"IT WAS a random business proposal that turned into reality."
This is how the 29-year-old founder of the KrustyKrub Café-a new and independent coffee-shop located in Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok District in Davao City - Francis Albores, labeled how he and the rest of the team put up the business.
Francis recalled that their two colleagues in a church choir opened up to him about putting up a small business, which he took seriously. He said he was surprised how that simple conversation turned into reality.
"The idea was just to put up a fruit shake booth until we came up with different ideas and had options which business is good to take. Unfortunately, di na sila tumuloy kalaunan. Since I wanted to push the plan, tinuloy ko," Francis said.
Francis and his wife Ma. Febie, who is the executive chef of the KrustyKrub Café, shared their business plan with their family members and friends in the choir. They earned the support of the majority who then invested for the café.
Since the couple and the other investors are residing in Mintal, among the rising areas in Davao City, they looked for a building for their potential business and placed KrustyKrub Café in Tugbok, which can be found along the highway.
This is the first coffee shop situated here in Tugbok area, Rod Albores, a co-owner and financial manager of the KrustyKrub Café, said. He added that people nearby will not have to go far just to meet somebody and dine in a coffee shop.
KrustyKrub Café, which formally opened last August 8, is a corporate business that aims to be a destination not only for coffee lovers but also for food lovers, as well as a community meeting and study place for those living nearby.
"We want this shop to be a place for gathering and organizing aside from studying or business hub, and also a room to grow for the shareholders, for our staff, as well as for those who wanted to have the same business," Rod said.
From the shared funds of the investors, the Albores brothers, in behalf of their partners, were proud to say that their business has also able to generate income for their staff who are just residents of Tugbok District and in nearby areas.
KrustyKrub Café, which is opened from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, has five blue and white couches, eight-paired or 18 tables and 20 seats. It features white-and-blue paint and a beach-like design on the walls.
Each table has a ferry or a lighthouse token as a centerpiece. KrustyKrub Café takes its inspiration from an American animated television series—SpongeBob SquarePants—created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg.
"We named it as KrustyKrub Café since our son Tappy is a fan of the series. We thought of the shop in the SpongeBob series to make it real. Saktolang din kasi my wife is very passionate in cooking. She also bakes," Francis said.
KrustyKrub Café offers traditional coffee-shop favorites like machiatto, americano, latte, cappuccino, caramel, mocha and white chocolate mocha, along with creative caffeine presentations. It also serves durian hot coffee and a frappe.
Aside from durian hot coffee and durian frappe, Rod said, the KrustyKrub also created a mangosteen frosty coffee all for coffee-shop lovers. The café also has iced coffee, frappe, smoothies, freak-shakes, and other drinks like soft drinks.
Since the KrustyKrub Café is a SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired, the café also serves its own version of a Krubby Patty Burger, Mr. Krub Sweet Chilli Burger, Bacon-wrapped Shrimp Burger and Grilled Aloha Teriyaki Burger, among others.
The café also offer sandwiches, pasta, pastries and sweets. It also has side dish and rice meals—such as Grilled Fish in White Sauce, Grilled Chicken Pallard with Mango Salsa and Grilled Fish in Orange-Tomato Sauce, among other meals.
"We only have few menus at first. We did not even have rice meals until slowly we decided to place rice meals on the menu, considering that there are customers who would love to eat rice meals aside from desserts," Ma. Febie said.
The KrustyKrub Café owners believe that their café will be able to compete effectively because they are offering food and drinks that is completely different. The staff—dining head, chef and baristas—are also very well-trained in its job.
Edmund Albores, operation management, said the café is also planning to have a branch in Toril or in downtown areas, probably, next year. He added that they are also open for those who would like to have a franchise of the café.
KrustyKrub Café can be reached via hotline number (082) 291-6112 and through its Facebook page: “The KrustyKrub Café Davao.” The staffs are ReynanGan, Ruby Sauro, Vince Napitan, Jhery Mea Perez, Cristina Rosillo and Kim Muñez.
Albores family would like to thank the interior designers of the café, Dexter Arcenas and AlizandreLabadan; and their business partners Dexter and Ma. Eden Grace Arcenas, Espiridion JR Larosa, Leonita Desamparado, Robert Schilt/Jerievel Goboy Barro, Niel Matthew Bagay, Mary Jane Magno, Mariel Hannah Fe Daramayo.