Despite the high difficulty of keeping a business open today, No Thai!, a Thai-cuisine inspired restaurant, opened its doors on Grand River Avenue on July 27 , 2011. With the recession biting at the heels of the business industry and a surplus of competition, No Thai!’s tactic for success is brilliantly simple: cater to its consumer base while bringing a new product to the table. With only 20 dishes on its menu, it is able to avoid intimidating the customer. “We are not aiming to be authentic. We wanted to make modern Thai-inspired food,” said Brian Kim, one of the four original co-owners of the restaurant.
Noreung Hang, Jeffery Cho, and Victor Kim are the other three visionaries of No Thai! The four separate locations they have opened in six years demonstrate the success of their business model. They became partners during a meal at a restaurant where they discussed the lack of good Thai restaurants on the U of M and MSU campus. This niche is quite stable for business startups because most students who attend large universities have funds to spend in restaurants.
A goal-driven mindset has been essential to the growth of No Thai! LLC. About a year after the discussion, the first of the restaurants was opened in Ann Arbor, Mich. and they have no intention of stopping at four locations. The workers and the costumers echo the bright future of the company that is described by the owners. “They have a good variety of meals for reasonable prices,” said Kristen Krcmarik, a junior at MSU.
Many of the strategies No Thai! utilizes for its success are not unique to their company. There is, however, the lack of an element in their business plan that is the cornerstone of most successful businesses. “We do not spend a cent on advertising,” said Brian Kim. All of the business that it has acquired has been through word of mouth or from curious pedestrians intrigued by the name, which comes from Noreung Hang’s nickname, No. It also takes advantage of free social media, such as Facebook. No Thai! invests all funds back into the company right away rather than waiting to reap the benefits of ads.
No Thai! Is a rookie business that is proving to be a strong contender against the trend of failing businesses, “We are barely getting started,” said Brian Kim.
Crab Wontons
Pad Seeyu with chicken
http://www.facebook.com/nothai?ref=ts
Sources:
- Brian Kim, Co-owner and co-founder of No Thai! LLC. (248) 895-2300, in person interview Saturday 05 November, 2011
- Cole Richardson, Cashier and cook for No Thai!, Sophomore at MSU, (810) 310-2152, in person interview Saturday 05 November, 2011
- Kristen Krcmarik, MSU Junior and No Thai! customer, (616) 240-0380, in person interview, Thursday 03 November, 2011
- Fernando Coronel, restaurant owner in Mazatlan, Mexico and manager of Miguel’s Cantina in Rochester Hills, Mich, Coronel_1080@hotmail.com, Saturday 12 November, 2011
- http://kantarmediana.com/intelligence
