The Shoebox Coffee Shop

Wiseman

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The Shoebox Coffee Shop​

Basic Premise: Mr. Hooper’s Store has been a staple of the Sesame Street neighborhood for over 40 years, in that time it has gone through 4 different owners. The original Mr. Hooper, David, Mr. Handford and finally Alan. All through this time it has survived for 2 reasons. One is its very low prices, and the other is that there has never been any competition. But what if there was some competition, what if a new store appeared in town? Could Hooper’s survive? Would Alan find himself on the unemployment line? Would this other guy be able to satisfy the customers of Sesame Street as well as Hooper’s has? Or maybe the two would form a peaceful coexistence. Find out when a store called “The Shoebox Coffee Shop” opens up on Sesame Street.
 

Nick22

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*gasp* whats gonna happen? i wanna know!
 

Wiseman

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Well then start reading

Intrigued are you, I thought you'd be. Now that I've got your attention here's the first installment.

Chapter 1​


Opening The Box

Opening Scene: Mr. Hooper’s Store. Alan is standing at the counter of an empty store. It is the middle of a Monday afternoon, and other than Big Bird who came in the morning for some birdseed breakfast, he hasn’t had any customers. Alan is wondering why this day is so slow when Bob walks down the street, drinking a cup of coffee that he obviously did not buy at Hooper’s

“Boy, I’ve had some slow days before, but this is the slowest yet.” said Alan, cleaning the counter for the fortieth time in the past 10 minutes. “I mean other than Big Bird who came in this morning for his birdseed breakfast I haven’t had any customers all day and now it’s the middle of the afternoon. Where is everybody."

He looked outside and saw Bob walking by with a paper cup of coffee in his hand. “Hey that coffee cup couldn’t have come from my place, he hasn’t been here.”

Quickly he ran out of the store

“Hey Bob where did you get that coffee?" he said.

"Oh hi, Alan. This new store just opened up down the street so I thought I’d try it out.” said Bob.

Then he thought a minute, “You don’t mind do you?" he said apologetically

“Well no, but it’s been a slow day and —” he looked down the street to see Gordon, Susan, Maria and Louise, all coming down the street carrying cups of coffee apparently from the same place as Bob’s

“What’s going on here?" he said looking at their cups and wondering what this place had that his didn’t

“Well, there was this new coffee shop down the street and we just had to try it out right, Honey," said Louise

“Yes we did," said Maria.

"Same here," said Gordon and Susan together.

“Okay, I’m closing up shop for about 20 minutes to see just what this is all about.” said Alan.

He quickly went back into his store and made up a sign. He then posted it in his window, locked up and walked down the street.

Soon he came upon a strange building. It looked like somebody had taken a giant shoebox and placed it on its side on the sidewalk. The lid of the box opened toward the street and formed an awning, the front of the store was totally open and exposed, the whole thing looked like an oversized shoebox diorama, the kind an elementary school child might make as a book report project. Except this was no kid’s project, this was real. There were real people and real Sesame Street Muppets all over the store, eating and drinking various foodstuffs that were being passed out by the store’s servers. Alan walked into the store and up to the front counter.

“Yes, and what can I get for you my good man?" said an overly well-dressed man “A cup of coffee, or maybe some tea, perhaps.”

“Are you the proprietor of this establishment?" said Alan.

“Actually, the owner is out at the moment. He should be back in about 10 minutes. Can I get you something while you wait? Perhaps you’d like something to eat, we have a very wide selection of sandwiches and other popular lunch choices.” he handed Alan a menu.

“No thank you," said Alan, handing back the menu.

“Oh I see, you would like to work here," he said, “Well we are not hiring at the moment, but if you give me your resume, I can assure you that you will be considered.”

“Mr.….” he glanced at the man’s name tag, “Goelz, I am Alan Muraoka, I already have a job, in fact I am the owner of the store up the street known as Hooper’s Store perhaps you’ve heard of us.”

“No I haven’t," said Mr. Goelz in a huffy voice, “and if you are indeed the owner of an establishment similar to ours then why are you here, instead of serving your customers.”

“Because I have no customers everyone that usually goes to my store is here today," he said indicating the crowd at the tables.

“Ah, yes, that is something called competition, perhaps you’ve heard of it. Now, since there is no law against what we are doing and you are taking up a seat that could be used by a paying customer, I kindly suggest you leave.” said Mr. Goelz.

Alan looked around at the crowd which oddly enough had not noticed his arrival. He then said, “Tell, you what, since I closed up my shop for a few minutes to find out just what is going on here, I will do some further investigation by ordering a cup of coffee while I wait for the manager, that way I can find out just what it is that is drawing my customers away from me and towards you.”

“That is a good idea," said Mr. Goelz, and he poured Alan a cup. “Do you take cream or sugar.”

“Both," said Alan.

“How many lumps do you want?" asked Mr. Goelz after pouring the cream.

Alan thought about giving Mr. Goelz a few lumps but decided against it. “Three," he said.

After a little while a tall Asian man walked into the store and said a few words to Mr. Goelz. Mr. Goelz informed him of Alan’s presence and indicated him.

“Ah yes Mr. Alan Muraoka, owner of Hooper’s I thought you’d be coming here sooner or later.” said the man extending a hand to Alan. “I am Mr. Harold Lee, and let me assure you that I am not attempting to steal your customers from you, merely offering them an alternative place to go for some similar products to yours, besides since your place operates as a store as well as a restaurant while ours is merely a restaurant. I am sure that after a while many of your customers will come back to you, both to eat and to buy stuff.”

“Yes, but what am I to do in the meantime?" said Alan, “Sitting in a store with no customers is not only unprofitable it is also boring.”

“Well you aren’t going to get any customers sitting here are you?" said Mr. Lee.

“No," said Alan.

“Then I suggest that you reopen your store and continue operating as usual, you may already have a line waiting at your door for your return.” he said.

Alan finished his coffee, paid for it, and went back to his store. Mr. Lee was wrong, there was no line at the door waiting for him, in fact by 8:00 P.M. his usual closing time he had been open a total of 12 hours and had had only 1 customer. The rest of the week was very similar. Other than Big Bird who came in for his birdseed themed meals he had absolutely no customers. In fact, by Sunday he was thinking of changing the store’s venue and selling only birdseed products since it was all that he was selling anyway.
 

Wiseman

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wow that was fast

I just finished fixing a computer problem with this post not 2 seconds ago and now I get a comment and a good one at that. I will certainly post more as I determine just where to go with this story. Thank you very much for your quick return abd your favorable review
 

redBoobergurl

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Nice start, would like to see where this goes.

One nitpick - Louise is actually spelled Luis. But other than that, it's great!
 

Wiseman

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ty red srry bout double post hopefully mods can fix it
 

Wiseman

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okay here's chapter 2

Well now that you've all got a taste of the French Roast, let's try the Brazillian Bold in other words it's time for the next installment of "The Shoebox Coffee Shop."

Chapter 2​


The Game Begins​


Opening Scene:
Mr. Hooper’s Store. Alan is standing at the counter of his store. It is the Monday morning after his week of sparse customers. Big Bird has just come in and is busy eating his breakfast of a birdseed bagel with peanut butter. He is also drinking some orange juice.

“Gee, I don’t know Alan, do you really think you should change your store’s name and sell only birdseed products? I mean, I love birdseed, but not everybody else does.” said Big Bird.

“Do you see anybody else coming here?” asked Alan, indicating the empty store to the oblivious avian. “In the past week I have had only one customer, a large yellow overgrown canary!”

“What are you so angry about Alan?” asked Big Bird.

“That Shoebox down the street has all my customers,” said Alan, “They charge three times as much as I do for the same stuff, and yet I get no customers. It makes no sense.”

“I can tell you one thing they don’t have that you have.” said Big Bird.

“What is that?” said Alan.

“You,” said Big Bird, “I mean, sure they have all that great stuff, but let’s face it you are what makes Hooper’s the place that it is, you’re the reason people keep coming here, and you are what’s going to draw them back.”

Alan realized that it was useless to argue over the economic problems of running a store on one customer with a giant talking bird with the mind of a six-year-old, and that the bird in question did have a point. The people who came to Hooper’s didn’t just come for the great food, they also came to talk to him. Too bad he couldn’t charge people for his friendship.

“You know, since you said that their prices were three times higher than yours, maybe you should raise your prices.” said Big Bird.

“That is definitely not the answer.” said Alan, “not only is it nonsensical, it’s dishonest. If I did that I’d be saying that my stuff is better than their stuff and that’s not true.”

“You know that Shoebox advertises on TV they have a really great commercial maybe you should try that?” said Big Bird.

“Hmm, you know I’ve never seen their commercial before.” said Alan.

“Well Elmo’s TV has access to the commercial channel maybe you can go to his place and see it.” said Big Bird.

“You mean there’s actually a channel where they show nothing but commercials?” asked Alan incredulously.

“On Elmo’s TV they have a channel for anything you can imagine.” said Big Bird.

Alan considered this for a moment. “Okay, I’m closing up shop early tonight. At 6:00 I’m going to Elmo’s place to watch this commercial, maybe I can get a few ideas about what to do from them. Beat them at their own game so to speak.”
 

Wiseman

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Chapter 3

Sorry about the delay, but the end of the school year is always hectic for me. Anyway, here's the next chapter of "The Shoebox Coffee Shop"


Chapter 3​


My Move I Believe​


Opening Scene:
Elmo’s room. As usual the room and everything in it looks like it was drawn by a 3-year-old with a crayon. Alan has come to this world to find out just what it is that is taking his customers away from him and dragging them kicking and screaming over to this new place.

“Hello Alan, and welcome to, ya ta ta, Elmo’s World,” said Elmo.

“Hello Elmo,” said Alan, not sure what he had gotten himself into.

“Can you guess what Elmo’s thinking about today?” said Elmo. “Elmo is thinking of commercials.”

“Just get on with it, Elmo,” said Alan, clearly frustrated with the whole idea of asking a 3-yr-old for help.

“But Alan, first Elmo must find Elmo’s TV.” said Elmo. “Oh TV where are you TV.”

Suddenly a television set rolled into the room all by itself.
“Aaah, there you are,” said Elmo. “Okay now turn yourself on TV.”

The TV turned itself on. “Hello and welcome to the commercial channel,” said the announcer on the screen, “all advertisements all the time. We will begin with a new commercial ‘The Shoebox Coffee Shop Jingle.’”

As Alan watched and listened the coffee shop that had been stealing his customers appeared on the screen and a catchy, jumpy tune sang the praises of the coffee, staff and ambience of the place. Even Alan had to admit that he was impressed, but he still wasn’t sure if he wanted to try something similar just yet, then he saw something that clinched it for him. At the end of the commercial a trash can appeared in one of the booths and Oscar popped his head out and said “They can even please a grouch.”

“That’s it,” said Alan turning off the T.V. “I’m gonna start my own advertising game and beat this shoebox’s soles off.”

“But Alan, we didn’t sing the commercial song or even the goodbye song.” said Elmo as Alan headed for the door to leave.

“Gooooooooodbyyyyyye” Alan sang out in an operatic voice as the door got the message and opened up for a very disgruntled Alan to leave.
 
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