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When Three Layers opened less than a year ago, its position deep in the heart of the Springfield district away from any of the main roads made many wonder what its long term chances were.
A simple coffeehouse, offering only desserts and coffee. Charming enough of an idea.
Pre opening photo of Three Layers
The owners, Jeff Wright and Shawn Mcguire kept an apartment in the building as well as a budding real estate venture owned by Mcguire. The couple are life partners as well as business partners, recently married in California. Their marriage certificate hung on the bulleting board for a while, but the nod to gay equality has been replaced by a picture of the two with Governor Crist.
The establishment opened to an enthusiastic reception--- Springfield is not only one of the most underserved neighborhoods in the southeast but it is also one of the most passionate--- Three Layers fit the hopes and expectations of the residents to a T, and it was a love affair from the first.
The space itself was charming. In fact, we covered the opening (and pre opening...and the pre - pre opening....and everything leading up to it from the moment it was announced.) and were delighted to see how comfortable and textured the environment was.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-mar-three-layers-the-latest-addition-to-springfield
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-jan-coffee-house-coming-to-springfield
The building had originally been worked on by another Springfield entreprenuer, Christie Frazier--the owner of The Pearl, and her trademark detailed elements of design are still evident in the bar and bathrooms, but these details are merely part of the decor ethos of the coffeeshop. Asian Marionettes, tasteful mahogany cubby dividers and contemporary furnishings mix with Shaker inspired tables and chairs.
Despite the narrow focus on dessert and coffee, the business prospered.
Perhaps partially because of the neighborhood's dogged and affectionate support, but definitely because of the luscious high quality nature of Jeff's baking.
some of the desserts available at the cafe
Ungodly, sumptuous desserts, piled high and nicely balanced in flavor and consistency. Most dessert counters make the mistake of creating a selection that leaves no room for dishes that arent oversweet to the extreme. Wright offered both light and classic recipes to appeal to all tastes.
They quickly discovered a demand for more filling food, and light lunches appeared on the menu.
Springfield has a fantastic niche for entertainment that isn't in a bar or nightclub setting. Jeff and Shawn began programming to fill that niche. Laid back ambient deejay, Catharsis started spinning regularly. Acoustic musical sets by the likes of the brilliant Lauren Fincham, and blues guitarist Al Poindexter and the legendary Goliath Flores (in a typically eccentric sunday afternoon performance schedule, Flores is presenting some of his jawdropping experimental vocalization and performance compositions). Art receptions and community meetings began to crowd the one room space.
Jacksonville's historic district has a commanding share of the city's colorful, eccentric set. They tend to be more rugged than San Marconians but more professionally employed than the Five Points/Riversiders. They mix with the realtors, home improvers and LOLAS (little old ladies at SPAR) with ease and comfort. Three Layers is their home.
The free WiFi attracted the telecommuting workers and created a regular crowd of chatty bright surprising culturati. This means it became one of the main centers of gossip in the County. All it needs to claim the crown is a bridge table in the back and possible a barber chair.
Jeff and Shawn decided it was time to expand. They moved out of their own apartment in the building, brought in contractors and began to expand.
The result was three more rooms with separate themes and uses. (one of them seems fairly promising as a Bridge Table room)
Three Layers opened up a Wine Bar called The Cellar. The space features a pretty cosmopolitan ambiance, lots of art and a respectable selection of wines offered both by the glass and bottle. There is also an line of bottled beer and Bold City Brewery options on Draft.
The Cellar Wine Bar at Three Layers
The Bar is a custom built embedded cement creation in keeping with the eclectic design ethos of Three Layers
The bar is a great cement creation, made in house with articulated details and found objects embedded into the surface.
The bartenders are of the young muscular and engaging variety.
There is a Happy Hour from 4-7 tuesday through Friday. 2 Dollar Drafts (A selection of Bold City Brewery Beers on Draft) and Three Dollar House Wines.
Adjoining the space is the "Zen Garden", an outdoor seating courtyard. Ivy crawls up the brick walls and there are stone gardens as well as tables and seating to accomodate thirty or so. It is a smoking area, with ashtrays provided and lush greenery. A very intimate cool little space, one could easily spend an evening in the pursuit of diversion in the garden.
Adjoining that is the private dining room reserved for parties, meetings or dinners
Recently at lunch, all tables inside the front room were filled and the place got so busy that every table in the entire building was taken, including the private dining room, The Cellar, and the actual tables of the Zen Garden.
The Lunch fare is elegant and simple, based out of the Deli Case.
There is an assortment of green salads, and a choice of three sandwich style platters.
The Chicken Salad is nice and light, made with fresh grapes. The Tuna salad is flavored with celery and a dash of spice, and these salads are served in a bowl with bread to the side.
The restaurant also offers baked goods, a tangy Hummous, and bagels.
Regularly Scheduled Art Shows decorate the walls of the walls. At the right is a work by Overstreet Ducasse.
The entertainment schedule is great as it stands, but will doubtlessly be expanding to fit the new spaces, and you can sign up for the email updates to the schedule. The website (http://www.threelayersacoffeehouse.com) also lists upcoming events at this url: http://www.threelayersacoffeehouse.com/whats_brewing.html.
Three Layers is a laid back affordable, incredibly fun little place to visit and hang out.
It is also a great example of a small business succeeding on the basis of quality and community support, we can definitely recommend the restaurant!
Let us know about your own experiences when you visit.
Written by
Stephen Dare.
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BridgeTroll
July 08, 2009, 05:56:43 AMVery good article Stephen!
Gonzo
July 08, 2009, 06:54:56 AMAbsolutely have to agree with everything you had to say in this article. Jeff and Shawn are great guys and their establishment should be a model for all other restaurant-style busninesses in the Springfield area. A few more, smart, hip places like Three Layers and the neighborhood will quickly become a mecca for young, up-and-coming, urban-minded professionals, older, more established mid-career types and hip empty-nesters looking for an excape from the doldrums of suburbia.
Here's hoping for many years of success for Jeff and Shawn!
Abhishek
July 08, 2009, 07:22:07 AMI visited Three Layers for Overstreet's art show. I am in love with the place and the garden in the back. I even noticed a basil plant in the garden! Overstreet's art show was phenomenal and the place was packed that night.
JeffreyS
July 08, 2009, 08:17:55 AMDo not try the Jeff's squares as they are hopelessly addictive.
fsu813
July 08, 2009, 08:19:15 AMonly complaint i have is that the girls that work the front counter often get side tracked by conversation with others & don't seem overly customer orientated.
stephElf
July 08, 2009, 08:30:53 AM$2 Bold City beer at Happy Hour? SWEET.
brainstormer
July 08, 2009, 09:03:22 AMThis place is by far one of the classiest places in Jacksonville. Anyone looking to start a new restaurant should approach Jeff and Shawn for advice. Quality food and owner engagement in customer service is a must and these two have added a wonderful touch to the neighborhood. It's good to see their business doing so well.
ohhkristin
July 08, 2009, 09:18:45 AMI definitely want to check this place out SOON. It seems to quaint and lovely and wonderful. I'm in love already!
77danj7
July 08, 2009, 10:27:57 AMWhat are their hours? Same for both coffee house and wine cellar?
Southbanker
July 08, 2009, 11:46:08 AMWonderful place! I have gotten cakes from them on several occasions and people go APE over them.
FSU813, I have always found the girls at the front counter to be sweethearts. They must have been talking to me when you were there!
reednavy
July 08, 2009, 02:26:03 PMI may be checking this out tonight. Nothing better than wine or coffee and a rainy evening with friends.
Wacca Pilatka
July 08, 2009, 03:50:53 PMNow that the owners had to sacrifice their apartment for the expansion, is there any chance they'll be renovating another historic structure in Springfield for a new place to live?
fsu813
July 08, 2009, 04:00:57 PMLiberty Street.
brainstormer
July 08, 2009, 04:01:22 PM^They already bought a house in Springfield, but I wouldn't rule out their participation in future endeavors in the neighborhood. I think they are pretty busy right now.
Keith-N-Jax
July 08, 2009, 08:00:52 PMI must check this place out ASAP!!!
shawnsoldit
July 08, 2009, 10:20:53 PMThis is Shawn one of the owners of Three Layers. Jeff and I are so grateful for all the support we have seen from Jacksonville. Springfield is a WONDERFUL neighborhood.....it has a perception that should have been left in the 90's. We are honored to bring attention to this wonderful neighborhood and its people. PLEASE come to Springfield and see for yourself, not only what we are doing, but what the community of Springfield has achieved I know you will be pleasantly surprised! Thank you Steven for a beautifully written article. It is appreciated.
avonjax
July 09, 2009, 01:15:58 AMOne of the handful of GREAT places in Jax.
stephendare
July 09, 2009, 11:40:20 AMThanks for the post Shawn!
Apparently people seem to like what you guys are doing.
reednavy
July 09, 2009, 01:01:35 PMI got a smoothie there this morning, it was worth the drive from Mandarin.
It was nice inside, however outside, some black guys was pissing off someones dogs and I was waiting for it to jump that fence.
stephElf
July 09, 2009, 04:06:30 PMDo they offer any of the lunch type items in the evening hours?
Keith-N-Jax
July 09, 2009, 06:23:13 PMWas it neccessary to say that the guys were black, does that make a difference.
reednavy
July 09, 2009, 08:00:39 PMKeith-N-Jax
July 09, 2009, 08:18:56 PMFact or not does it matter that they were black.
reednavy
July 09, 2009, 09:09:01 PMthekillingwax
July 09, 2009, 09:20:00 PMDid you have to mention that they were men too? Or even human? I would suggest bipedal sentient being for further descriptions.
reednavy
July 09, 2009, 09:41:41 PMKeith-N-Jax
July 09, 2009, 10:13:18 PMNow the real truth comes out. And of course you wouldnt see the real deal. Basically the event happening outside really is irrelavant to the topic of this thread. And before you dig the hole any deeper you can always tell a little about a person when they say I was just stating the facts or what I saw. Really now. Back on track now I cant wait to visit this establishment and I will not be pissing any dogs off.
TheProfessor
July 09, 2009, 11:34:11 PMThe real question is. Were the dogs black??
Keith-N-Jax
July 09, 2009, 11:46:01 PMHow intelligent??
TheProfessor
July 10, 2009, 12:05:18 AMI do enjoy a black lab. Sometimes even a black bone...
jtwestside
July 10, 2009, 03:40:23 PMbrainstormer is correct. One step into this place and you will know how much time and money and sweat-equity Jeff and Shawn have invested. The atmosphere and ambiance are very inviting. The workmanship and details of the shop itself (concrete countertops, wood floors *how did you do that transition?* etc.) are reflected in the quality products provided.
It just shows a willingness to invest in the area and I believe that others will follow.
reednavy
July 10, 2009, 03:49:45 PMNice to see a comment makes me sound like a racist. What real truth are you even talking about? Apparently some people just like to judge the character of someone via an internet message board. Also, I didn't say I would've said the N word anyways, jso I have no clud what the fuss is about, or you're trying to paint me something I'm not.
stephElf
July 10, 2009, 03:51:54 PMI was in there yesterday after work and it is awesome! They really did a great job. I wish the weather had been nicer, because the outside garden truly is a sanctuary. There were several huge bushes of basil I wanted to steal. Their happy hour prices are awesome, the bartender was friendly and helpful and their chicken salad was amazing!
2 thumbs up!! I was going to update my Jax review blog with a blurb and photos but I'm too tired today, so I'll get on that tomorrow.
Can't wait to go back.
Bewler
July 10, 2009, 05:21:14 PMNot to mention the fact that the bar tenders there truly are of the “young muscular and engaging variety”.
reednavy
July 10, 2009, 07:36:00 PMBewler
July 13, 2009, 01:09:49 PMJust for the record that was a reference to the description of them Stevendare made in his article, which I found hilarious.
stephendare
July 13, 2009, 02:05:15 PMreednavy
July 13, 2009, 02:13:52 PMI may try to apply for work at this place in the near future, I need a change.
stephElf
July 13, 2009, 02:23:44 PMquick review and photos
http://reviewjax.blogspot.com/2009/07/cellar-wine-bar-at-three-layers.html
Deuce
July 14, 2009, 08:33:18 AMI love this description. I think it fits the red velvet cake to the tee. Is the artist's works mentioned still hanging on the wallls? They look interesting.
Harry A
July 16, 2009, 06:05:31 PMGreat Article Stephen. The place is very comfortable. The waiters and the bartenders are cool. Of course the art work is off the hook.
ubben
July 16, 2009, 08:21:26 PMI love the gay rainbow flag out front. Thank you for providing us a nice space to hang out in too--it's an cosmopolitan, diverse, hip oasis!
Julian
July 17, 2009, 08:13:04 AMmy friend and I stopped in here yesterday after searching for apartments, not only is what they've done amazing but after living in jacksonville my entire life i've never met a friendlier group of people that I have in springfield, Shawn showed us around the garden and everyone is very welcoming. definately a no brainer now moving from riverside to springfield knowing there's a place like that around the corner!
Keith-N-Jax
July 19, 2009, 10:49:32 PMVery nice place and people.
Lucasjj
July 25, 2009, 03:14:23 PMI finally left the confines of Riverside to check this place out today. Truly awesome. My girlfriend and I shared a piece of red velvet cake and a Jeff Square. The desserts were great, as well as their iced coffee. We really loved the appearance and atmosphere. We may even go back tonight to check out the bar!
On a side note, we drove around Springfield and we were both really impressed with the area. Seeing photo essays and pieces about the improvements in Springfield do not due it justice on how much it has improved. I have lived in Jacksonville since 85 and driving through Springfield today has really given me a new prospective of that neighborhood.
thelakelander
July 25, 2009, 03:29:40 PMThanks for taking the time to check out Three Layers and Springfield today. The neighborhood has really come a long way.
shawnsoldit
July 25, 2009, 08:19:09 PMI glad you like our coffeehouse!! But bigger than that it is so nice to read something nice about our fine neighborhood! Please tell your friends about your new found perspective of Springfield! It truly is an amazing neighborhood with wonderful people!
Come back soon!
Lucasjj
July 25, 2009, 09:35:19 PMJust got back from Three Layers again. Not to sound like I have stock in the place but the wine bar setup is awesome. The mix between the bar, the coffee house, and garden is great. You can really see the connectivity of the Springfield residents in there, as many of them seem to know each other. Also the staff there was incredibly friendly and very eager to talk to us about their neighborhood. I will definitely be going back again. Hopefully as the neighborhood continues to grow and the economy bounces back, more commercial places like it will spring up.
stephendare
July 25, 2009, 09:42:24 PMGreat Lucas! Did you get to meet Shawn and Jeff?
Lucasjj
July 25, 2009, 09:55:58 PMWhen my girlfriend and I went in today Jeff served us. It was just simple customer pleasantries though. Tonight however we talked mainly with a bartender, whose name I don't recall, but he provided excellent service and was extremely friendly. I really suggest for all those people who have seen the many things on this site about this place, but haven't gone, to motivate and head over sometime. It is definitely worth the trip.
If you do go you have to try the hummus. My girlfriend and I think its the best we have had.
Omarvelous09
July 28, 2009, 02:48:07 PMSo i went a few weeks ago...i guess the Zen garden/bar just opened. I have to admit, its a great space...with a surprising crowd. A little too avondale for me...but good to see the "cool folks" have flocked. lol
Sigma
July 28, 2009, 02:55:08 PMSportmotor
July 28, 2009, 06:50:03 PMI love going to that place, am a little scared to go there and see its jam packed with people. I kinda liked going in and it had a very relaxed since about it.
have always had Great coffee and fun converastions with the girls making them
Sportmotor
July 28, 2009, 07:27:09 PMactually last time I was there we had a fun converastion about cults and lifestyles and even tho I was the one who didnt know anyone, I didnt really feel that way.
stephendare
August 19, 2009, 05:39:13 PMThis place has been packed! Alot of metrojacksonville people have been dropping by and checking it out, Ive seen a number of you while Ive been there.
Sign up and tell people about your experience!
Sportmotor
August 19, 2009, 05:40:42 PMSign up and tell people about your experience!
You work there? o.O
I was there not to long ago with my co-worker and fellow forum person on here Omar checking out the new zen garden and such
stephendare
August 19, 2009, 05:44:04 PMlol. I do work there. But not for there. At least not intentionally.
Im there about once a week swilling down coffee and updating stories on metrojacksonville.
Sportmotor
August 19, 2009, 05:53:05 PMOh ok, was wondering figured you would probley stand out had I seen you and woulda thrown paper balls at you untill you figured out what was goin on
EvenStillLeader
August 25, 2009, 04:06:36 PMwhenever my band plays there it's always a great experience. recently, i had a performance at another venue and could not play until i had a 4 berry smoothie! I drove from Arlington to get my smoothie and chill a bit.
Jeff and Shawn are great!
EvenStillLeader
Lucasjj
August 28, 2009, 02:05:16 PMI just saw this on Jacksonville.com. Hopefully some of the not-so-enlightened people who frequent their boards can see a better perspective of Springfield through this article.
http://jacksonville.com/lifestyles/columnists/laura_capitano/2009-08-27/story/springfields_three_layers_adds_more_layers
Also I am not sure if this was posted before, but I saw a flyer for a music festival Three Layers is putting on in October, and I received an email about it from Jeff yesterday:
"Planning continues for Springfield's Autumn Music Festival and the music line-up is looking amazing! It will be held Oct. 3rd & 4th on the grounds surrounding ThreeLayers. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society & Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Many of Springfield's own non-profit and support organizations will have booths as well. There will be great fun and good times for everyone! Keep up to date by checking out www.AutumnMusicFest.org "
fsu813
November 12, 2009, 12:30:53 AMThree Layers Coffee House: Sweet success for Jeff Wright and Shawn McGuire
People can’t stop talking about Three Layers, A Coffee House. The Springfield business was named the Best Coffee House of Jacksonville by Folio Weekly, gained coverage in Southern Living, and garnered a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist. Like many other entrepreneurs, partners Jeff Wright and Shawn McGuire have an interesting story.
The couple moved to Florida from Atlanta in 2007. McGuire was successful in the construction and real estate industries. Wright worked in health care, and made special-order cakes from his home kitchen for more than a decade.
For as long as Wright has been making cakes, people have told him that his cakes were the best they’ve ever had. Guests have called the hosts of parties where Wright’s cakes were served because they wanted to compliment Wright on his cakes. They even sent flowers. Friends and family urged Wright to start a business.
McGuire suggested that Wright name the would-be business. Months later, Wright announced that he would call it Three Layers, A Coffee House. The name represented the three layers he used in every cake he baked and his belief that true inner peace embodies the mind, body and spirit—three layers.
Months after deciding on a name, the opportunity to launch Three Layers presented itself, but it was completely unexpected.
New Floridians
Wright and McGuire moved to Orlando after McGuire was recruited by a real estate firm in Central Florida. But they discovered the city wasn’t the right fit for them.
“We started to consider other areas of Florida, and we had a few requirements for our new home,” Wright says. “It had to be a place where Shawn could sell real estate, specifically historic homes. We’re urban dwellers, so it had to have an urban core. And it had to be near the water.”
After reviewing city information on the Internet, Wright and McGuire kept reading about the historic Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville. After a visit to the active community, they were hooked.
Some locals tried to persuade them not to move to Springfield.
“People told us, ‘Oh, you don’t want to be there,’” Wright says. “The neighborhood was rundown and crime-infested about 10 years ago. But it’s nothing like that now.”
McGuire began searching for offices for his new real estate venture. He found a four-unit building at 1602 Walnut Street. Although he decided it wasn’t suitable for his real estate office, he wanted to show it to Wright because of the unique architecture.
When Wright walked in the 1925 building, tears filled his eyes, McGuire says.
“He turned and told me, ‘This is it. This is where Three Layers is supposed to be,’” McGuire recalls.
The building offered not only a place for a new business, but a place for the couple to live as well.
Their decision was a surprise to both of them. “I remember telling Jeff, ‘A coffee house? But, we’re looking for a place for the real estate business,’ Three Layers wasn’t on our radar at that point,” McGuire says.
But Three Layers was meant to be.
A financial plan
“Starting Three Layers was a new experience for us,” McGuire says. “I’d done construction, restoration, and real estate, but nothing like this before.”
Another entrepreneur gave McGuire a contact at the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA required McGuire to produce a business plan. He spent three days writing his first business plan using Business Plan Pro software. He used a how-to book about opening a coffee house, and demographic information from the Springfield Preservation & Revitalization (SPAR) Council.
The partners secured a loan from CenterBank of Jacksonville guaranteed by the SBA, and put down $60,000.
“We did an interest reserve deal. It included $175,000 to cover the cost of the building, $50,000 for build-out, $25,000 to cover our mortgage payments while we got started, plus $25,000 in equipment start-up costs,” McGuire says. “The interest rate was good, and it all happened pretty fast. If we would have pursued the same loan now that we did back then, the scenario would be very different.”
A budding business
Wright and McGuire worked tirelessly to build Three Layers, A Coffee House, in only a few months. A then-threatening recession presented challenges, but they believed in the vision for the coffee house.
“Shawn had his real estate business, and I was bringing in income from a part-time job at Memorial Hospital,” Wright says. “We lived in the same building of the coffee house, and we didn’t have a mortgage payment thanks to the great deal we received from the SBA. We knew we would have to put in long hours and hard work, but we figured if we can make it in this economic climate, we’d be OK.”
The owners say that their slogan, “Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly,” is not only a foundation for Three Layers, but a personal mantra they live by. Wright received it an e-mail several years ago, and it stuck with him.
The partners conducted guerilla market research by visiting coffee houses each time they traveled to a new city. They studied the corporate giants, networked with local roasters, and researched equipment.
“We asked a lot of questions to find out who was using what equipment, the advantages and disadvantages of using certain products, and what changes the owners would make if they could,” Wright says. “We checked out the prices other owners were charging, too.”
The menu was designed to showcase Wright’s treasured recipes from family and friends. The recipe for Italian Cream cake, Wright’s favorite, came from a friend’s family in Knoxville, Tenn. The cookie recipes originated from Wright’s mother, and his English Muffin Bread recipe came from his father. The partners drew non-compete and confidentially agreements to protect the recipes. Today, they’re also trademarking and copyrighting the best-selling “Jeff Squares.”
They also found great deals on equipment.
“Sometimes people just gave us things,” Wright says.
The marketing plan was simple. The partners printed fliers and spoke to everyone they met. As people visited the coffee house, word spread quickly, and soon the press began to call. A visit from a local television producer resulted in news coverage.
McGuire says that the first operational plan entailed him opening Three Layers in the morning, tending to the long lines, and closing at 11 a.m. Then, he’d work on his real estate business. Wright would leave his part-time job at 5 p.m. to open the coffee house by 5:30 p.m.
“Well, there just weren’t long lines at the beginning,” McGuire says. “We had a very limited menu in the beginning consisting of cake, coffee and espresso.”
Soon customers were asking for lunch.
Expansion
Wright and McGuire decided to repurpose their guest bedroom to give Wright more room to prepare food. Out came the guest bed, and in went new commercial equipment.
After finding a four-bedroom house, only steps from the coffee house, Wright and McGuire moved out of the building. They turned their old bedroom into a special events room, and opened a wine bar called The Cellar.
They also hired a landscaper to transform their courtyard into a lush Zen Garden featuring reclaimed bricks, drought-tolerant bamboo, and underground water storage ponds. Now, the Zen Garden is reserved at least once a week for birthdays, receptions, book club meetings, and more.
The owners have also given back to the community through events such as the Springfield Autumn Music Festival that benefitted the American Cancer Society and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The buzz about Three Layers, A Coffee House, has translated to awards, press coverage, and even a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist.
The governor was in Jacksonville to sign a piece of legislation. When he told his local driver he wanted to go to Starbucks, the driver told him he should try Three Layers.
“Gov. Crist and his entire entourage came to the coffee house,” McGuire says. “We had a guitar player during lunch that day. Gov. Crist borrowed his guitar and played a Beatles song for us.”
Challenges and goals
Wright says it is still a challenge to get some native Jacksonvillians to visit Three Layers, A Coffee House, because of Springfield’s stigma from years ago.
“We actually had some part-time applicants call and cancel their interviews once they looked up the location of the coffee house, or when their family or friends heard that the business was in Springfield,” Wright says.
Positive press coverage and word-of-mouth have helped the owners combat the old reputation of Springfield.
McGuire says that one of the partners’ biggest goals is to implement processes to make the coffee house so systematic, that it can be run easily.
“This will free Jeff and me up to focus on other ventures,” McGuire says.
McGuire calls the success of Three Layers more of a statement than a cause for the neighborhood.
“We thought we’d offer a great place to hang out, but we soon became the flagship business for a neighborhood long forgotten. We proved that, yes, you can start a business in a once horrible neighborhood and succeed.”
http://advantagebizmag.com/archives/2403/comment-page-1#comment-580
alta
November 12, 2009, 12:59:41 AMAwesome article. Thanks Shawn and Jeff for opening your business in Springfield!!
stephendare
November 17, 2009, 10:02:32 PMThree Layers Coffee House: Sweet success for Jeff Wright and Shawn McGuire
Posted on 29 October 2009
By Ashley Cisneros
People can’t stop talking about Three Layers, A Coffee House. The Springfield business was named the Best Coffeethreelayers pix House of Jacksonville by Folio Weekly, gained coverage in Southern Living, and garnered a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist. Like many other entrepreneurs, partners Jeff Wright and Shawn McGuire have an interesting story.
The couple moved to Florida from Atlanta in 2007. McGuire was successful in the construction and real estate industries. Wright worked in health care, and made special-order cakes from his home kitchen for more than a decade.
For as long as Wright has been making cakes, people have told him that his cakes were the best they’ve ever had. Guests have called the hosts of parties where Wright’s cakes were served because they wanted to compliment Wright on his cakes. They even sent flowers. Friends and family urged Wright to start a business.
McGuire suggested that Wright name the would-be business. Months later, Wright announced that he would call it Three Layers, A Coffee House. The name represented the three layers he used in every cake he baked and his belief that true inner peace embodies the mind, body and spirit—three layers.
Months after deciding on a name, the opportunity to launch Three Layers presented itself, but it was completely unexpected.
New Floridians
Wright and McGuire moved to Orlando after McGuire was recruited by a real estate firm in Central Florida. But they discovered the city wasn’t the right fit for them.
“We started to consider other areas of Florida, and we had a few requirements for our new home,” Wright says. “It had to be a place where Shawn could sell real estate, specifically historic homes. We’re urban dwellers, so it had to have an urban core. And it had to be near the water.”
After reviewing city information on the Internet, Wright and McGuire kept reading about the historic Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville. After a visit to the active community, they were hooked.
Some locals tried to persuade them not to move to Springfield.
“People told us, ‘Oh, you don’t want to be there,’” Wright says. “The neighborhood was rundown and crime-infested about 10 years ago. But it’s nothing like that now.”
McGuire began searching for offices for his new real estate venture. He found a four-unit building at 1602 Walnut Street. Although he decided it wasn’t suitable for his real estate office, he wanted to show it to Wright because of the unique architecture.
When Wright walked in the 1925 building, tears filled his eyes, McGuire says.
“He turned and told me, ‘This is it. This is where Three Layers is supposed to be,’” McGuire recalls.
The building offered not only a place for a new business, but a place for the couple to live as well.
Their decision was a surprise to both of them. “I remember telling Jeff, ‘A coffee house? But, we’re looking for a place for the real estate business,’ Three Layers wasn’t on our radar at that point,” McGuire says.
But Three Layers was meant to be.
A financial plan
“Starting Three Layers was a new experience for us,” McGuire says. “I’d done construction, restoration, and real estate, but nothing like this before.”
Another entrepreneur gave McGuire a contact at the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA required McGuire to produce a business plan. He spent three days writing his first business plan using Business Plan Pro software. He used a how-to book about opening a coffee house, and demographic information from the Springfield Preservation & Revitalization (SPAR) Council.
The partners secured a loan from CenterBank of Jacksonville guaranteed by the SBA, and put down $60,000.
“We did an interest reserve deal. It included $175,000 to cover the cost of the building, $50,000 for build-out, $25,000 to cover our mortgage payments while we got started, plus $25,000 in equipment start-up costs,” McGuire says. “The interest rate was good, and it all happened pretty fast. If we would have pursued the same loan now that we did back then, the scenario would be very different.”
A budding business
Wright and McGuire worked tirelessly to build Three Layers, A Coffee House, in only a few months. A then-threatening recession presented challenges, but they believed in the vision for the coffee house.
“Shawn had his real estate business, and I was bringing in income from a part-time job at Memorial Hospital,” Wright says. “We lived in the same building of the coffee house, and we didn’t have a mortgage payment thanks to the great deal we received from the SBA. We knew we would have to put in long hours and hard work, but we figured if we can make it in this economic climate, we’d be OK.”
The owners say that their slogan, “Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly,” is not only a foundation for Three Layers, but a personal mantra they live by. Wright received it an e-mail several years ago, and it stuck with him.
The partners conducted guerilla market research by visiting coffee houses each time they traveled to a new city. They studied the corporate giants, networked with local roasters, and researched equipment.
“We asked a lot of questions to find out who was using what equipment, the advantages and disadvantages of using certain products, and what changes the owners would make if they could,” Wright says. “We checked out the prices other owners were charging, too.”
The menu was designed to showcase Wright’s treasured recipes from family and friends. The recipe for Italian Cream cake, Wright’s favorite, came from a friend’s family in Knoxville, Tenn. The cookie recipes originated from Wright’s mother, and his English Muffin Bread recipe came from his father. The partners drew non-compete and confidentially agreements to protect the recipes. Today, they’re also trademarking and copyrighting the best-selling “Jeff Squares.”
They also found great deals on equipment.
“Sometimes people just gave us things,” Wright says.
The marketing plan was simple. The partners printed fliers and spoke to everyone they met. As people visited the coffee house, word spread quickly, and soon the press began to call. A visit from a local television producer resulted in news coverage.
McGuire says that the first operational plan entailed him opening Three Layers in the morning, tending to the long lines, and closing at 11 a.m. Then, he’d work on his real estate business. Wright would leave his part-time job at 5 p.m. to open the coffee house by 5:30 p.m.
“Well, there just weren’t long lines at the beginning,” McGuire says. “We had a very limited menu in the beginning consisting of cake, coffee and espresso.”
Soon customers were asking for lunch.
Expansion
Wright and McGuire decided to repurpose their guest bedroom to give Wright more room to prepare food. Out came the guest bed, and in went new commercial equipment.
After finding a four-bedroom house, only steps from the coffee house, Wright and McGuire moved out of the building. They turned their old bedroom into a special events room, and opened a wine bar called The Cellar.
They also hired a landscaper to transform their courtyard into a lush Zen Garden featuring reclaimed bricks, drought-tolerant bamboo, and underground water storage ponds. Now, the Zen Garden is reserved at least once a week for birthdays, receptions, book club meetings, and more.
The owners have also given back to the community through events such as the Springfield Autumn Music Festival that benefitted the American Cancer Society and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The buzz about Three Layers, A Coffee House, has translated to awards, press coverage, and even a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist.
The governor was in Jacksonville to sign a piece of legislation. When he told his local driver he wanted to go to Starbucks, the driver told him he should try Three Layers.
“Gov. Crist and his entire entourage came to the coffee house,” McGuire says. “We had a guitar player during lunch that day. Gov. Crist borrowed his guitar and played a Beatles song for us.”
Challenges and goals
Wright says it is still a challenge to get some native Jacksonvillians to visit Three Layers, A Coffee House, because of Springfield’s stigma from years ago.
“We actually had some part-time applicants call and cancel their interviews once they looked up the location of the coffee house, or when their family or friends heard that the business was in Springfield,” Wright says.
Positive press coverage and word-of-mouth have helped the owners combat the old reputation of Springfield.
McGuire says that one of the partners’ biggest goals is to implement processes to make the coffee house so systematic, that it can be run easily.
“This will free Jeff and me up to focus on other ventures,” McGuire says.
McGuire calls the success of Three Layers more of a statement than a cause for the neighborhood.
“We thought we’d offer a great place to hang out, but we soon became the flagship business for a neighborhood long forgotten. We proved that, yes, you can start a business in a once horrible neighborhood and succeed.”
Ashley Cisneros is a contributing editor to Jacksonville Advantage. She can be reached at ashleycisneros@gmail.com.
billy
November 17, 2009, 10:18:38 PMGreat place. Visited recently while in town.
Any city/neighborhood in the country would be proud to claim it.
Reaper man
November 23, 2009, 06:01:57 AMAs someone who lives ooooh 250 feet or so away from the coffee house(aren't you guys jealous? :>), I must say it's the best cafe I've ever experienced. I mean who couldn't love:
All in all, is it no wonder why it got best coffee house in Folio weekly? I really should go there more, but I'm poor, and I don't feel right just loitering there without buying something, you know?
Sportmotor
November 23, 2009, 05:33:35 PMAre you the house with the crazy dog running around in the front yard?
Reaper man
November 23, 2009, 09:32:19 PMAre you the house with the crazy dog running around in the front yard?
No, I'm the house with the crazy 4 dogs that bark at fucking everything.
Sportmotor
November 23, 2009, 10:11:38 PMThe house on the corner?
Reaper man
November 23, 2009, 10:32:00 PMNo, I'm a couple of houses East...
Sportmotor
November 23, 2009, 10:34:14 PMNo, I'm a couple of houses East...
ah
Dan B
November 23, 2009, 10:40:29 PMAre you the house with the crazy dog running around in the front yard?
No, I'm the house with the crazy 4 dogs that bark at fucking everything.
Sounds like you should move.
Reaper man
November 24, 2009, 01:14:20 AMeh, that's easier said than done with only $535 a month to budget. You get used to the dogs after a while. They are an annoyance, sure, but it isn't a deal breaker. Besides, I like Springfield.
Sportmotor
November 24, 2009, 09:30:57 AMeh, that's easier said than done with only $535 a month to budget. You get used to the dogs after a while. They are an annoyance, sure, but it isn't a deal breaker. Besides, I like Springfield.
Duct tape
Reaper man
November 24, 2009, 12:16:31 PMOh yeah, I'm sure my land lady would love that, not to mention my hand getting bitten off in the process.
Sportmotor
November 24, 2009, 01:17:34 PMOh yeah, I'm sure my land lady would love that, not to mention my hand getting bitten off in the process.
duct tape your land lady..
you have big dogs?
Dan B
November 24, 2009, 01:38:01 PMOh yeah, I'm sure my land lady would love that, not to mention my hand getting bitten off in the process.
duct tape your land lady..
you have big dogs?
I take issue with that. I am very good friends with his landlady. Personally, I would rather duct tape the tenant... just sayin.
Sportmotor
November 24, 2009, 02:41:09 PMI havnt done my job untill someone is offended
Dan B
November 24, 2009, 03:51:48 PM:-) Im not offended, just expressing my druthers.
Sportmotor
November 24, 2009, 03:53:26 PMI'll have to try harder
with more tape
Reaper man
November 24, 2009, 10:08:58 PMheeeey D:
I haven't done anything wrong, and I like Lynn. She's a very nice woman. It's just her dogs occasionally get on my nerves. I'm not a big fan of loud barking, but that's what you have to live with when you share a house with pets.
soxfan
November 27, 2009, 07:02:59 PMAre you the house with the crazy dog running around in the front yard?
I think you may be referring to my dog. Red house, fawn colored dog??? She likes to run back and forth along my fence when people walk by. It tends to keep the uninvited out of my yard..
Sportmotor
November 28, 2009, 12:22:48 AMAre you the house with the crazy dog running around in the front yard?
I think you may be referring to my dog. Red house, fawn colored dog??? She likes to run back and forth along my fence when people walk by. It tends to keep the uninvited out of my yard..
large fast dog, some debris out in your front yard?
(I didnt pay attention to the house I perfer Canies over people obviously) lol
Sportmotor
December 01, 2009, 05:56:15 PMSomeone should meet me up there and keep me entertained inbeween classes tomorrow around lunch time
soxfan
December 01, 2009, 06:50:52 PMThat sounds about right.. She's harmless, she likes to bark. The debris is leftovers from the kitchen rehab.
Sportmotor
December 01, 2009, 07:21:21 PMShe is fun to watch run around, sat on my truck drinking coffee watching her go back and forth for about 5mins once lol
Reaper man
December 01, 2009, 07:55:47 PMGimme a specific time. Maybe I'll be out then... Who knows?
Sportmotor
December 01, 2009, 08:15:16 PMGimme a specific time. Maybe I'll be out then... Who knows?
I get outa class bout 11-1130 takes maybe 5mins to get there from downtown fccj campus. class starts at 1230pm.
you cant miss me. atleast when Im walking I jingle and will probley be in my lil hoodie with my tags on.
Sportmotor
December 01, 2009, 08:29:38 PMor just go in and bark, that typically gets my attention really fast XD
Reaper man
December 02, 2009, 08:46:51 AMyou cant miss me. atleast when Im walking I jingle and will probley be in my lil hoodie with my tags on.
lolk.
Sportmotor
December 09, 2009, 08:40:30 AManyone wanna keep me company for lunch again?
Reaper man
December 09, 2009, 06:22:03 PMit's funny that I ran into you there out of pure coincidence :3
Sportmotor
December 09, 2009, 06:59:26 PMI know! and ran into a couple other Metro members, who took a while to introduce themselves to me lol I couldnt have been hard to spot
stephendare
December 09, 2009, 07:03:57 PMActually three layers was packed with posters from metrojacksonville today! It was nice.
There were at least people in the cafe for lunch who post on here regularly.
Sportsmotor, Chelleby, Ocklawaha, Me, Reaperman and Zoo were all in at the same time.
Sportmotor
December 09, 2009, 07:27:33 PMdid I miss Zoo and Chelleby?
stephendare
December 09, 2009, 07:30:01 PMchelleby was the blonde photographer with Ocklawaha and I.
Zoo was sitting at the front window.
Sportmotor
December 09, 2009, 07:40:15 PMZoo was sitting at the front window.
Ah ok