Cereality: Brave new concept in eating out - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Laila Valdez Fields is so sure her quirky new cereal cafe will be a hit, she bet the house on it.

[Jro]

This idea is so stupid. You really think you can make money from selling people cereal? For 4 bucks you can get real food and not pre-packaged, processed food that you keep at home for when you are lazy and don't want to cook and need something quick.

[Jro]

BTW, just watched the movie "flakes" lampooning this exact concept. Not that good of a movie. I give this place less then a year.

[hereforgood]

I hope they can make a go of it. There is enough negetivity going around. You only live once, why not try and live out your dream. Besides arent they spending money by opening up a restaurant, that money go's back into the economy. All around I see it as a positive.

[Maria]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I'd rather spend $4 on a box of cereal and eat it in the privacy of my home, in front of my own tv where I can watch whatever I want.

[jeffreynewell]

yup yup. WTF it only goes to show you $4 for gas is outrageous but $4 for $0.50 is going to have people line up. This is well there are not even words for it.

[Joe]

This is a brave gamble. People will pay $5 for salad that costs probably less than 50 cents to make. They will also pay $5 for a cup of coffee. Why won't they pay $5 for customized cereal with real fruit instead of the freeze dried crap that comes in cereal?

[Brendahalia]

"It made a lot of sense to me. In this day and age, it's rare for people to stay at home and cook for themselves."

This was the dumbest statement I read. How you can equate cooking with eating cereal is beyond reason. Are people really that lazy......and stupid?

[moonflower]

Ligthen up and give this young, energetic and POSITIVE businesswoman a break. She's living her dream, which is more than I can say for many people.

I'll bet this quirky cafe takes off. I'd rather have a bowl of cereal - with toppings, than a cafe mocha any day.

[LPR]

These franchises are working in a lot of other cities. I say give it a go. I like the idea! Good for her for branching out and trying something new.

At least it's not another coffee shop!

I hope it is successful.:)

[Stephen A]

Their best chance to survive past this summer is expand their hours 'til 2:00 AM. They could make a killing off the barflies alone who have nothing else downtown to eat after 11:00 but Taco Bell.

I would totally shell out $4.00 for cereal downtown in a drunken stupor after leaving a bar! Wouldn't we all???

[Zed is Dead]

Brendahalia....yes people are that lazy and stupid!!...I wish the businesswoman the best of luck. The rich stoned college kids with the munchies should be your market

[Nicotone]

Great idea, there should be one near SJSU

[Jill Portwood]

It's funny to read the posts and where the people who posted live. It seems the owner already make a smart choice when she picked the location because all of the Santa Cruz posters seem to like the idea. I think she'll make it. My kids love cereal and if I can take them to a little boutique where they think they are getting a treat that's actually healthy, then Cereality just made my life a little easier!

[Sam]

Has anyone been in there?

[Ichabod Pennifflecorn]

when is someone gonna open up a bannanna slug BBQ, n charge $5.00 for a slug on a stick. should be a hit with the 4/20 bunch.

[Stephen A]

Sam wrote:

Has anyone been in there?

Yeah. The idea is far more creative than the establishment.

[Douglas Enns]

Stephen A wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah. The idea is far more creative than the establishment.

Could you elaborate, please?

[Stephen A]

I was only inside once, an evening that might have been grand opening. A dozen or more non-customers, maybe friends milling about, no one eating cereal at the time. Couldn't really depict any commerce occurring. Interior was uninspired, sorta sterile and harshly lit as if the idea itself was sufficient to draw customers, and little effort beyond the link to kids cereal characters was put into the interior design. Felt like a large, clean lavatory with cutesy breakfast cereal motif.

Is it your business Douglas? How goes it so far? Is interest picking up?

[Stephen A]

Actually, Cereality proprietors could take a cue from another newer business downtown, BadAss Coffee. Just the opposite there.

Seems Cereality has a good idea and a good product with poor presentation: The place is just not inviting from the street.

Then there's BadAss Coffee, a very alluring entry and interior that is probably the primary reason they turn a profit with the diminished quality of the products they peddle.

If Cereality could create an entry as inviting as BadAss's Pacific Avenue entry, they'd really have a winner!

[Douglas Enns]

Stephen A wrote:

I was only inside once, an evening that might have been grand opening. A dozen or more non-customers, maybe friends milling about, no one eating cereal at the time. Couldn't really depict any commerce occurring. Interior was uninspired, sorta sterile and harshly lit as if the idea itself was sufficient to draw customers, and little effort beyond the link to kids cereal characters was put into the interior design. Felt like a large, clean lavatory with cutesy breakfast cereal motif.
Is it your business Douglas? How goes it so far? Is interest picking up?

Thanks Stephan. No, not my business. I just have a passing interest in retail businesses and I found your comment intriguing. I did go check it all out. It's interesting in a Portlandy/Seattly kinda way. Except that it is obviously a franchise. This comes across in the disconnect between the well-thought-out and trendy interior (I'll disagree with you on that one) and the thoroughly disinterested, obviously-Santa-Cruz-college-k ids working there. The guy behind the bar just stood there and read a paper the entire time I was there. Anyway, I wish them well. I expecy they'll figure at least some of this out as they go.

I actually come here to throw boulders at Norse-Johnson. It's a most excellent therapy for all that vexes me. Which is mostly them. You hear that, Robert? You good-for-nothing wastrel trust fund baby from Carmel.