Diary of a Start-Up: Decisions, Decisions

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As we move closer and closer to our planned opening, I'm finding that our decisions, from the mundane to the major, are becoming more and more determinate. Previously, when we had more time on our hands, we didn't have to worry about which task came before the next -- painting the restrooms was just as important as tiling the food prep area - but now that we're coming down to the finish line, we really have to examine which tasks come first.

When the projector installer came down last week, he told me that before he could do his job correctly we'd need to have: the drop ceiling installed, the theater chairs bolted down, the sound absorbing curtain in place, and the screen ready. Immediately after meeting with him, I started to see a causal line snake its way through the tasks at hand. The chairs couldn't be installed until the drop ceiling was put into place; the drop ceiling couldn't be installed until the electrical inspection was finished; the electrical inspection couldn't be finished until the last sconces were installed along the curtain wall; the curtain couldn't be installed until the fabric arrived (this weekend).

I immediately went to work trying to rearrange the order of things. I successfully talked our electricians into getting the ceiling inspected before the rest of the building so we could move ahead with the drop ceiling. The electrical ceiling inspection was completed yesterday (Wednesday). With that done, we could have the drop ceiling installed by Friday, the curtain installed this weekend, and the chairs would be installed throughout next week. Unfortunately, the guy who does our drop ceiling is on vacation this week. Damn!

Just like that, we're back to rearranging the order of events. Now it looks like we're going to install the curtain this weekend, the drop ceiling will be finished first thing Monday morning, and we'll start installing the chairs on Tuesday. In the meantime, we're going to spend today and tomorrow entertaining bids from floor refinishers, finishing the last bits of paint trimming, installing our artwork wire hanging system, finishing the food prep area, and hanging doors throughout the building. Luckily for us, those tasks don't have to go in any special order.

Bio: Dan and Nicole Chilton are currently trying to open an art-house theater in Springfield, Missouri. Dan has been chronicling their progress for more than a year at The Moxie Blog.