Meet Bert Miller

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Sed ut perspiciatis unde.

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bert Miller. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bert, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Opening a restaurant in itself is a huge risk, (most don’t even make two years), then on top of that, located in a small community where this type business is not currently established. Back in 2015, I owned a building in downtown Navasota that was serving as an antique mall where I leased spaces to vendors. At the time, the one restaurant in downtown had recently closed/sold and become a liquor store. We were without an eating place in downtown and the retailers were struggling to keep shoppers downtown, as many were going to the loop (Hwy 6) to get something to drink or eat, therefore leaving downtown. I considered opening a coffee shop, that’s where the story began. I “googled” coffee shop franchises, knowing there were some well beyond affordability, and came across “Classic Rock Coffee Co. & Kitchen”. They were a fairly new franchise, had no locations in Texas and once I met with them were interested in working with me. The “buy-in” was less than other franchises and I really liked the theme of Classic Rock. Got a loan, began construction, found some folks to help me and we opened in 2016. I was able to integrate some retail with a small music shop in the store, offering vintage LP’s, guitars & accessories, record players, t-shirts, caps & more. The franchise was also very accomodating in how the shop was laid out and presented. My goal was this shop to be not only a great place to get excellent coffee & food, but also a place to relax, meet-up or celebrate. We sure didn’t expect Covid to be a part of the risk, but it was. We got through it and after seven years, hope to be slightly n the black. We have heard from many of the downtown retailers that Classic Rock has really helped keep folks downtown and along with investment from the city in infrastructure & beautification and other private investment, has resulted in annual increases in sales tax that supports quality of life and tourism.

Bert, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Graduating from Navasota High School in 1984, then attending college, I returned home and worked at a local steel plant in sales for about ten years, then joined the family’s independent insurance agency in 1997 when my grandfather became ill. I have served as a volunteer for many years working with the local chamber of commerce, Jaycees, Kiwanis Club, Education Foundation, city of Navasota parks, economic development, & other organizations. I am still an agent in downtown Navasota and also opened the coffee shop (that became a restaurant) eight years ago with NO experience in foodservice. I also have served as mayor of Navasota since 2006, working on many projects that improve the community.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Over the years, I learned alot about cash flow. Nearly missing payroll, paying a unexpected invoice or two for a repair, made things interesting. Owning a small business has to be one the most challenging things someone can do, especially during a tough economy. You also better have some savings to draw from when those unexpected issues arise. But, looking toward the future, I do believe in re-investing so that the business can stay with the times and be relevant.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Classic Rock Coffee Co & Kitchen utilizes a number of resources to keep in touch with our clients. We send out a monthly e-newsletter, text and e-mail coupons, run an ad in the local newspaper, heavily utilize social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, Nextdoor, Yelp, TripAdvisor, & Google) We have a loyalty program that brings customers back with a discount on next purchase, we also run print ads in local chamber map, business directory,

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Meet Bert Miller

Meet Bert Miller

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Bert, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Bert, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

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