Opening My Small Snackhouse: Les' TeaN'Bites

17 July 2025

How have you been Hiveans!

It's been more than a month since I last posted, and I've definitely missed this platform! Though I take a peek once in a while, staying long seems complicated for me this time.

A few of you may have known that I planned to start a business. In my last article, I mentioned a few updates about it. That was on May 11th. I became very busy thereafter due to numerous preparations. Aside from opening a business, I was also busy with preparations for the village fiesta. Moreover, I also have online work to deal with, which I do every night. Since then, I'm like a busy bee, juggling from one beehive to another.

Sleepless nights and restless days are part of it. But I wish it's worth it.

From An Abandoned Store To A Small Snack House

Way back in 2013, my mom and dad put up a business, a grocery store. It was booming back then, as it was the largest in our area. However, as the years went by, many rival stores emerged. When the pandemic hit in 2019, my parents decided to close the store. It had been abandoned for a long time, and I found it wasted. When I came home from abroad last year, it was the very first thing I wanted to work on, especially after I had a dream about my father with the store open. I thought it was a sign to open the abandoned store once more.

There were obstacles at the beginning, especially after I became jobless. I had only my savings from working abroad and a salary from working online. As a breadwinner, it isn't enough now that inflation is high, and I have college students to support. You're thousand pesos would disappear in just a day or less. But I took the risk and spent some of my savings and cryptocurrencies to open a small business.

The Opening

On the 29th of May, the day before our village fiesta, I decided to open our small snack house even though there were still a lot of things to work on, because I just rushed it. It was an excellent opportunity to open the snack house, as there would be many visitors in our place since it was a fiesta. I wasn't wrong at all. The moment we put out our tarpaulin and introduced what we are selling to the public, people started to show up. I don't actually expect more customers in my business because our snack house is located outside the town proper; therefore, we have fewer customers. However, social media helps us drive more customers. With the consistent posting on our Facebook Page, new customers kept showing up every day.

New Look After A Month

As mentioned above, the opening was a rush. The interior looks so plain, and I still lack things. I decided to make a few renovations and added a few things.

The first thing I fixed was the tarpaulins. Instead of paying someone to fix it, I asked my brother to help me make a menu board for the snack house. The result was even better, and it caught the attention of passersby.

Here's the new look.

Meanwhile, I added some touches to our wall to make it less boring to look at. I still prefer a minimalist design and neutral colors, so I choose only a few decorations, such as some frames and wall mirrors.

From this...

To this...

It's not so plain anymore. It's like a DIYed store, lol.

Monthsary Game Challenge

Running a small snack house is like climbing a mountain, full of challenges, fun, and excitement, just like I used to do abroad. And as we reached our first monthsary, I thought of doing something special. Something not only to celebrate the milestone, but also to bring smiles to our beloved customers. Since I love solving Rubik's cube, the idea of a Rubik's cube challenge was formed.

The concept was simple. Just solve the Rubik’s Cube and you'll win a free milk tea of your choice. On the first day, curious customers who came by got curious and tried the challenge, but none could solve the cube.

Then on the second day, someone finally did it! He solved the cube after a while of trying. And just like that, he got himself a refreshing free milk tea in his chosen flavor. There were actually two winners, but I wasn't on duty when the first challenger solved the Rubik's Cube, so I wasn't able to witness it. Seeing the winner's smile made all the effort of planning the challenge worth it. I'm planning to add more games to our small snack house, as most of our customers are youngsters.

Small Wins, Big Lessons

Behind all things, managing a small business is not as easy as I thought it was. Each day comes with different responsibilities and challenges. One of the biggest challenges is managing expectations. As a customer myself, I like quick service and quality food. I always aim to deliver quality snacks and drinks even during the busy hours. But some things are out of control, which gives a negative impression to customers.

Another real struggle is inventory and restocking. Ingredients sometimes run out faster than expected, and finding time to restock can be tough. I learned how to plan ahead, track supplies, and find reliable suppliers online who can deliver supplies quickly. But then again, some things just happen unexpectedly that delay orders.

And of course, waking up early each day just to prepare things needed at the store, like cooking tapioca pearls, brewing tea, cleaning the shop, and other else, is another challenge.

Marketing and Money Matters

In today’s modern world, marketing is very important to keep the business running. Creating eye-catching social media posts and promoting our snack house has become a part of my daily tasks. Apart from the workload, I also enjoy connecting with other small business owners online to create a bigger circle someday.

And then there’s the important task of tallying the daily profit. It may sound simple, but keeping track of every transaction, understanding which items sell the most, and others, are important for keeping the business moving forward. However, I am still struggling with these tasks even up to date. And the sad part is having shorts, due to miscalculations or some sort. It would be better if there's always over, lol. Just kidding.

Grateful for Every Step and Small Things

Despite the challenges, I’m always grateful. Grateful for the little wins and small profit. Grateful for every returning customer and even the helpful feedback, whether good or bad. The support of my neighborhood and some of my relatives has also helped this small snack house grow and continue serving.

And lastly, grateful for the inspirations and people behind the opening of this small snack house. There's no Les' TeaN'Bites without them.

After the first month, I look back at the relationships built, the lessons learned, and the new memories made.

Here's to many more months of flavor and fun!
I'll be seeing you around again :)...

Thanks for your time.