We have a plan…
What should we do with all these spare parts?
We have a plan! A real plan.. doesn’t that sound nice?! Well you know what happens to the best laid plans but when there is a will there is a way and we are ready to find it. Tomeka has been an active boss figuring out the best foundation options for the caboose, figuring out decking, deciphering city codes- the real bread and butter of the project. It may not be glamourous to think about but one has to know how to get your water onsite. I once read about a woman who built a house herself by watching YouTube videos. If she can do it, surely we can.
As many of y’all have seen on social media, we have been on a mission to clean out the caboose. Wasps, lead paint, asbestos, beer cans, oh my!… It was a real crime scene in there. We made huge strides though it may not look like it while hopefully avoiding tetanus. What we didn’t avoid is the reality that the walls on both sides need to be stripped back to the metal. The wood is rotten, some panels more than others, but needs to all be taken out (at least on the service window side of the caboose). When we get it down to the metal, we will have to re-stud, insulate, and dry wall just like you would in a new house. We made some strides (see pics below) but there is still a lot to finish. The stripped wall is to the left; the original wood on the right.
One side of the caboose will have a large service window for the bar and walk up orders (no one will actually be sitting inside the caboose). The other side will stay a wall with shelving etc. We want to keep it as vintage as possible in vibe. There will be a full commercial kitchen (as per Mississippi code and well… we love food). There will also be storage in the front of the caboose as well as an employee rest rooms. See… a plan!
We are eager to share our plans for the property ASAP! The great news is we offered on a piece of land and it was accepted! We are a bit over a month from closing and need to do our due diligence and make sure everything is ready to rock (how exciting!). We are land owners! We met with the Mayor and the City team and it was an amazing meeting. Positive, welcoming, excited.. this community is a perfect fit for our sweet caboose. We can’t wait to share more.. until then… let’s keep on keeping on.
Be Sweet. Stay Juicy.
Tomeka and Ailsa
*Thanks so much to all those who have ordered jars! The first shipment will go out this weekend and will be available for fast shipment thereafter.