Leaving Main Stream for Main Street
The Perfect Small Town Purchase
To own a business is one of the classic American dreams. But often the road to get there takes a number of unexpected turns. With patience and perseverance, the right opportunity can come along at the right time. Georgiana and Hassan Amoura know this first-hand. Their road has been long and at times trying, but they never gave up and finally achieved their own American dream.
The Amoura’s journey began after Hassan was laid-off from his well-known corporate job after 17 years. He had trouble re-entering the workforce due to being overqualified for many positions and had to end up working at Jimmy John’s, which was far below his skill level. That prompted the Amoura’s to begin looking for their own business to purchase. They didn’t want to subject themselves again to the insecurity of working for Corporate America.
The couple wanted to look for a restaurant opportunity, and Georgiana hoped to have her own bakery. For three years the couple kept an eye out for the right business, pursuing different avenues, all of which never panned out. Then last December The Firm told them about an opportunity—the Main Street Café in nearby Louisville, NE, was for sale. “We liked the sound of it from the beginning,” Georgiana said. “And when people told us how much they loved the place, it made it even more appealing.”
"We think of the cafe as a family, not as a business, and we feel they will continue that relationship with employees. We chose them as much as they chose us."
- Mandi Chubb
Mandi and Cory Chubb owned Main Street Café for nine years. Corey grew up in Louisville, and the couple has lived there for the last 15 years. Cory’s family owns the bar next door, and when the 106-year-old building went up for sale, the Chubb’s bought it and renovated it from an antique store to a restaurant. However, now that their family is growing, the Chubb’s decided they wanted to focus on their children and made the emotionally difficult decision to sell. “It’s like sending your child off to college,” Mandi said. “We’ve built it up and created a successful business, so it’s rewarding but sad to let go of it.”
When they made the decision to sell, the Chubb’s originally tried looking for a buyer on their own. “We had a few people approach us, but it just never worked out,” Mandi said. They knew they needed someone to assist them through the process. “We decided to go with The Firm so they would bring us their qualified buyers, assist through the process with the paperwork, and ultimately help match us up with the right buyer.”
It turned out the Chubb’s and Amoura’s were, in fact, a perfect match. At their first meeting, the two couples instantly hit it off and found themselves chatting every chance they had. “It was very comfortable the first time we met,” Mandi said. “We felt they shared our values and vision. We think of the café as a family, not as a business, and we feel they will continue that relationship with employees. We chose them as much as they chose us.”
"We're going wholehearted into this and want to establish our reputation in town and build on the existing business."
- Georgiana Amoura
In fact, that choice to purchase the café was done completely sight unseen. “Because none of the other opportunities had worked out, we decided we weren’t going to go see the restaurant until we knew the purchase would go through,” Georgiana said. Hassan even told her it would be bad luck if they walked through the restaurant before buying it, based on their previous experience. “We made the decision mostly off the café’s reputation and our instinct,” Hassan said. “My gut feeling told me they were honest people, so we didn’t hesitate to move forward.”
There was a bit of a battle to find the right buyer because the café is 10 miles outside of Omaha. But the distance didn’t deter Georgiana and Hassan. It’s only a 20 minute drive from their current home, and Georgiana said she hopes to eventually move to Louisville, especially since they’ve already received such a warm welcome from residents and business owners there.
“We’ve met people there at the bank, the post office, and the café, and everyone already knows who we are,” Georgiana said. “They’ve all been so nice, especially the staff.” Mandi said she’s really pleased with how Georgiana and Hassan have already started to build those relationships, and said she thinks they’re off to a great start with the new business. She’s also excited to see what new things they’ll introduce to the café. “It will be fun to see what improvements they make and watch them get to know the staff and community,” Mandi said.
Georgiana plans to have her dream bakery as part of the business and wants to expand the catering options. “We’re going full-hearted into this and want to establish our reputation in town and build on the existing business,” she said. But for now they are ecstatic about their purchase and are glad they never gave up looking. “Each time an opportunity didn’t work out, I told Georgiana there would be another one,” Hassan said. “Always go with your gut feeling, and don’t give up. For us, it turned out that everything about this was just right.”
The Firm Deal Review
List Date to Close Date: Less than 5 months
Reason for Purchase: Laid off from corporate America
Location: Louisville, just south of Omaha
Seller Training Period: 90 days
Operation: Family owned and operated