How Did You Come Up With Fenster? Part Three: The Practical Side

So, by now you know—I had already sold my first café, stepped away from the second one without really doing anything I had originally planned. In other words, I found myself in that famous state they call a tabula rasa. But not exactly.

As I was walking out the door of Schrank, I already knew there was another door waiting for me. Figuratively speaking, of course. I had already come up with the idea for my next concept (see Parts One and Two). All that was left was finding the place where it would live.

In the meantime, I decided to “pause” my business activity officially—filed all the necessary paperwork—so I wouldn’t keep paying unnecessary fees.

I was walking down one street toward the government office to take care of that, when I suddenly turned down a different one. I do that sometimes—wander through Vienna’s side alleys just out of curiosity. You never know what you’ll find.

As I was heading down this “new path,” a thought hit me: Wait… isn’t this the same street where my acquaintance “X” wanted to give up her lease (for a fee) for what was almost the space for Schrank? So I figured, while she’s still looking for someone, maybe I could try launching my new café idea there. And maybe even save up enough to cover the transfer fee. That was the thought.

Now, the space itself had a few little corners, just enough room to tuck in some coffee gear. I was hoping to slide right into one of those.

I dropped in and asked her how things were going. Then I shared my idea and asked, “What do you think?” Her eyes lit up. She said, “I’ve actually got a little storage room with a street-facing window. Honestly, I think your idea would be a perfect fit there.”

I immediately liked the thought of opening a café a little separated from her shop. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure it would work.

So we made a deal. I’d either take the corner in her store or the little storage room with the window. We’d hit pause until the end of the year (just a few weeks away) and decide everything after. I was honestly thrilled—we had a space, we had a plan, now I just had to bring it to life.

I spent those few weeks weighing every single detail. I stood outside the space, watching people go by, trying to get a feel for the flow, the rhythm of the street.

And there was a lot to consider: it was a small street, kind of dark. There was a well-known restaurant across the way. People in Vienna aren’t used to buying coffee from a window. Especially not on the street. How would I heat the place in winter? No restroom. Nothing at all, really. And most of all—what would I do when it’s cold or rainy? People don’t linger; they’re on a mission.

Eventually, I decided: We’ll start at the window. If it doesn’t work, I’ll move inside. And since we were starting in spring, I’d have time to build a loyal crowd before winter hits. Naive? Definitely. I had no idea what was coming next. But that’s a story for another day.

Once I’d made my final decision, we met again. We sealed it with a handshake: I’d take the storage room with the window, and later—if I was ready—I could take over the whole space. We’d get the paperwork going and start making it real.

And that’s when it all truly began. That’s when the story of Fenster started.

Funny how this whole string of coincidences just… clicked into place. Like the world decided to line itself up with my ideas and dreams. The crazy part? That’s exactly how I pictured it when I realized I was stepping away from Schrank and into something new.

A lot of my past stayed behind in Schrank—including pieces of my personal life. But maybe that was meant to be. I stepped into Fenster completely clear. Free. 100% myself. Maybe that’s why Fenster had a shot at becoming what it did.

Anyway—off to grab some good coffee! 🙂

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