Josh Molina 14:43
Yeah, so you know, the neighbors. The Arts District is really close to the city hall, the courthouse. So there’s a lot of professionals that work in the area. Not a ton of residential but we had early support from you know, the Are the people that were in the district or nearby it? The early days, you know, we were bare bones, right? We’ve come, we’ve added so many pieces of equipment, decor, but the early days were, you know, we’re, we’re great, we’re a great experience, because we were well received, you know, we were the first coffee shop in that neighborhood. And so we drew a lot of people in and we learned a lot at the time. And, and we, we kept going, and we kept growing. As we grew, we kept evolving, and, you know, reinvesting into the, into the location until we felt that we had everything we needed.
Chad Franzen 15:38
So you didn’t have to do much to tell everybody about yourself, you were kind of in just a location where people were waiting for a coffee shop.
Josh Molina 15:44
Yeah, I mean, I, you know, we did a lot of marketing, I think we did, we did a lot of like grassroots urban style marketing. So we did. I forget what that’s called now. But we did a wall on the on the plywood covering the storefront, we did a wall of like, really unique, kind of like LA New York style marketing. Very, very grassroots, I think we just came with a very unique and different angle that hadn’t been seen in the city before. And so that, that, that, that that really added to into our early success was, you know, we just, we just looked sounded and felt different.
Chad Franzen 16:30
Was the was the coffee the primary draw then initially? Or is it still?
Josh Molina 16:35
Yeah, it isn’t anymore, but it was at the time, because we identified as a coffee shop at first. But that was purely, you know, strategy, because, you know, there’s, there were hundreds of restaurants in Las Vegas, and there was probably like, less than two dozen coffee shops in the entire city. So we thought we’d have a much better time competing in that space. And really, when they came in, is when you realize that it’s a restaurant, right? Well, breakfast and brunch restaurant, there was a lot of educating because it was, you know, could be confusing for some guests. But ultimately, it was received and people love it, and they’ve embraced it. Did people
Chad Franzen 17:21
start ordering, you know, the specific Latin American items right away? Or was that was there a little integration period.
Josh Molina 17:28
So initially, when we designed the first iteration of our menu, we, we were confident, confident about the Latin American food, but we also, you know, needed a safety net. So 50% of the menu was Latin American base, and the other 50% was, you know, just café food. So like sandwiches, salads, wraps, and so on and so forth. Almost immediately, we realized that the Latin American food was the favorite. So slowly, but surely, over time, every new iteration of the menu, the concentration of Latin American food grew, and now it’s 95% of the menu.
Chad Franzen 18:08
Who came up with, like, the recipes or whatever? I mean, I’m sure there, I’m sure you grew up with those eating that food. But did you come up with all the food concepts?
Josh Molina 18:17
So the menu concept, you know, was definitely, I came up with the menu concept and how its laid out and what and what the dishes were. We had a chef partner, and early on in that location, so he used to come over my condo at the time, and we, you know, he made, he made the dishes. And he commercialized the process, right, so that we can make it and high volume and quickly, right. So through his help, we created spec sheets for all of our recipes, but it was very much inspired by, you know, the recipes that I grew up loving, just, you know, had to make some tweaks to commercialize them.
Chad Franzen 18:58
So How long had you been operating before you thought like, we can grow?
Josh Molina 19:05
Even before we opened, I just that was always that was that was, you know, I, you know, my, my gut always told me that it’s not going to be just one like you have to keep going. And then obviously that early success was a big catalyst to to make that jump. And you know, being being a young entrepreneur, I mean, I’ve learned so much and to be completely transparent. It wasn’t until these last six to nine months that I really understood what you know, my position and what I’m meant to do, which, I mean, means that it took me eight years to really learn what the hell I was doing. But early on, you know, I actually wanted to expand almost immediately we opened at the end of 2014 grand opening was 2015 in 2016. I started scouting for our next location and actually got into a partnership out in Henderson, which is a suburb of Las Vegas, and in their downtown, which is Water Street, right? So I was I, you know, I started an architect firm, you know, we, we met and we click. And so they were building out a three phase commercial building very modern, very trendy kind of art. Look. And we were going to be the cafe at, at their retail level. And so, you know, I was pursuing that for about six, six months. And, you know, it didn’t feel right, I just, I just, I had just gotten to a neighborhood that I was a pioneer in and help redevelop. And that’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of work and energy. And this, this, the the Water Street district in Henderson was very similar to the narcissists are very old, very rundown, and I knew that I was going to be facing very similar challenges. And I didn’t really want that I wanted a different challenge. I wanted to really test this concept at the max capacity, and I want it to compete with national brands. So I so we pivoted, I decided to end that partnership before we opened and even built out the space. And so 2016 asked, and then that’s when I, you know, was looking elsewhere. And in 2017, I found a third generation restaurant space in Downtown Summerlin, another suburb of Las Vegas. And it’s an it’s a mall. It’s an open air Mall. So there’s Macy’s major brands like Trader Joe’s footlocker, the works, right. And I, you know, at the time, they had just been sold and purchased by a different Corporation and their the direction that they were heading in was more local and focused on, you know, that the local crowd, and they really wanted to build a community. And I really believed in that vision. So I felt like that was the next step I should take. And, and that way I can really test makers and find those in a way that it would, you know, in the highest at the highest level, right? And so we made that choice. And it was also very appealing because it’s a third generation space. I didn’t have to go through the whole construction process of the first location. The first location in the arts district was a furniture store once upon a time. So I had to, you know, saw cut the concrete, do plumbing and, you know, install a kitchen hood. I mean, it was it was a labor of love, for sure. And this logo is downtown Sunland location in 2017. Had a kitchen it had a grease interceptor. It was a restaurant already. So it felt more like a renovation, which, because we were still growing it for a month for financial purposes. That was more within our budget than you know, building an entirely new restaurant. And so we took over the Downtown Summerlin space. Two days before my son Hudson was born, August 1 2017, that signed the lease. And we got the keys September 1. And we were able to open in three and a half months, three, three, yeah, three and a half months. So we open our doors just December 21 2017. A fast and furious renovation because you know, the clock was ticking and that the naturally the rent at this location was significantly higher than the arts district location. So that was a really big push to get open. And, and we open and you know, same thing. We were well received. We were well received in Summerlin. And now we’ve been there for going on six years.
Chad Franzen 23:54
Wow. Awesome. So you and you now have five locations. Is that right?
Josh Molina 23:59
Four and a half. Yeah, the fifth locations opening? Hopefully Memorial Day weekend. Okay. So that’s, that’s been a full build out like the person that arts district location. So now I’m revisiting that and it’s been a big challenge, but a another learning experience.
Chad Franzen 24:19
Sure. So you say, you know, you have multiple locations, four and a half locations now. And he said just within the past six to nine months, you figured it out what you should be doing? What did you learn that you should be doing? How did you figure that out?
Josh Molina 24:32
Well, I really want what I learned is, you know, how to how to really empower and manage a team I think, you know, and naturally small as a small business owner that invested you know, their entire lives to a project and relied heavily on on the success of it. You know, I was naturally very hands on and all over the place and, you know, really didn’t give the space that I needed to from I tend to grow and thrive and, and, and show their worth as well. So that was one of the biggest parts was just understanding how to really empower a team. And, and then I really just got the second part to it was just workflows, I just became, over the last six to nine months the efficiency was there, I was able to manage tasks, and really still have time available to be a father. And when I recognize that, because, you know, a lot of times you just, you’re just going and doing and you don’t really take a moment and realize, Wait, I feel like I just hit a new level, I think, I think something’s different. And so, you know, when I took that moment, six to nine months ago, I, you know, it really gave me a lot of confidence that I was meeting at the times. And, you know, in all transparency, I was, at that moment, when I broke through. I was I was in, I was in a really tough spot mentally. I, you know, I just, I had signed this new location in Henderson. And, you know, it was kind of like a late hit, I didn’t realize, you know, I almost just my entrepreneurial spirit, like, made that project happen. But my mind and my brain, when I process that later, I really became extremely doubtful, worried, and depressed, to be honest. And I had a really rough month, September, October. And, you know, in that darkness, I was able to figure out, you know, recognize what I mentioned, which is, hey, know, your, you know, what you do, you’ve broken through, and now it’s time to apply. And so that was a big part is I had to really fall on my face to pick myself back up. And now, you know, here I am. Good for you.
Chad Franzen 26:59
That’s great. Hey, so what are your goals? Now, moving forward? You said you got four and a half. So you’re kind of on the verge of a fifth location? What, what beyond that? Or is that good?
Josh Molina 27:09
Yeah. So, you know, we want to continue growing aggressively. We’re still, you know, putting the pieces of this new foundation together, this new management workflow, we acquired some offices as well, to really have a place for us to work and we’ve grown the admin, the administrative side, actually, through the help of my mother, so my mom, Martha, she’s my partner, my business partner, you know, she’s, she’s a big contributing factor to the, to our continued success. And so just having a team, especially in restaurants, you know, we’re, it’s usually focused on on the front of the house, like the hospitality and serving the guests. But having that dynamic of an extremely powerful back end, that runs all of our books that really handles the nitty gritty, has really empowered us to keep growing so we feel like we’re in a good spot. And we have plans to hopefully open or at least acquire another location by the end of this year in the Blue Diamond area, which is another area of Las Vegas, and the ultimate goal is in 2024, to expand beyond Las Vegas.
Chad Franzen 28:25
Okay, awesome. Hey, oh, I have one more question for you. But first, let me know how people can find out more about everything you’ve got going on with makers and finders. Sorry, I have one more question for you. But first, let me know how people can find out more about everything you have going on makers and funders.
Josh Molina 28:41
Yeah, absolutely. So you can find us on our website Makers & Finders is makerslv.com. We have four locations in Las Vegas with a fifth one coming on Memorial Day week. Again, we’re also all of our platforms, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, you’ll find this at Makers LV, we’re open at seven days a week. Hours vary by location, but be sure to check us out we’d love to we’d love to see you meet you.
Chad Franzen 29:08
Last question for you. So as a Colombian American when you go to Makers & Finders as a customer, what’s kind of your your go to item or go to items?
Josh Molina 29:18
Yeah, so there’s two items that are my go to is Cuban. cortado, right, which is this, it’s a short latte. It’s a double espresso, steamed milk and a little bit of condensed milk. So a little hint, the sweetness. I tasted this in Miami and Puerto Rico in Miami 2012 And I’ve been hooked since and so that’s my that’s my beverage option and then for food. If I’m feeling really hungry now I’m they have Beisa law. Now pi says the national dish of Colombia. It’s a smorgasbord of protein and deliciousness. I got an eight ounce New York Strip, pork belly chatter on Maduro rows, which are fried plantains, rice the Beans, sunny side up egg, avocado, pickled onions, all of it. But it’s just it’s very, very much my power lunch.
Chad Franzen 30:09
Okay, sounds great. Hey, Josh has been great talking to you. Congratulations on all your success. Best wishes moving forward. And I really appreciate your time today. Thank you so much.
Josh Molina 30:18
Thank you, Chad. Thank you for having me on.
Chad Franzen 30:19
So long everybody.
Outro 30:20
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