“We’re not in any rush, but we’ll be ready when the right opportunity comes along.” “We don't have the next business picked out,” said McNary. Whether this next venture is a second laundromat or something completely new is yet to be decided. While profitable, the cafe takes up a lot of their time - they married a few months before they purchased the cafe and have yet to take their honeymoon. There are constant updates needed at the laundromat and the cafe, and the couple is always looking for new businesses that allow for a more passive role. And this summer, the cafe experienced its most profitable season yet. The laundromat, once floated by Dos Palmas, is now paying for itself. Vending machines, chrome Speed Queen dryers and a mural from local artist Gloria Muriel were just a few of the additions.Ī year later, both businesses have experienced steady growth, with sales increasing monthly.

Gutted and started from scratch, the laundromat soon became the safe and clean community space they had imagined. Laura and Valentin spent the next three months completing extensive renovations. Finally, after a period of back and forth between the parties, and an additional ten days in escrow, the laundromat was theirs. Plans to outfit the laundromat with new machines meant they had to take out a hefty loan, bringing a third-party loan supplier into negotiations. Unlike the cafe, however, this process proved to be a test of patience for both Laura and Valentin.

“It was our chance to put in some elbow grease.”Įager to begin, they moved forward with the purchase. “We realized was even more rundown than we could have imagined,” said McNary. The couple contacted the owner to secure more details and assess the scale of the project. What they found was a laundromat, listed at a lower price than any other businesses they had seen in the area. Again, the couple turned to the web, this time seeking a business that required less day-to-day involvement than the cafe, which had them on their feet all day. “The coffee shop brings people in the community together.”Īfter several years of growth and a move to Ocean Beach, these entrepreneurs were ready for a new challenge. “I didn't realize how perfect the location was until a year or two in - about 90 percent of our customers live within a few blocks and can walk to us,” said McNary. But the cafe offered more than just business stability. The couple attributes their success to working in the cafe daily, practicing clear communication and remembering why they decided to pursue small business ownership in the first place - to be their own bosses. Dos Palmas grew into a community hotspot, a local favorite for coffee and delicious sandwiches. Maintenance wasn't kept up, and as the quality decreased, so did the customer base.Īfter heavy renovations and a revamped menu that included SoCal staple açaí bowls, sales increased and continued to climb. The aftermath and following reliance on employees drained the previous business financially. The two partners who started the coffee shop had separated a year into business. “We didn't know the processes of business escrow and re-assigning the lease - the broker was an expert.”īut the smooth sales process turned into a few months of choppy water. “It was very helpful to have the broker since we had never owned or purchased a business before,” McNary said. It proved to be a simple and easy buying process. Inexperienced and not sure what to expect, the couple was thankful to have the seller’s broker involved. 'Coffee shop' topped their list, and after a few months they found and purchased Dos Palmas. What they wanted was an existing business that would be profitable, interesting and simple to manage. “It definitely helped in the process of finding what we wanted and what we could realistically offer.” “It started out as a really good research tool,” McNary said.

First sip cafe