Houston Chronicle
By DAVID KAPLAN
Copyright 2004, April 10, 2004
Cafe owner won't let setbacks crush dreams
INSIDE the new Turquoise Cafe is a brick oven that will cook Turkish delicacies such as lahmacun , a meat pie made with lamb, beef and spices.
But while the restaurant has been open for more than two weeks, owner Yilmaz "Jim" Dokuyucu has yet to serve one lahmacun . It is not for lack of customer interest; the oven doesn't work. Several people have come in to try to fix it.
"This is his big thing — that brick oven is his centerpiece," said his wife, Deanna Teel.
The cafe, at street level of an office high-rise near the corner of Richmond and Kirby, has faced other obstacles, including a long delay on the build-out: Dokuyucu had to pay rent for three months before opening.
Teel is a business instructor at Houston Community College, where she teaches that cash flow is crucial. But the cash won't flow if you aren't open.
In the life of a small business, the opening and days prior to it can be maddening. You are fighting to make your debut deadline and a good first impression as you iron out many problems. The pressure is on.
Dokuyucu has been dreaming of having his own business for 15 years and has no intention of letting initial setbacks get him down, although unexpected expenses have forced him to put some projects on hold, including his main outdoor sign and a Mediterranean scene mural inside.
Currently, he is open for lunch and breakfast on weekdays. After he is up and running a while, he plans to also offer dinner, serve beer and wine and expand to weekends.
