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Open Mic Night
A big thank you goes out to a lot of folks who made another Open Mic Night @ B.A.D. a huge success.
A standing room only crowd in both the deli and coffeeHouse got enjoy everything from musicians to comedians to poetry last night @ B.A.D. We had so many 'signed-up' performers that the show had to begin early, just to get everyone on stage before closing. And even doing that, we stayed open late!
Make no mistake about, there's some great talent in our own backyard and we'll continue to give them a venue to entertain.
Speaking of great, local performers... what would you do if you were me. I got the idea of not only 'growing' open mic night once a month (the last Friday of each month), but also hosting more live music.
To that end, I'd like for these LOCAL performers who 'wowed' the B.A.D. crowd to perform as single acts. So, would you...
A. have one performer take the stage one night a week, 7-9p?
B. have one performer take the stage one night a week, during Happy Hour, 4=7p?
C. have one performer take the stage on one random night a week?
Personally, I'd like to keep it consistent. I'd like folks to say, 'hey, it's such-in-such night that always means pretty good live music @ The Big Apple Deli on the square.
Besides the live, LOCAL stuff... I still want to bring in other talent from other places. Remember Ruben V? Wait til you hear Clepper George in March.
Soon, we'll have our outdoor stage on our back patio... how much fun would it be to listen to live music outside in the spring and summer.
Thanks, Bill
Regular vs. New Customers
Hola all.
We got a great gift from a customer yesterday and it got me to thinking. First of all, a big thanks to Allie Brewster of Kendallie's Dance Studio.
Allie gave us a wonderful, beat-up, heavily used, signed pair of her ballet 'toe' shoes. The gift was in appreciation to B.A.D. for hosting (for the 2nd yr) a party for their dance troupe after the yearly Kendallie dance program held @ the Ritz Community Theater.
It's a great gift. Check 'em out. They're hanging on the glass doors behind the B.A.D. bar.
Now to the thinking part of this story. One of the best parts of the business, for me anyway, is getting to know the customers. Don't get me wrong. The very best part is checking the register tape @ the end of the night and seeing a big day. But none of that's possible w/out regular and new customers.
Thank goodness there are too many regulars to mention by name, but here's a glimpse. There's the man who orders 1 Ruben with 2 orders of deviled eggs, always to go. There's the teacher who orders the Ruben with potato salad and tea. There's the WTC administrator who likes The Pig with mustard. There's the choir singer who likes a cup of ice with her Diet Coke. There's the loan officer who likes the NJ Sloppy Joe dressed w/out mayo. There's the husband and wife who always order three Dr. Peppers. There's the WTC administrator who likes his Pastrami on Rye with Mayo only (yuck.) There's the husband who orders Turkey and Swiss on PoBoy with only mustard, while his wife likes the BLT w/out mustard.
That's just the beginning. The point is.. these folks are coming into B.A.D. on a regular basis and I can't say thank you enough!! Heck we even named a sandwich (La Glenda) after a regular customer. That's the FUN part. It's great to see a familiar face walk through the door, holler out their name and chat with 'em while they give us some of their time.
Now to the new customers. They're the best, too. I know it's impossible to have more than one best... but it's my blog.
We get new customers all the time. They range from Snyderites to folks from here to Massachusetts to Denmark to Brazil. For me, it's a chance to really put on Snyder's best. It's a chance to dazzle guests with customer service. And if you ask any of our staff, our unofficial motto is: Customer service, Customer service, Customer service.. food, cleanliness, Customer service, customer service!
So, if you're regular.. thanks a ton for visiting B.A.D. I'm flattered that you return. My goal is always make you feel @ home.
If you're a new customer.. thanks for giving us a try. I sincerely hope when you leave you plan to return whether it's to B.A.D. or any other establishment in Snyder.
Regular or new... Bidness is fun. Thank you!
B
The Flatulator
Hi everyone!
Gotta tell you about this new toy we have @ B.A.D. It's not exactly in good taste, but it sure makes us laugh. But beware, you could be the victim of The Flatulator
Everybody does it. Some don't mind doing it. Some actually take great pleasure in doing it. Some even rate their's.
Because everyone does it.. "it" has a number of names. Some are silly. Some are just initials like "SBD." The point is, it's a fact of laugh. Now @ B.A.D., we have "The Flatulator" guarantee to lighten up any mood---unless of course, you don't do it, have never done it and don't approve of it. I've already found the "don't approve of it" response. I don't think it was the first time that generated the response---I think it was the repeated times that led to the 'that's enough' look that I get from my mother sometimes.
Anyway, it's the flatulator or more simply put B.A.D.s fart machines. It even has its own remote control (which has caused a few problems too.. keep reading).
It's got a speaker with volume control, consist of several different versions of 'it' that include a quicky to a long-drawn out multi level 'it.'
We stash all around B.A.D. just to keep everyone on their toes. The remote however is generally with me or sometimes Murray and that leads to the aforementioned remote trouble.
First let me say, the range on the remote is tremendous. It even works from outside. But
I found out the hard way... don't carry the remote in your back pocket and sit down.
The first day we had The Flatulator I put the remote in my back pocket.. hit the button a few times during lunch and generally had laughs all around. But...
After lunch, I went to my office to get some work done. Unbeknownst to me, I was sitting on the remote and everytime I wiggled--I set off The Flatulator.
That may have been okay until we got a mini rush @ the register which @ the time was where we positioned the speaker @ FULL VOLUME.
So as I'm upstairs wiggling around, I'm accidentally hitting the button that activiates the fart machines. Apparently, it's going through the entire range of accustics.. more than once and all the while customers ranging in age from children to grand parents are getting blasted with what's generally considered a very private sound.
Well, the next think I know is--Murray runs up the stairs laughing hysterically but yelling turn it off! Turn it off!
What? What?, I say.
"The Flatulator!", he yells back between guffaws. "We'r swamped and it keeps going off with lil' old ladies @ the register."
Needless to say, I know keep the remote in my front pocket. But still, beware. The Flatulator could be anywhere.
Thanks
B
BAD's Beginnings
Hi all. This is the first 'real' blog for our new website. So, I figure it's obligatory that I give you the B.A.D. backstory with a lil' vision thrown in for laginappe.
First all, B.A.D. began by fate. The Readers' Digest version is... my family's big house burned down @ Randals' Corner (8miles west of Snyder). So, we went looking for a place to call home.
Go figure, mom bought a whole hotel. The idea WAS to renovate the upstairs into living quarters w/out a real thought to the downstairs. Well, that didn't happen.
First, we gutted the Manhattan CoffeeHouse side of the hotel. Then, we took on the B.A.D. project.
Now that we've been open for a year, here are some fun, B.A.D. facts...
1. B.A.D. was the original lobby for the Manhattan Hotel
2. The base for the B.A.D. bar is made from the pavers off Snyder's 25th street
3. The inspiratoin for B.A.D. was The Caterie in Baton Rouge, where I worked as a teen and spent many, many a night in my formative years. (The Caterie burned down this month)
4. The floor is called Lilly Pad, inspired by Mike Thornton @ WTC
5. The back, red wall is not a poor drywall job rather a cloth covering inspired by an Anthropologie store in Austin
6. The cooler and the glass doors behind the bar are from the Tiger Mart, formerly @ 37th and College in Snyder
7. The old wood on the east wall is from an old church in Scurry County
8. The ceiling is original.. 1916
9. The front facade is based on a watercolor of a picture taken in the 1950s, before the 'space race' look that overtook much of Snyder in the 1960s.
10. The red, brick wall and the wall behind the deli counter are both 14" brick fire walls. We put in the big doors between B.A.D. and the Manhattan CoffeeHouse.
Here are some B.A.D. hopes
1. B.A.D. will inspire others to set up commercial business in the downtown area.
2. Hopefully, new restaurants will locate on the square... no more along College Ave., please.
3. Snyder will become a destination
4. Our square will become something people from near and far wish to visit b/c of it's unique, vibrant, interesting, fun atmosphere.
Okay, that's the B.A.D. news in a nutshell. Watch for more blogs on topics ranging to our "Flatulator" and "The only consistency in this business."
Thanks
Bill
Welcome
Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.