WINNER of the Atlantic Business Award of Distinction 2024

Where Exceptional Quality and Service Defy the Odds

The drive around the northern part of the Avalon Peninsula (an hour from St. John's Newfoundland) is characterised by windy roads and high cliffs with breathtaking views. It's where flocks of seabirds are often a telltale for the spray of humpback whales that will soon be seen and heard. It's where icebergs break up spectacular sunrises.

This natural beauty is only part of the reason why the Red Ochre Café in Ochre Pit Cove, NL has lived up to their slogan — “worth the drive."

Before the café started building its reputation as a truly unique place to eat, it was an empty lot, beside Ray Dwyer's house.

Ray worked as a paramedic, and his wife, Darlene had been recently confined to a wheelchair. They thought a café would be the right business to take advantage of the property and add a little more social interaction to their days.

"I went and got the hot dog cart, and I wheeled it out front, where my restaurant is now," Ray said. "I went out there, with my hotdog cart and pen and paper, and I counted the cars that went down the road, and the percentage of people that were stopping and buying hot dogs for a full summer."

With actual numbers to work from, and lots of ideas, he went to his local Community Business Development Corporation, was approved for a loan, and opened the doors in September 2019.

The first year proved to be harder than anyone could have planned for.

Before Covid-19, Ray's wife got very sick in November and ended up in the hospital. Then, the pandemic prevented anyone from visiting, or the restaurant from opening. She was there for 5 months before she passed away that summer.

"Here I was, right into it all. Right into covid. And I had a terrible terrible year, the first year of business, " Ray said.

Despite it all, the café stayed afloat, and life continued.

Ray eventually met Tracy Shute. As their relationship progressed, she got to know the café and started developing ideas of her own.

"She was chomping at the bit to jump in,” Ray said. “But she didn't want to jump, because she didn't know if it was her place or not.” 

One day, while Ray was “foolin” with Facebook, Tracy asked if she could help. She eventually suggested running ads. Ray didn’t think that would work out very well.

"So, I had my doubts about social media,” he said. “And she had her doubts about me..."

It was more than a fleeting idea though. Tracy had worked in marketing for years, with positions like communications with Atlantic Lottery.

“She neglected to tell me that,” Ray said. “I was kind of made a fool of. I had this lady here with all this potential that I didn't know about."

“I grew up in a community not far from here,” Tracy said. “And I didn’t know anything about the cafe. And I like to think I’m in the know.”

The café is 25 minutes from Carbonear, the nearest centre, in an area where people regularly drive an hour and a half to eat in St. John’s.

“We stopped apologizing for where we’re located, and started telling people we’re worth the drive,” Tracy said. “And we are.”  

Once they started reaching people online, those customers started telling other customers. They had a platform to keep trying things and bring ideas to life.

"As fast as I could come up with ideas and try things, she'd promote it,” Ray said.

"We got really creative,” Tracy said. “We worked really hard and came up with all kinds of ideas that I still shake my head now when I look back at it.”

One idea had them helping the relationships of their current, and future, customers.

They had already developed what is arguably the best cheesecake in Newfoundland and Labrador, but everything was locked down because of covid. Ray had already tried free local deliveries, without a single person taking advantage of it. But they thought they would try again. This time it would be to help people celebrate Valentine’s Day within their social bubbles. They would leave the treat boxes on the steps, with a note, ring the doorbell, and back away.

“And oh my god, the reaction we got from people!” Tracy said. “We felt like we were being cupid all day. It was amazing.”

“We had a lot of fun with it, but what we did was grow our customer base tremendously.”

The experience brought the new customers to the café, along with their friends, and their families. Many of which have become regulars.

They eventually even continued with free deliveries, all the way to the city. People often do not believe they do it for free, but with predetermined drop off locations, they often deliver 250 cold plates, fifty sandwiches, and over 100 pieces of cheesecake in about four hours. It has almost become an entire business on its own, like so many of their ideas.

But, of course, tugging on the heart strings, or providing unbelievable customer service, is great, but a restaurant still needs great food to last.

On top of being dedicated to using real ingredients and creating an inclusive menu so everyone can enjoy good food, they are always looking for new ideas and developing unique recipes. Everyone has learned that at any moment, Ray can come in the back door with a new idea.

“My mind doesn't shut off,” Ray said. “Tracy is very afraid of what is inside my head, and so should she. And everybody else.”

A new recipe kicks off days, or weeks of trial and error. Recipes are tweaked until they are just right. They have had a tremendously high success rate.

“By the time we put the product out, it’s Ray approved,” Tracy said. “And once it’s Ray approved it's going to work.”

And the food in a restaurant can be great and unique, but you need a dedicated, competent, and friendly staff to complete the experience, and keep people coming back.

“My staff is what makes everything work for us,” Ray said.

Several generations of Ray’s family, including his mother, work at the café, along with many other faithful employees who have become as close as family. A major reason for expanding the business into catering, and deliveries, and trying things like sushi nights, is to keep the staff employed all year around, instead of just during the summer tourism months. It is part of the reason they were easily approved for a loan from CBDC Trinity Conception to expand their kitchen.

"Human resources haven't been an issue for them. And I think that is where they're going to come out on top,” said Diane Hodge-Burt, the Executive Director at CBDC Trinity Conception. "The energy itself is really addictive. You can't help but be excited around them."

It did not hurt that Ray and Tracy were always in contact with their CBDC and took advantage of all the free training and programs they offered. They are particularly impressed with perks like a networking event that brought together all the professionals a small business could use into one room.

“Those are the kinds of golden opportunities that they create, and they're so beneficial to local businesses,” Tracy said. “I can’t say enough good about them.”

For Diane, and everyone working at CBDCs, it is rewarding to see someone take an idea, put it on paper, and then build it into reality.

“I'm excited for both of them,” she said. "It was Ray’s dream to become an entrepreneur and we are in the business of making dreams come true.”