The pandemic did not ruin, but it saved: closure was considered, but turnover during quarantine increased 3-4 times

The business restaurant is located in the heart of Vilnius, on Gediminas avenue. One of its founders, Dovilė, says that the idea for the company was born in the summer of last year.

“We were considering one of the options to work at Gastronomer Food Hall, and when we had a goal of being there, we just started thinking about what we could sell there,” he says, and Edgar adds that they have known Deauville for a long time and the bars. . and the restaurant business has been around for about a decade.

Currently, the restaurant “2buo” “Gastronomas Food Hall” is located at 7.5 square meters. indoors, so they both laugh that when they decide to settle in such a small space, they have to look at the eating place from a completely different angle, to create a product that is not only easy to produce, does not require a lot of space, but also exclusive.

When asked about the investments that were then needed to start a business, Deauville advises imagining spaces where there is nothing.

“It just came to our knowledge then. You build everything from scratch, no matter how small the restaurant is, it requires investment from the dishes to the employees,” he says, and Edgar adds that starting the project from the idea until October 23 From 2019, when the company started, it cost them about 25-30 thousand EUR.

From the beginning, as they say, even before the pandemic, 4 people worked in the kitchen, but starting a business was not easy.

“When we started our business, we as a company did well, but the location of the facilities we rented was not very successful.

When you are not in the right place, you cannot attract many people on your own. As we depend on these premises, that feeling and realization of the space was poor ”, explains Dovilė about the beginning and says that customers simply did not visit there.

According to them, as a result, it was repeatedly considered not only to abandon these facilities, but also to completely close the company.

“It was very difficult for us both with the team and with the development of the idea, and the dishes were changed. There were really times when I wanted to drop everything, “says Edgar.

Over time, the company also incurred debt, but both Dovilė and Edgar say they don’t want to talk about it, because it’s a thing of the past.

According to our calculations, the first half of the year, from October to the beginning of the quarantine, was tragic, not very profitable, not profitable, it was really considered to leave everything, withdraw from the project, but the quarantine and our marketing, kitchen, we got together as a traffic jam, we put all our efforts to this day. it was worth it, ”explained the manager.

The pandemic and the first quarantine, as the demand for food increased, took the company’s turnover to a whole new level. As he explains, it increased from 3 to 4 times.

“A marketing plan, publicity, opinion leaders helped us,” Edgar openly teaches, assuring that then people discovered them and started buying takeout.

“We say that the quarantine saved us, but to this day we still cannot say that we are working very profitably.

We have not yet calculated the balance for this year, but we continue to invest. I wouldn’t say that we thought there would be a profit, it just helped us survive, invest in the project, ”says Edgar.

Today, the company has 9 employees and both entrepreneurs make no secret that they are planning further business development.

“There are plans, but this second quarantine has shown how difficult it is for a landlord to rent a place to eat out of fear. Everyone with whom we are currently negotiating the lease of the premises is waiting for the end of everything, ”says Dovilė.

At the moment, they say that they are considering exactly which places for commercial development could be chosen, but they are planning that two more catering places of this type could appear only in Vilnius.

When asked if the pandemic of opening a new restaurant is more of an advantage or a disadvantage, both argue that it all depends on the attitude of the owner.

“A lower price agreement is not appropriate for all owners.

There are those who think that it is better to wait a month or two and rent the premises for a higher price. There are those who do not seem so friendly, but there are those who can talk, ”says Dovilė.