First Branch Open

Three weeks have passed since Ken and Hu Zhishang started the renovation of the café. All of the equipment has arrived and installed in the café. The last things to arrive in the cafe are the Coffee Maker and the Espresso Maker. They only arrived this morning. Both of those machines are foreign-made so both of those are imported. That makes them arrive late compared to the other equipment.

Doing the renovation and buying all the equipment cost Black Bamboo Café around 190,000 F$. Now Black Bamboo Café has 80,000 F$ on the bank account. There is still money that is gained this month on the main branch safes. That money will only get transferred to the main business account later when the salary for the employees has been paid.

The renovation and decorating of the café are already finished. Just like the plan, the first floor has a more cheerful mood compared to the serious mood of the second floor.

On the first floor, there is a counter like in a bar. Behind the counter is where the staff will work. There are already lined all the equipment like refrigerator, freezer, and shelves on the wall behind the counter. While the coffee maker machine and espresso maker machine are placed on the counter.

10 customers can sit in front of the counter. Other than that, there are 3 tables that can serve 4 customers each at the same time. So in total, the first floor can place 22 customers at the same time.

On the second floor, there are 32 chairs to serve the customers. In addition, there is a staff room that doubled as a small storage room for the ingredients. Both floors have a toilet for customer use.

~~~

"Boss Chen, all the preparation is done. We also have all the staff ready." Hu Zhishang said to Chen QIu.

"Good" Ken replied, "Have you tried using the machine? Is there any difference?"

"Not yet, but looking at the control panel outside, there seem to be not many differences. Want to test it now Boss?"

"Let's test it, I want to see if the coffee still tastes the same."

Ken then steps to the Espresso Machine. He looked at the machine and found that there really is not much difference. He then operated the machine and make two cups of espresso.

"Hmm... They taste better?" Ken is a little confused wondering if his taste bud is wrong. But it should not be wrong. In the last two months, Ken has adapted to drinking coffee. In the main world, he can't drink coffee at all. But after 'possessing' Chen Qiu, he now can understand why coffee can taste good and he also knows how quality coffee tastes.

"How? It is better right?" Ken asked Hu Zhishang.

"Uhm, it tastes different. It is only a subtle change, but I think like the previous one better."

"So, it is a personal preference huh..." Ken said while nodding understanding. "Well, you can try to replicate the coffee taste. But for now, we will go with this machine. We don't have more money to change the machine."

"Yes, just as Boss Chen said, it is only a matter of preferences. As the quality of this coffee is still good." Hu Zhishang added, "And I will 'play' this machine more to replicate the original Black Bamboo Café's Coffee."

~~~

Ken is now inside Chen Qiu's apartment. He is recounting all that happened these last two months. To explain it in one word, busy.

Ken is extremely busy opening the first branch. He is doing all the administration work to get the business permit of the branch, he is also doing the planning, and supervising the renovation. Ken can only imagine how busy he will be if he didn't hire Hu Zhishang early.

"Should I also make an administration department here?" Ken suddenly remembered the new mission. He needs to make the administration department for the Creampuff Game Studio.

"But I will be only in this world for 5 years, is the hassle of setting up a department worth it?"

He thinks for a little bit.

"If I will be that busy every time Black Bamboo Cafe opens a new branch, then it is surely worth the hassle."

Ken doesn't want to be as busy as before. He still needs to operate his real business in the main world. There is also a possibility that the system assigns multiple missions for him at the same time. So it is better to design the business system so that it keeps working even when he is not there.

"At least now that the first branch has been completed, I can relax a bit. The day-to-day operation of the café is already perfect, they work even when I am not there. Now I only need to 'automate' the planning and expanding process.

"But before that, I will go back to the main world and check how the Chibi Robowar Project is going."

Ken then text Yuan Liqin and Hu Zhishang that he might not be able to come to the café for a few weeks.