Wil sits down with Tim Wittman, a Denver-based developer and founder of Brewello, a white-label mobile app built for independent cafés and bakeries. Rooted in the same “simple tool + legendary support” ethos as Schedulefly, Brewello integrates directly with Square to enable order-ahead, loyalty, and push notifications—without the complexity or high cost of larger tech platforms. Tim shares how the idea was born after seeing local cafés struggle, why he’s focused solely on independents, how his success-based pricing model works, and why word of mouth, authentic partnerships, and community trust will always beat venture-backed speed.

10 Takeaways

1. Shared philosophy: Both Schedulefly and Brewello focus on simplicity, fair pricing, and treating customers like family.
   
   
2. Founder origin: Tim, a longtime software consultant, created Brewello after seeing beloved Denver cafés close and spotting an unmet need.
   
   
3. Square integration: Brewello connects directly to Square (covering ~80% of local cafés), removing extra management layers.
   
   
4. Practical value: Enables order-ahead, fast pickup, and loyalty without complexity—ideal for local cafés and bakeries.
   
   
5. Affordable model: Base version is transaction-fee based (cafés can pass along or split fees); the Pro tier adds marketing tools for $100/month.
   
   
6. Built for scale: Technically robust enough to handle large volumes, though focused on small to mid-sized café operators.
   
   
7. Community pride: Local customers love when their neighborhood café “has an app,” driving engagement and loyalty.
   
   
8. Grassroots growth: Tim’s early success has come from referrals, Coffee Fest demos, and built-in customer feedback loops.
   
   
9. Marketplace debut: Brewello recently joined the Square marketplace—another grassroots step toward broader visibility.
   
   
10. Sustainable growth: Tim and Will align on long-term, values-first growth over the VC “rocket ship” model.
    
    

Summary

On this Restaurant Owners Uncorked episode, Wil talks with Village Juice & Kitchen cofounders Clyde Harris and Lonnie Atkinson about building a clean-food concept that’s as craveable as it is good for you. Born from Lonnie’s California-shaped passion for fresh, minimally processed ingredients—and reinforced by Clyde’s cancer journey—the brand grew from farmers’ markets and a pop-up (first juice in 2015, first restaurant in 2016) to seven locations today: two corporate stores (Winston-Salem and the new Raleigh), one franchise (Optimist Hall, Charlotte), and four licensed university outlets (Wake Forest, Elon, USC—South Carolina, and High Point). They unpack price/value myths, menu pillars (cold-pressed juice, bowls, wraps, toasts, plant-based “Billy Cakes”), and an all-are-welcome approach to dietary needs. The growth plan is disciplined—more corporate stores across NC, selective university deals, and a push into hospitals (including a signed deal with UNC Health)—funded store-by-store to protect control and culture. Along the way: lessons in space efficiency (down to 550 sq ft), brand standards and audits, partnerships with college athletics, and the core belief that servant leadership and legendary hospitality make the operation work.

10 Takeaways

1. Mission in a line: “Food that tastes as good as it makes you feel.”
   
   
2. Origin story matters: farmers’ markets → pop-up → first shop; community pulled them forward.
   
   
3. Seven locations, four of them campus licenses; Raleigh is the newest corporate store.
   
   
4. Value over “cheap”: whole-food portions can out-value fast food, especially without the “juice add-on.”
   
   
5. Menu discipline: scratch dressings, organic where it counts, gluten-free/vegan friendly, and customizable.
   
   
6. Space mastery: proved the model in tiny footprints (550 sq ft food-hall unit) with smart line design.
   
   
7. Athletic partnerships drive volume and credibility (pregame meals, practice smoothies).
   
   
8. Hospitals are a natural next channel; UNC Health deal signed while they scout the on-campus spot.
   
   
9. Grow slow, keep control: NC-first corporate expansion; fund each store with its own investor group.
   
   
10. Culture wins: treat people exceptionally → low turnover, friendly service, consistent reviews.
    
    

Wil welcomes guest Ken Stemke, owner of Main Street Social in Libertyville, IL, an upscale Italian-American restaurant with its own wine label. Ken traces his hospitality spark to bussing tables in high school, then a 35-year career in banking that armed him with the financial discipline many restaurants lack. He shares how a seasoned team, empowerment, and a recent, internally driven menu refresh (60+ dishes tested) improved culture and guest experience. The convo dives into COVID cash-flow planning, POS frustrations, the importance of listening to staff and guests, policy headwinds like tip-credit changes, rising costs/tariffs, tech overreach, and why independent restaurants—and local coalitions—are essential to community life.

Key Takeaways

1. Banking → hospitality advantage: Ken’s finance/accounting background gave him crucial cash-flow and planning skills most operators need but often lack.
   
   
2. Seasoned staff pays off: With servers averaging ~40 in age and long tenures, May Street Social avoids much of the turnover drama.
   
   
3. Empowerment drives innovation: Shifting decision-making to loyal team members led to a broad menu refresh without outside consultants.
   
   
4. Manufacturing mindset: Treat each dish like a mini job—know costs, margins, and process control just as in production.
   
   
5. Plan for storms: During COVID, Ken worked off daily cash-flows and prebuilt “Plan A/B/C” responses to policy changes.
   
   
6. Policy ripple effects: Eliminating the tip credit (e.g., in Chicago) raises labor costs significantly and can hurt independents more than chains.
   
   
7. Tariffs & uncertainty pinch demand: Cost shocks (produce, glass, wine) and scary headlines can temporarily depress traffic.
   
   
8. Right-sized tech: Restaurants should resist feature bloat; deploy only tools that simplify ops (Ken is doubling down on using Schedulefly fully).
   
   
9. POS matters: Weak reporting and lack of integrations create friction; handhelds and better data can smooth service pacing.
   
   
10. Community is the moat: Independent restaurants anchor local identity; forming downtown/indie coalitions amplifies marketing and advocacy.