DATE: Monday, August 18, 1997               TAG: 9708160566

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Service Q & A 

SOURCE: BY MELISSA GUNDEL, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   59 lines

RESTAURATEUR KEEPS UP WITH TRENDS TO KEEP PROFITS ROLLING

While Louise Nagourney was general manager of CI Travel, she noticed that carryout food stores were becoming popular. Money magazine predicted pasta was going to be the food of the '80s. With this in mind, Nagourney opened Pasta & Company, now Cuisine & Company, in Virginia Beach in 1981. Her Virginia Beach carryout specialized in fresh pasta, salads and desserts and provided catering. The restaurant remained a carryout for three years before she relocated to 30th Street and Pacific Avenue and added a cafe.

Recently, Nagourney spotted another trend - opening a small cafe in a gift shop. In June, Cuisine & Company Too opened in the Freckled Fox Ltd., a new gift and garden store at Cypress Avenue and 21st Street in Virginia Beach.

What distinguishes your restaurant from others?

The food is displayed in cases so people have a visual menu. People seem to like this. A waitress and a menu can only be so descriptive. Often you're disappointed in the portion. This way you are seeing the portion, you're seeing what it looks like, you also have the ability to taste the item if you would like. Yes, you have to wait on yourself, but you've probably saved 15 to 20 minutes and you've saved yourself the gratuity.

What steps did you take to open your business?

I had seen other restaurants like this, primarily in New York and Washington. When I first opened I had another partner, but she's since left to have a family. We would go to shops similar to what we wanted and talked to the owners and managers. We found who some of their suppliers were for food and equipment, talked to them about what worked and what didn't work, and got menu ideas from them.

How did you find out about Freckled Fox?

The ladies who own Freckled Fox called me and asked me if I would be interested in opening a cafe in the shop. It was appealing because it is nine blocks away from my other location, and it was going to be a very limited menu with limited hours.

What are some of the important lessons you've learned from running your own business?

Not to start undercapitalized. Not to be idealistic about what your sales are going to be. Think worst case, and to make sure you have plenty of working capital. Any certified public accountant will tell you that you need six months to a year's worth of working capital in starting up a new business.

What advice can you offer to someone who wants to start their own restaurant?

Do your research. Go work for somebody else in your desired field for a year and see if you really like it. See what works at a successful operation.

The food business is an extremely consuming profession. It means working holidays and weekends. I think people think of the food business as glamorous. They don't realize how dirty a job it can be. Sometimes the dishwasher or the chef doesn't show up, or the refrigeration breaks down. At the same time, it is really rewarding because people's stomachs are near and dear to their hearts. If you please them, they're very happy. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

Louise Nagourney

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