Students: Yasmin Larissa, Bruna Vitória, João Daniel de Oliveira and Monalisa Class: 3003
The students interviewed the owner of Lanchonete do Rui, an important meeting point in the region.
Yasmin: How did the idea of opening the snack bar come about? Rui: I always had that entrepreneurial spirit, something that runs in the family. Once I was unemployed and went to sell sweets on the street, and I saw that this spirit was in me. One day, I went with my wife to a snack shop, and that's when the light bulb went off in my head, and I said to her: "Let's open a snack bar".
Yasmin: How long has the snack bar been in operation? Rui: The snack bar was opened in September 2005, and this year marks 20 years in business. Yasmin: What are the most popular snacks ordered by customers? Rui: We have a wide variety of snacks, but our flagship items are the x-tudo and the strawberry vitamina. That's been the tradition at the store for these 20 years. Yasmin: What are the biggest challenges of running a snack bar? Rui: I believe that in order to run things well, you need good staff. When that doesn't happen, it's hard to move forward. Yasmin: How are the ingredients used in the snacks chosen? Rui: First, a quality product is chosen, and then a taste test is done. Once it's approved, it's cleared for sale. Yasmin: What strategies do you use to attract customers? Rui: The quality of the products is essential, but we try to price the snacks a bit below the market rate and always launch something new every year. Yasmin: How do you deal with competition in the area? Rui: In my view, the sun rises for everyone, but I try to give my best, keeping a clean and pleasant store where the customer feels good. Yasmin: What do you like most about your work here at the snack bar? Rui: I like seeing customers satisfied with the service and always praising the snacks. That makes me very happy.
Yasmin: What advice would you give to someone who wants to open a snack bar in the future? Rui: Do it as if you were doing it for yourself. If you like the best, your customer will like it too. Yasmin: Was there any memorable event here at the snack bar? Rui: In a community there are always positive and negative events, but what I thought was coolest was the day David Brasil came to the shop. He was really funny.
