One Year Later Much Has Changed, But Cali BBQ is Stronger | Brick-and-Mortar to Digital Restaurant
One year ago on St. Patrick’s Day, I climbed up on the roof of our restaurant to broadcast to the world the most difficult message I’ve ever had to send. *** It was still early 2020 — before many people fully understood the new reality we were all facing due to the COVID-19 virus which […]
Brand Building in a New Era | Shawn Walchef on The Cantore Show | DH063
At Cali BBQ we learned early on that to get people to care about us, we had to reach out to them online. Veteran broadcaster and notable San Diego media personality Chris Cantore (our former podcast guest) featured our Cali BBQ Media story on his The Cantore Show podcast. Recording in his surf hut studio, […]
How a Ghost Kitchen and Digital Hospitality Keep This Texas Restaurant Running
Deep in the heart of Texas, there’s a Korean restaurant that’s as fun as it is delicious. Seoulju, located in Austin, Texas, plays off the city of Seoul’s nightlife culture and their signature soju adult beverages. #WellSOJUaGoodTime In the last two years, restaurant owner John Lee has created an amazing atmosphere with a family feel […]
Making Dough (in more ways than one) with Smart Pizza Marketing | Bruce Irving | DH043
Drawn to the dough — in more ways than one — Bruce Irving’s rise in the pizza industry was low and slow. Bruce Irving is a marketing strategist, speaker, and founder of Irving Media Group LLC. The entrepreneur found fame as the voice and host of the Smart Pizza Marketing Podcast and the Local Business […]
5 Tips to Better Engagement on Yelp for Business
There are a plethora of online platforms and apps that are important for businesses to use. Signing up for Yelp is an essential starting point for any small business in 2020. Claiming and using your own Yelp page is easy. It doesn’t require any technical knowledge and thankfully there’s help to guide you through using and […]
The Evolution of Restaurants is Digital | Walchef on Cantore
To thrive in the modern world, Cali BBQ had to become a digital restaurant. “We learned early on that nobody gave a shit about us,” Cali BBQ owner Shawn Walchef says bluntly on a June 2020 visit to The Cantore Show podcast. “We learned that if we wanted to get people to care about us, […]
Hanging with Cantore in the Surf Hut | Shawn Walchef on The Cantore Show
When we opened up Cali BBQ in 2008, I never dreamed that twelve years later I would have so many close friends in media. Podcasting with the legendary Chris Cantore of Yew Online from his converted surf hut and talking about our Cali BBQ Media journey is something I will never forget. Hopefully you enjoy the […]
Alcohol To Go Has Helped Restaurants Survive | Alcoholic Beverage Control California Regulatory Relief | DH035
There’s no question about it: alcohol to go sales have helped restaurants survive the COVID-19 crisis. Booze, Beer and other alcohol takeout options have been a lifeline for our Cali BBQ restaurant and others in California. That salvation was thanks to regulatory relief from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control agency which, among other changes, has […]
As San Diego Restaurants Reopen, Cali BBQ will Continue with Takeout and Delivery
San Diego restaurants can officially reopen in a limited capacity after the mandatory shutdown. We are grateful for all the hard work that the California Restaurant Association and the County of San Diego put in to allow full service restaurants to open their doors again in a reduced capacity. For now, our position at Cali […]
Saving Small Business Spotlight on CBS News 8
Cali BBQ was featured live during the Saving Small Business segment on CBS News 8 in May 2020. Cali BBQ owner/operator Shawn Walchef talked on the San Diego CBS news broadcast with Eric Kahnert about the difficulties and triumphs that have come to the family restaurant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Walchefs […]