ED-Central


In This Issue


As we expand our coverage of "Best Practices" in economic and community development we will be showcasing some of the best examples of how communities improve their quality of life. In this issue we focus on the importance of retail incubation (either planed or organic) and its utmost importance in rural communities, especially within the realm of heritage and experiential tourism.

As we expand our coverage of "Best Practices" in economic and community development we will be showcasing some of the best examples of how communities improve their quality of life. In this issue we focus on the importance of retail incubation (either planed or organic) and its utmost importance in rural communities, especially within the realm of heritage and experiential tourism.

As you read the article you will be able to identify some of the key success factors illustrated by COCOAMODA, mainly:

• Focus on 'experience creation' not just product sales
• A Holistic Approach; From brand development and activation to product sourcing and delivery
• Customer Focus; Open for business when convenient for local clients, AND tourists
• Quality is Valuable; The quality of the experience eclipses a low cost strategy
• Sustainability; Establish a profitable model
• Community Centric; "Sell" your community, and your community will proudly sell you

When asked if he had always been interested in chocolate, Ken passionately and emphatically says, �YES,� and launches into the story about how his fascination with chocolate began. As a schoolboy in England he was instructed to write a report on a topic of his choice. He chose to write about chocolate because each day he passed a chocolate factory on his way to and from school. Upon inquiring for information for the report, the factory sent him pictures, facts about the process of chocolate making and of course actual chocolates. The report earned Ken a �gold star�and the passion for chocolate has been with him ever since. Ken says that he has always enjoyed pastry because it is creative, exacting and artistic and leaves him time to �stop and smell the roses�.

Calvert, Texas?

You might be wondering how this famous chef and master chocolatier wound up in Calvert of all places. If you overhear Ken speaking to his customers chances are you will hear him say; �You must drive up the street and see the historic homes, I promise you, you will feel transported to the set of Gone With the Wind; why Rhett Butler himself might step out onto a porch clutching a mint julep�. Clearly, the historic charm and beautiful Victorian buildings of Calvert are not lost on Chef Wilkinson. After spending time in the chocolate factory, his passion for the history surrounding his buildings is unmistakable. The chocolate factory sits in a building that was once two, an apothecary and a hardware store, in the 1890�s. During the demolition of the pharmacy Ken found hundreds of laudanum bottles stashed under the floorboards. The factory�s gallery boasts a �ghost door,� long since filled in, that had previously led to a stairway up to the brothel next door. One of the interior walls, that once formed the exterior wall of the building, still boasts the original hinges from the iron bars that served to protect citizens from Native American attacks. If you close your eyes as Ken speaks, you can almost see the town as it once was. Ken has embraced the history of his buildings with the love and appreciation reminiscent of the way a parent loves a child.

However strong his love for Calvert, Ken will be the first to tell you that the clich�, �I fell in love with the place,� is not a good enough reason to locate a business anywhere. When your end goal is to become the �Gucci of Chocolate� you have to have sound, logical reasoning behind your businesses choices. Ken is a Texan, by way of England, who previously resided in Houston. Most would agree that Houston is the perfect location for a chocolate factory, boutique and French Bistro. But the way Ken sees it, why spend $20,000 a month to rent something in an affluent neighborhood of Houston � a space he would not have the opportunity to make his own? And why spend millions purchasing land? As Ken puts it, �$20,000 is an insane amount of candies!� In Calvert, Ken was able to choose his location and make the space his own � in effect, building a formidable �client experience�, a story if you will, not just a business. He expected and embraced the hard work, personally overseeing every single detail of construction, pouring himself into the process while serving as his own general contactor, ensuring that he got exactly the results he was seeking. The result? Two restored buildings that are functional, beautiful and inviting.

Geographically speaking, Calvert sits close to the middle of the �Golden Triangle,� made up of Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. COCOAMODA is situated on Highway 6, on Calvert�s main street, and gets an estimated 14,000 pieces of traffic each day. From this strategic location Ken would only be about 2 � hours away from any satellite location he might choose to open in the future, ensuring that his products will always be fresh. Ken pointed out that chocolate is a unique and somewhat fickle ingredient, absorbing the scent and flavor from anything it sits near. In 12 hours, your chocolate just might taste like Channel No. 5, soap, fish, or whatever the case may be. In this respect, Ken must carefully guard his chocolates. The chocolate is the business and it must be prepared, stored and presented in a precise manner. Chocolates do not have a significant shelf life and Ken wanted to be located strategically so that he would be able to control the inventory if he chooses to open other locations.

A Galvanizing Force

Ken hopes that the name COCOAMODA will become synonymous with first-class quality and taste, positioning his chocolates as the best in the world. If Ken�s drive and determination are any indication of its success, it is highly likely that COCOAMODA will take the world by storm. Aside from his dream to position COCOAMODA as the world�s finest chocolate, Ken has another dream. He sees Calvert�s potential and wants to affect the entire community � for the better. And although you will not find Ken running for office or participating in politics, he is surely a galvanizing force leading the restoration of Calvert�s historic main street. Citing the classic movie �Field of Dreams,� he says, �If you build it they will come.� Ken is not just talking about customers for COCOAMODA, but about tourists to Calvert. Since COCOAMODA has moved to town several others buildings have been restored and Ken, himself, has plans in mind to restore the empty lot next to the restaurant and boutique, turning it into a first-class events facility complete with a stage. In the future look to see authors, storytellers and visiting chefs in COCOAMODA�s entertainment line-up.

On Advertising

COCOAMODA is represented by Studio Communications, who also represents fine hotels, restaurants and retailers. But, don�t expect to see COCOAMODA advertised in any mainstream fashion. In fact, COCOAMODA does not even have a set budget for �advertising� in its most traditional sense. Ken believes in public relations and relies on introducing his business and products in that manner. He feels that every person he touches can become a spokesperson for COCOAMODA. You can find Ken and COCOAMODA online at http://www.cocoamoda.com, as well as on Facebook, as he is just getting started building his web presence through social media. Ken hopes to take advantage of the avenues available online to reach his customers in non-traditional methods. When asked about his thoughts on the internet praise he has received thus far, Ken is truly appreciative and touched by past customer�s comments about his business. One reviewer wrote, �Chef Wilkinson treated us like the most important guests in the world.� Ken�s personal customer service philosophy is that �strangers are just friends I don�t know yet�, citing respect as a key element of quality customer service.

Ken�s Advice to Fellow Entrepreneurs

Ken�s advice to a fellow entrepreneur is, in a word, persistence. Ken, a self-proclaimed �fox-terrier�, never compromises and never backs down when it comes to quality. He feels that an entrepreneur must have persistence and determination, but must also be careful to unfold their dream page by page. Start with a solid foundation and slowly, soundly grow your business. Uncontrolled growth can cause a business to implode. Currently, Ken�s biggest challenges are cash flow and market fluctuations. But as I see it, Ken�s biggest challenge will soon be accommodating the customers that will be flocking to his little corner of the world. COCOAMODA will put Calvert, Texas on the map.

On Quality

You will not find the word compromise in Ken Wilkinson�s vocabulary. He might tell you that it was beat out of him while he trained under the best chefs in Europe. Ken Wilkinson, the man, the chef, the chocolatier, will not compromise, end of story. His facilities and chocolates are the best because he will not cut corners. Quality matters to Ken and it shows. He only uses the purest and finest ingredients for his confections, ensuring the highest quality chocolates. Ken imports couverture, or chocolate base, from the French company Valrohna who makes the base using his recipe. He uses milk and cream from grass-fed Guernsey cows, almonds from Spain, saffron and pistachios from Iran and hazelnuts from Oregon.

Visitors can take a peak at the inner workings of the chocolate factory via glass windows in the gallery at the front of the factory. Ken personally designed every aspect of the factory, installing state-of-the-art heat and humidity controls to ensure that the chocolate is kept at the perfect temperature. His commitment to quality and attention to detail is evident in the products he sells. (While there, I ordered hot chocolate. You might think to yourself what sane person orders hot chocolate, at the end of May, in the blistering Texas heat�I promise it is worth it! I was fully expecting a single cup of hot chocolate. Instead I was served an individual pot of hot chocolate--on Wedgwood China, no less--a saucer full of the most decadent, chilled, homemade whipped cream and a cup and saucer. In a word? Transcendent.)

Ken pokes fun at some of the avant-garde creations that his counter parts are coming up with. You won�t find any �Earl Grey infusions� in his chocolates. According to Ken, he has hundreds of truffle recipes just waiting to be made. His palate is so refined that he can mentally �taste� these confections before they are even created, a talent stemming from years at practice. But most importantly, he wants a chocolate to speak for itself and spares no expense importing the finest ingredients. Ken believes that if a truffle is called key lime that it ought to taste undeniably like key lime. No guessing, no hemming and hawing, in-your-face, straight up, unmistakable, key lime flavor. From personal experience, the key lime truffle hits the bull�s-eye dead center. But if you want to get your hands on these one-of-a-kind, sensational chocolates you need to head on over to Calvert. Ken and his staff will be waiting to delight your senses and treat you like family. Before you know it you will be evangelizing COCOAMODA and a little town called Calvert, Texas.

You simply must visit Calvert, Texas if you get the chance. Take the time to stop by Cocoamoda and meet Ken and his wonderful staff and try his marvelous confections. Drive through the historic homes and stroll down Main Street and take in all that Calvert has to offer.

COCOAMODA RESTAURANT & CHOCOLATE BOUTIQUE:

518 S. Main St., Calvert, TX 77837

Phone: 979-364-2190

Website: http://www.cocoamoda.com

Hours of Operation:

CLOSED ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS

Wednesday - Friday: 11:00AM - 10:00PM

Saturday: 9:00AM - 10:00PM

Sunday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM

About the Author: Alyssa Webb is the Communications Coordinator for AdventGX, an economic development and tourism consulting firm located in College Station, Texas. She is currently pursuing her graduate degree at Texas A&M University in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences with an emphasis on community event planning and tourism marketing. Alyssa can be reached via email at alyssawebb@adventgx.com