2019? 2019 is going to be our biggest year yet. I am excited for our partners and team. Pitbull Tobacco Company, Jose Tequilas Mexican Restaurant, Atlantic Shoreline Company, and American Do It Yourself Garage. Thinking back to day one, can you think of anything you may have done differently to overcome challenges and to meet your business goals in a more efficient amount of time? Since establishing Tillman Heuer Motorsports, our business has evolved and progressed faster than I would have ever imagined. Sure I have made my mistakes but who hasn’t? I have a great team and great sponsors who support me 100% and together as one we can defeat any adversity that is thrown our way. Where do you see your business in the next 3-5 years? The sky is the limit. I would like to see us in one of the three top levels of NASCAR. Of course we will need the partners and funding to do so, but I do feel as I have the talent and determination to make it there. What is the best way for our readers to connect with your team and to take advantage of what your company has to offer? Our business phone number is 757-724-7097 or you can reach out via email- TillmanHeuerMotorsports@outlook.com on Instagram- @T_Heuer_ or on Facebook- @TillmanHeuerMotorsports or @TillmanHeuer Thank you for your support and we will see you at Langley Speedway! Also check out my awesome sponsors: Pitbull Tobacco Company, Jose Tequilas Mexican Restaurant, Atlantic Shoreline Company, and American Do It Yourself Garage! |