Sunday, May 31, 2009
Successes and Obstacles
This weekend I have gotten some more good footage and customer interviews. I think my interview with Hannah, one of the shop managers, was really good too in addressing some of my key interests in this project. I have hit a major obstacle, however, in my interview with Jeni. We were supposed to set up a time this week to do the interview, and my correspondence with her had been very promising - she said she would be happy to do the interview and she had plenty of time. Then, for some reason, I have not been able to get in contact with her since. I called her multiple times this week, left her a voicemail, and sent her another message online. I just called Hannah today to see if she has heard anything from Jeni, because it's getting to be crunch time. For now, I'm starting to think about what I need to do for this project if I do not get to interview Jeni. Again, I think my interview with Hannah is itself pretty good, and I'm going to get more responses from customers today. It would obviously be great to have input from Jeni herself, but I'm not sure what else I can do at this point. I'm no longer banking on that interview as a sure thing, though, so I'm just planning on making my film as great as it can be without it.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
In the field
I am setting up an interview with Jeni for some time this week, and I plan on finishing all other interviews and shooting by the end of the week. I'm thinking about just taking an audio recorder and asking some patrons to answer questions on that, because I'm finding that some of them are hesitant to be taped on camera. After that my plan is just to work hardcore on editing.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Interviews
I spoke to some customers in Grandview yesterday and it went pretty well. I also got some good footage of the shop there and the surrounding area. Today I am interviewing the Dublin manager, and I just heard back from Jeni and she said she would be happy to do an interview. Beyond that, I'm planning on getting a few more interviews with customers and a lot more footage to use.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Score
I have finally set up an official interview, which I am very excited about. I'm meeting with one of the store managers of Jeni's in Dublin tomorrow morning. She also offered to get in touch with Jeni for me, who I have not heard back from yet, so that is also exciting. I'm planning on going to the Grandview location this afternoon to talk to some local patrons there.
Monday, May 18, 2009
More Q's
Here are some questions I've come up with for patrons of Jeni's:
- How long have you lived in Columbus?
- How often do you come to Jeni's?/How long have you been coming to Jeni's?
- What makes you keep coming back?
- What makes Jeni's different from other places?/What does Jeni's have to offer that other places do not?
- What do you like most about Jeni's/the atmosphere here?
- What role would you say a place like Jeni's plays in the local community?
- Do you prefer locally-owned places over others?
- Do you think Jeni's offers a sense of community to its customers?
- Have you noticed any changes in Jeni's since you started coming?
- Do you usually come to one Jeni's location or multiple ones?
- How long have you lived in Columbus?
- How often do you come to Jeni's?/How long have you been coming to Jeni's?
- What makes you keep coming back?
- What makes Jeni's different from other places?/What does Jeni's have to offer that other places do not?
- What do you like most about Jeni's/the atmosphere here?
- What role would you say a place like Jeni's plays in the local community?
- Do you prefer locally-owned places over others?
- Do you think Jeni's offers a sense of community to its customers?
- Have you noticed any changes in Jeni's since you started coming?
- Do you usually come to one Jeni's location or multiple ones?
Progress...
I've been trying to make contact with some potential interviewees, and I've gotten one response so far. I e-mailed Jeni Britton Bauer, who I think would be the main person I'd want to interview, but I have yet to hear back from her. I'm looking into other ways I could contact her. I was able to get in touch with the manager of the Jeni's shop in Dublin, and she agreed to do an interview, so we are just working out a good time at this point. Beyond that, I'm planning on just going to several of the locations and asking patrons if they'd be willing to answer a few questions. I hope to do that some time this week and see what I come up with.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Thoughts for interviews
My main focus in this project is going to be asking the question of how these small business owners maintain their traditional sense of community, hospitality, and quality as their trade becomes larger and larger. For now, I am going to look exclusively at Jeni's and see what I can come up with.
My piece is most likely going to consist mainly of interviews. In my head right now, I'm picturing various shots of the stores, inside and out, the customers, the employees, and possibly the kitchen where the ice cream is produced. I am planning on interviewing Jeni, along with possibly some other employees/managers, as well as some of the patrons of the store. Here are some questions I'm thinking about asking Jeni:
- What went into beginning this business/what is the story behind Jeni's emergence into the Columbus scene?
- What would you say Jeni's role in its local communities (Grandview, Short North, Bexley, Dublin, etc.) is? What is its role in Columbus as a whole?
- What do you think Jeni's has to offer its customers/the community that other (maybe non-local) businesses cannot?
- What makes people keep coming back here?
- What made you decide to use local products and support Ohio farmers? How do you think that has impacted your business/the customers it attracts?
- What does your business add to the local community?
- Why do you think your business has been able to thrive and expand so much within Columbus?
- How does Jeni's manage to stay connected to the community and maintain its traditional sense of hospitality as it continues to expand?
Other questions will probably be coming soon...
My piece is most likely going to consist mainly of interviews. In my head right now, I'm picturing various shots of the stores, inside and out, the customers, the employees, and possibly the kitchen where the ice cream is produced. I am planning on interviewing Jeni, along with possibly some other employees/managers, as well as some of the patrons of the store. Here are some questions I'm thinking about asking Jeni:
- What went into beginning this business/what is the story behind Jeni's emergence into the Columbus scene?
- What would you say Jeni's role in its local communities (Grandview, Short North, Bexley, Dublin, etc.) is? What is its role in Columbus as a whole?
- What do you think Jeni's has to offer its customers/the community that other (maybe non-local) businesses cannot?
- What makes people keep coming back here?
- What made you decide to use local products and support Ohio farmers? How do you think that has impacted your business/the customers it attracts?
- What does your business add to the local community?
- Why do you think your business has been able to thrive and expand so much within Columbus?
- How does Jeni's manage to stay connected to the community and maintain its traditional sense of hospitality as it continues to expand?
Other questions will probably be coming soon...
Proposal
Description of the Project
While the city of Columbus is no stranger to large corporations and business chains, it has still retained much of its character in small, locally owned businesses and crafts. I am interested in what these local hotspots have to offer the culture and people of Columbus that cannot be found in a Starbucks or a Wal-Mart. It seems that there are several things that a local business provides the public, such as high quality goods, devoted service, a strong sense of community, and various charity or social activities they may participate in to give back to the area in which they are located.
These are all things that first come to mind when talking about small business. A more focused question for this project, then, is how have these local places that were created from little to nothing become so successful and managed to stay afloat in the increasingly competitive Columbus market? Why have some individuals been able to find a place in this market while others have not? Additionally, how do these small business owners maintain their traditional sense of community, hospitality, and quality as their trade becomes larger and larger? To explore these questions, I will be looking at either (or both) the shop Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams owned by Jeni Britton Bauer and/or the restaurants Betty’s, Surly Girl Saloon, and Tip Top, all of which are under the same ownership. These business operations have both become somewhat of a chain and have managed to be considerably popular. Jeni’s began as a small ice cream stand in the North Market several years ago that prided itself on unique flavors and fine quality ice cream. Since then, this business has expanded to include two spacious shops in Grandview and the Short North. All of its locations have become places to which people flock to enjoy some tasty dessert and pleasant conversation. Similarly, the restaurants Betty’s and Surly Girl have become icons in the Short North for their cozy, neighborhood hotspot atmosphere and delicious comfort food. These places have become an important part of the local culture in their respective areas, and they are places that many people identify as great spots to hang out in for some relaxed and trendy fun. I want to explore how the owners of these businesses have kept up with the growth of their industry and how they were able to thrive.
I plan to use video for this project to portray these places, their owners and their loyal patrons and to examine the questions stated above. Other members of my group will look at different small businesses and the stories behind them, as well as non-profit groups that have formed to provide a place for other entrepreneurs and craftsmen who have not been able to have such success.
Audience of the Project
I envision the audience of this project being Columbus residents as well as people who do not live in the area. For people familiar with Columbus and these places, I hope to show the struggle that goes into maintaining a successful small business in this city and emphasize the importance of the role that locally owned places play in the community. I see this project as giving outsiders of Columbus a sense of the local culture and charm of the city, particularly through these local establishments, as well as a sense of the difficulties that even the most skilled entrepreneurs can face within the Columbus marketplace.
While the city of Columbus is no stranger to large corporations and business chains, it has still retained much of its character in small, locally owned businesses and crafts. I am interested in what these local hotspots have to offer the culture and people of Columbus that cannot be found in a Starbucks or a Wal-Mart. It seems that there are several things that a local business provides the public, such as high quality goods, devoted service, a strong sense of community, and various charity or social activities they may participate in to give back to the area in which they are located.
These are all things that first come to mind when talking about small business. A more focused question for this project, then, is how have these local places that were created from little to nothing become so successful and managed to stay afloat in the increasingly competitive Columbus market? Why have some individuals been able to find a place in this market while others have not? Additionally, how do these small business owners maintain their traditional sense of community, hospitality, and quality as their trade becomes larger and larger? To explore these questions, I will be looking at either (or both) the shop Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams owned by Jeni Britton Bauer and/or the restaurants Betty’s, Surly Girl Saloon, and Tip Top, all of which are under the same ownership. These business operations have both become somewhat of a chain and have managed to be considerably popular. Jeni’s began as a small ice cream stand in the North Market several years ago that prided itself on unique flavors and fine quality ice cream. Since then, this business has expanded to include two spacious shops in Grandview and the Short North. All of its locations have become places to which people flock to enjoy some tasty dessert and pleasant conversation. Similarly, the restaurants Betty’s and Surly Girl have become icons in the Short North for their cozy, neighborhood hotspot atmosphere and delicious comfort food. These places have become an important part of the local culture in their respective areas, and they are places that many people identify as great spots to hang out in for some relaxed and trendy fun. I want to explore how the owners of these businesses have kept up with the growth of their industry and how they were able to thrive.
I plan to use video for this project to portray these places, their owners and their loyal patrons and to examine the questions stated above. Other members of my group will look at different small businesses and the stories behind them, as well as non-profit groups that have formed to provide a place for other entrepreneurs and craftsmen who have not been able to have such success.
Audience of the Project
I envision the audience of this project being Columbus residents as well as people who do not live in the area. For people familiar with Columbus and these places, I hope to show the struggle that goes into maintaining a successful small business in this city and emphasize the importance of the role that locally owned places play in the community. I see this project as giving outsiders of Columbus a sense of the local culture and charm of the city, particularly through these local establishments, as well as a sense of the difficulties that even the most skilled entrepreneurs can face within the Columbus marketplace.
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