Today we’d like to introduce you to Toan Luong.
Toan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
If you were to tell me a couple years ago that I would have such a wonderful opportunity to do what I do today, I would have never believed you whatsoever. I still see myself in the perspective of a young entrepreneur and definitely still in the early stages of my career. Prior to Ampersand, I was just your typical college grad just trying to find his calling in life. I was in a very stagnant position and in a career that felt like a dead end. It wasn’t really until the day that I decided to work and invest in myself that my life changed for the better. Needless to say, the last couple of years have been a period of personal growth, which has ultimately led me to where I am today. Ampersand as a whole has been such a blessing and still feels surreal at times. Being able to share and experience Ampersand’s transformation from an old warehouse to what is now has been really rewarding experience, With that being said, If there’s one thing that I want the readers to take away from this interview, it’s the belief that anything really is possible as cliché as it may sound.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Tackling this project has been anything, but smooth to say the least. The challenge of trying to renovate a century old property has come with its fair share of obstacles. Prior to us even getting there, the lot that Ampersand was sitting on looked exactly like an episode of American Pickers. We ran into every kind of problem that you could possibly imagine (capital, design, construction, zoning, permitting). In retrospect, I can honestly say that as a team we are thankful for them all. The problems we’ve encountered so far have really given us priceless lessons and experience in areas that we can apply to our next projects. You’re going to be hit with obstacles when you least expect them, but the ability to grind through any challenge is really what sets apart the real entrepreneurs.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ampersand – what should we know?
Ampersand is an upcoming concept focused around bringing the local community together in a lively and energetic atmosphere. As our name suggests, we strive not only to provide our customers with great coffee, but to help them slowdown from their busy schedules & connect with one another. We believe that each cup that we serve should be started in conversation. Being located within the West 7th District of Fort Worth, we pride ourselves in bringing something new to the area. From design to music, we take pride in being different from your normal cookie cutter coffee shop. We not only source and air roast our own beans, but push coffee to its limits by having a crafted menu in which we infuse our favorite coffee blends with your favorite liquors. We’re going to leave the best surprise is for you to find out when you come visit, but I can assure you that it’s definitely worth the trip.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I can honestly say that I have the best business partners (Dominic Vu, Michael Le, Reham Choudhury, Mimi Lu, Victor Tran) that anyone could possibly ask for. I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of them. I attribute all my success to the team that I have surrounded myself with every day, it’s rare to find friends that not only push each other, but complement one another as individuals as well. Collectively as a team, I think we can all agree that we owe a huge thanks to all our friends and families that have supported us through the whole process. The amount of support that we have received so far has been really humbling. We are excited to show everyone what we have been working on for the last two years.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3009 Bledsoe Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107
- Website: www.ampersandfw.com
- Phone: (682) 707-9626
- Email: mrtd@ampersandfw.com
- Instagram: ampersandftw
- Facebook: ampersasandfw
- Twitter: ampersandftw
Image Credit:
John Cubil
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