POSTED: Monday, Oct. 06, 2008
Railroad Avenue turns out to be a good bet for cafe owner
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closeDianna Del Giorgio had heard about the problems of starting a business at the end of Railroad Avenue, but she's glad she went forward with her plan to open a cafe.
About two years ago Del Giorgio opened Caffe Adagio during a time a slew of other new restaurants and cafes were part of a Railroad Avenue revival, including Cicchitti's, Fiamma Burger, The Woods Coffee, Casa Que Pasa and Bob's Burgers & Brew.
So far, though, business has gone better than she projected, and last week she decided to extend her hours to capture the evening crowd. The cafe is now open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
"My goal is to draw in the evening coffee drinkers and students studying, taking advantage of our free wireless Internet, late-night food and pastries," Del Giorgio said.
That corner of Railroad Avenue and Champion Street has seen a nice turnaround in the two years the restaurant has been open. Before then, much of the block had empty storefronts, and the area had issues with vandalism. Right before the cafe opened, a window was smashed, delaying the opening.
"That was discouraging, but at that point I was already committed," Del Giorgio said. "We actually feel fortunate, because we had some positive interactions with the people hanging out there and the problems disappeared."
Del Giorgio originally thought the cafe would be mostly a hangout for college students looking for a place to study, but it's also been able to attract people on their way to work and be a place for meetings. During the weekend, families drop in, replacing the work crowd.
One thing that's made a difference is the interior. Del Giorgio said she spent heavily on the equipment, particularly the espresso machine, but kept a tighter budget on the interior. However, she hears from customers who say they enjoy the homey feel.
"The interior is pretty similar to any home I've ever owned," Del Giorgio said. "It's funny, some have said it looks classy, but I see imperfections all over the place."
While business has steadily grown, Del Giorgio pays attention to what's happening in the economy. Rather than expand her business or add a new location, she felt expanding her hours was a less expensive way of trying to land new customers.
"We've watched the traffic in the evenings during the week, and there are a lot more people walking around who we think would want a place to hang out and enjoy a cafe setting," Del Giorgio said.
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