Congratulations ice cream lovers, we did it. We miraculously made it through 2017! To some, the new year means nothing more than constantly reminding yourself that the 7 you just wrote down on your paper should’ve actually been an 8. To others, it’s a fresh new beginning full of ambitious resolutions that you’ll (most likely) soon forget. For us, it’s a time to reflect, recharge, and refocus on our goals. So, what did Jubie’s complete in 2017? We’ve got one word for you. Construction.
My first real day at Jubie’s I walked in ready to take the ice cream world by sprinkle storm. My head was flooded with ideas on how our business was going to be formed, and I couldn’t wait to get it all down on paper. But, when we decided that it was in our best budgetary interest to GC this project ourselves, my to-do list grew exponentially. Before I knew it I was involuntarily propelled into a world that I not only never anticipated, but knew nothing about. Thankfully my dad had some expertise in this realm. (Or as he likes to say, "I know a little bit about a lot of stuff"). With a 100ft. measuring tape in one hand and a fresh set of plans in the other, we began reaching out to contractors.
First on the list? Demolition—inside and out—Extreme Makeover style. Because every artist must know what they’re working with before a masterpiece is created. The canvas we had was currently hiding under water damage, faulty wiring, poorly patched holes, and even dirty dishes. Our Ty Bennington alter egos had the contractors tear out EVERYTHING leaving us with nothing but 4 bare walls and some asphalt that had seen better days. The possibilities seemed endless, and we were excited to finally watch our vision come to life right before our eyes.
The building construction had already been authorized by the City of Fairborn, so we proceeded to move forward by starting the indoor plumbing and fixing the roof. The outside, on the other hand, needed a little rework and a lot of cross-functional meetings before it finally received a stamp of approval. By the time the Planning Division ensured all our i’s were dotted and our t’s were crossed, it was mid-October. The parking lot remodel had to begin soon considering we were dangerously close to meeting one of construction’s most formidable enemies – Mother Nature.
With such a short deadline looming over our heads, we spent the next two months ensuring as much work was getting done outside as possible. On good weather days, construction was (literally) booming, and we were hopeful that we could finish in time. On bad weather days, my relationship with my weather app turned obsessive, and our hope turned into doubt. All of the concrete was finished with almost no problem considering the robust material could brave practically any weather condition. The windows and doors were also replaced, and the entryway was constructed. But, every day we kept asking ourselves the same question. When will the parking lot get paved?
By nature, asphalt is more delicate than concrete and needs certain weather conditions to hold up properly. As Thanksgiving came and went and the new year was soon upon us, we thought we might have missed our deadline. To our gleaming surprise, Christmas came a little early this year, and we got a brand-new parking lot practically minutes before the temperatures dropped for good. Self-five.
With most of the cold-weather deadlines behind us, we could finally take a second to just breathe, relax, and recharge. But only for a minute. The building is nowhere near finished and now, more than ever, we are determined to keep our construction timeline on track. Or at least as on track as the construction biz gets. We’ve welcomed this new year with lofty goals and high expectations to achieve them. So watch out 2018, because we’ve got big plans for you.
-Jubie