Archive for the ‘customers’ Category

Closed this Ekka Public Holiday

Monday, August 4th, 2008

Just a quick note to let u know that we are closed this Ekka public holiday which I am pretty sure is Wednesday the 13th. Have fun what ever you do. I won’t run into you at the Ekka - not my thing.

Posted in General, customers | 1 Comment »

We collected 3kg of Mobile Phones

Saturday, July 26th, 2008

In the 6 months that we had our first Mobile Muster box, we managed to collect 3kgs of phones, batteries and accessories for recycling. It seems that everyone you mention mobile muster to always has a broken phone some where that they knew they should just throw in the bin but until now didn’t know what else to do with it.

Since July 2007 Mobile Muster has collected over 100,000 kgs which included 788,600 handsets and batteries as well as 47,200 kgs of chargers and accessories. To get more info just visit mobilemuster.com.au

Posted in ZeroWaste, customers, environment, local community | 1 Comment »

The Space Invaders have arrived.

Friday, July 25th, 2008

I had fun today! About F’ing time you say? I know, I know! It is true that I can be a bit all work and no play. So to over compensate for this I have hired a classic arcade table for the cafe. I could tell you a story about my childhood regression but I have a better short story about this other guy.

I had been warming up the machine for about 15mins when this guy sits down across the room, sees the machine and instantly asks “Is that space invaders?… I used to play that when I was 15, now I am 51!” I reply with “Yes, would you like a game on me?” He almost jumps up. We play 2 players in Space Invaders while he introduces me to some SI strategy. He plays really well, moving to the second stage on his first go. It was awesome fun and would have been a great way to meet someone had I remembered to ask him his name. Seriously, there is something cool about sitting down to play Space Invaders with a 50 year old man that is better at it than you.

We have practice tokens so that you can get back in the groove for chasing those high scores but for just $1 a game, you can choose from 48 authentic classics including Frogger, PacMan, Galaxian, Space Invaders, Galaga, Gyruss, Donkey Kong and more.

BRING THE KIDS
Urban Grind is child-friendly and so is the Asobu. Bring your little one/s in for a turn at Ladybug or Junior PacMan – that is, if the grown-ups can tear themselves away!

SCORE A FREE GAME!
Show off your high-score-beating prowess and we’ll shout you another game for FREE!

The arcade table is on a 4-week trial. If you’d like to see it stay, come in and give it a good workout.

Posted in customers, friends, personal | 3 Comments »

Kiva Update

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Just a quick post to let you know how our ‘From the Tip Jar to Kiva’ efforts are going. So far we have lent $125US. You can see a very cool breakdown of who we have lent to what countries they are from and more. Getting involved in Kiva is very easy and I encourage you to do so too. At the moment we also have some jars of preserved lemons for $12(sml) and $17(lrg) with all proceeds going to Kiva.

Kiva Lender Page: Urban Grind

I must remind you that all the staff at Urban Grind volunteer the tips money to this project. And thank you if you have ever thrown anything into our tip jar. It is a gesture that we appreciate.

Posted in customers, peace, staff | No Comments »

Buy jewellery direct from the makers!

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

I don’t know the other names but they are probably really good too if they are kicking around with Mark Vaarwerk. I think his Jewellery is great. He has even used our discarded milk bottles from Urban Grind in some of his pieces. It was very cool of Mark to take our bottles and re-purpose them.

Posted in ZeroWaste, art, customers, environment, friends, local community | No Comments »

And by Urban Grind we mean…

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Often we have joked that Urban Grind is something you escape from as opposed to escape to for a coffee. Turns out that Australia is the 3rd largest Urban Grinders in the world, behind the US and Japan. I have also read that this does not make us among the most productive. In fact I think the case is that countries that work more always produce less. Can’t remember where I read that but if you consider how much you achieve when you are run down, wouldn’t you be better recharging your batteries? Something I am going to try and do more of this year.

So on average Australia works 1870 hours per year. I know I work more than that. And 1870 per year actually looks really attractive. So for those working too much I am not sure what we do about it, but boy it got my little head thinking when the average is considered high and I am above average. I don’t want to be above average. Anyway food for thought, next time you are relaxing over a coffee.

Posted in customers, family, friends | No Comments »

Some Urban Grind Demographics Facebook Style

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

So Urban Grind has a Facebook page, we have have nearly 100 fans too, which is cool. I have just been playing with the page and stumbled across some demographic stats which might be of interest. Was to me.

Posted in customers, friends, local community | No Comments »

Coffees for Mobile Phones

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

For a while now Urban Grind has had a Mobile Muster Box. It is great because you can not only throw in your old mobile phones to be recycled but you can also throw in all of those accessories you you never use.

I try to think of Urban Grind as a community hub which is why I requested one of these boxes. You can find them at places like Cartridge World but a lot of the places you find them are once in a while places. The places that every time you go in and see the box you smack yourself in the head for forgetting that old mobile phone again. But Urban Grind is different, most people are there day after day (God love em!) so it only takes a couple of forgetful moments before the phones start rolling in.

To help those who are extra forgetful, Urban Grind will see Mobile Musters tree and give you a free coffee for turning in your old mobile phone. If you want to learn more about Mobile Muster please read on.
(more…)

Posted in ZeroWaste, customers, environment, local community | No Comments »

Your tips are changing lives.

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Since the New Farm Urban Grind opened up we have been saving the tips we get for a micro lending project called Kiva. Tonight I made our first $50(US) worth of loans to 2 different Entrepreneurs. The first $25 went to a women who supports her family by recharging batteries as a small business service to people in her Cambodian village. I think she needed more charging stations and the ability to pick up and return batteries to her clients. The second $25 went to a Clothing Sales shop owner in Tajikistan to help fund the more stock so as to grow her business so that she can put her daughter through university.

Our plan is to keep adding our tips to our Kiva fund and keep lending our funds out. The funds get returned to our kitty, then we are about to cycle them back into the Kiva community. Who knows but in time we could have up to a $1000 of your tips helping to change lives over and over again.

I should point out to that Urban Grind staff have always volunteered their tips to the causes that we might be supporting from time to time or should I say move accurately that they have never argued with me about it. At a guess over the years there has probably been about $2000 plus worth of tips that have been passed on the charities or for a while there used to buy extra green energy.

I encourage you to get your own Kiva.org account. Lending is very easy, and it feels good.

Posted in customers, peace | No Comments »

We have moved.

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

It is probably about time that I officially mention that we have moved. Our shop in Paddington is now closed and we have reopened in New Farm at 530 Brunswick St. We greatly miss all of our Paddington friends and hope to cross paths with each of you eventually. It truly was our customers that made Urban Grind Paddington what it was. It has been a wonderful 3+ years of growing, learning and sharing that I know the whole Urban Grind team was sad to see end.

I would like to take the opportunity too to give an extra special shout out to Sophie. I know you all joked about it, but it’s true we would never have made it as far as we did had it not been for Sophie. We love her, we adore her. She stuck with us through everything and never for a moment gave anything less than more than she was asked. She was a friend not an employee and remains one of my best friends. Thank you Sophie… love love. She saw you all as friends too and I promise you that you meant more to her than you can ever imagine. For 3 and a half years you played a part in raising an nurturing this most beautiful soul. I could thank each and all of you for so many things but this one probably means the most to me. Thank you for being so much to Sophie.

So tell us a bit about New Farm. Technically I think it is actually Fortitude Valley, but we sit right on the border and there is New Farm sign outside. So we went with New Farm. We are actually on the corner of Harcourt St. It’s near Burger Urge, only about 4 or 5 blocks up from the mall. Still can’t place it? Ok, well I gave you a chance… do you know the dodgy Laundromat with the prostitutes? We are virtually next door. I can’t recommend the prostitutes but I can recommend the Burger Urge burgers. Fully wicked! I am addicted to the Portobello Mushrooms and grilled halumi cheese burger. But here are a couple of tips. The sweet potato chips are awesome but if there is only 2 of you get a burger to share if you are having chips too. Also for those that can’t eat a whole burger I believe that you can get all of their burgers without the bread. Colby is a really nice guy and until now it was a secret that I wanted a Cuddly Dora Doll.

What else? Well it is a lovely little building that we are in. They tell me that it is Tudor style. Anyway the best part about the building is our landlords. Clearly God felt really bad about the Paddington thing and thought she would cut us a break this time and send us a couple of landlords that are true gentlemen. These guys see our success and happiness as theirs. I am most grateful to them, for not only are they simply awesome to do business with, if they had not offered us this space there might not be an Urban Grind of any kind right now.

So in short, we look forward to a wonderfully fun future at New Farm. See you soon, I hope

Posted in customers, friends, local community, personal, staff | 3 Comments »

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