They left Vegas to open New Hartford coffee shop: 'Little things kept falling into place.'

Some say a business' first year is a decisive one: It can show whether all the pieces of the puzzle work smoothly together or if an idea is destined to fail.

Calabria Coffee in New Hartford just hit its first year in business after opening during a pandemic, an uncertain economy and surviving the long Central New York winter. What has their first year been like? 

Owners Bryce and Erika Lamberto said they "went all in" to follow their dream, which has been a long time in the making.

"It's been a long two years," Bryce said. "But we went into it, I think we spent about six months preparing ourselves ... with a good mindset and everything prepared."

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Opening during challenging times

The idea of opening their own business was sparked back in 2015, Erika said. At the time, the couple worked in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, and when the pandemic put life on hold in March 2020, it got the Lambertos moving toward their goal.

The couple always wanted to move closer to their family in New Hartford, Bryce's hometown, and by September 2020, they had sold their house, packed their bags and moved across the country with their 2-year-old daughter, their dog and seven-months pregnant Erika.

The Lambertos soon found a location. While the space required some renovation, they saw the potential right away.

Starting a business entails certain risks to begin with, but the Lambertos faced added challenges such as the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing supply costs all in a new environment.

Erika Lamberto described one of the biggest challenges was keeping up with COVID-19 restrictions, ensuring a safe distance was maintained and being consistent with disinfecting the space while ensuring everyone felt comfortable.

"We weren't sure what the future was going to hold for us," Erika said. "And I think we took a bad situation and just kind of made the most of it and we took a major risk."

Creating a community coffee shop

For the Lambertos, several factors have contributed to their success.

Having previous experience in the hospitality industry and business management definitely helped, Bryce said.

But they also didn't do it on their own. With the assistance of the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center, the Lambertos established their business plan and detailed their vision for Calabria Coffee: a modern space where people can be themselves, feel safe and spend time having good quality coffee, Erika said.

The owners also were lucky to find a location on the busy Genesee Street. Among their customers are high school students, people working remotely on their laptops, friends meeting over coffee, people in job interviews and even blind dates.

The Lambertos also have been fortunate to find loyal employees and a welcoming community, Erika said. Calabria Coffee collaborates with other local businesses like Caruso's Pastry Shoppe carrying their baked goods or having pop-ups at their coffee shop.

"Little things worked out, it felt like something was meant to be because little things kept falling into place," Bryce said.

In the end, what's the secret to a small business making it through its first year?

For the Lambertos, it was a combination of several things: having knowledge about the industry, a clear idea of the business they wanted to create and not being afraid to ask for help. They also focused on taking care of their staff, customers and the community and, of course, supporting each other.

"I think the positive mindset ... also touched our customers as well," Erika said. "They could tell that we're all excited and happy to come to work every day, and that we're so thankful to be here."

Maria M. Silva covers food, drink and culture in the Mohawk Valley for the Observer-Dispatch. Email her at mariamsilva@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter.