Meet Cristine Tindall | Café Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cristine Tindall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cristine, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks are necessary and they can be scary. However, I prefer to take the calculated risk over the high payoff risk. Assuming some risk has played a significant part throughout my life. I have moved several times in search for the all allusive answer, what I want to be when I grow up. I have worked fulltime for the government (civilian and military) for most of my adult life. I have purchased homes in two different states and deployed to a combat zone two times.

However, the biggest series of career risks I have taken was the purchase of the café. Purchasing a restaurant in the midst of a global pandemic, having never been to Savannah before and without any prior restaurant or business experience may seem a little crazy. Convincing the SBA to take a chance on me was an interesting learning experience. Was there a risk? Yes absolutely! The risks of the entire process were completely foreign to me. It was safe to say I did not know what I was getting myself into. I was deployed the entire year prior; until I came home at the end of September 2020.

Nearly the entire acquisition process from site visits (seeing the café via facebook video), to initial offer to the sellers, finding a bank, conducting audits (of me and the Café) and the long paperwork process with the SBA was all conducted while I was overseas in Kuwait. I came home, after a long month in quarantine courtsey of the US Army, I spent two weeks with family in NJ then packed up my house in WV and drove to Savannah. Even after arriving it took another two and a half months for the purchase to go through.

The risks were calculated in ways that are difficult to describe but I had some of the best people I know guiding me through that process; cheering me on; using their true business sense to ensure I was successful. To reduce your risk sometimes you have to trust so completely, in yourself and others, that it takes the fear out of the hands of those risks. And just go all in.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
How I arrived in the realm of self-employed, business owner may not have been very conventional. I am not creative. I purchased an existing, successful business. The previous owners had an excellent operational process in place. Since I am an operational thinking, efficiency seeking, process-oriented person it was a perfect fit. However, when I decided to change my professional trajectory I simply wanted to do something where I could be a productive citizen and make people happy. I was tired at working for organizations where the employees or the customers were miserable. I have worked for a variety of government institutions such the TSA and the Army National Guard and while the work is important; no one likes to be in an airport or sitting freezing in the woods “camping”. As I neared the end of my 20 years in the National Guard I knew that I needed a change and a move to warmer climate. Café M and Savannah was exactly what I was looking for. The tourism, hospitality and local community has been so welcoming and I know this is where I was meant to me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First I would tell her that she needs more than a week! Savannah has so much to offer and there is something for everyone. I always recommend first time visitors to take a bike tour of the city and Savannah Bike Tours is by far the best way to get an intimate history lesson of Savannah. For breakfast (aside from my café of course) I would take her to Huey’s on River Street. They are a Louisiana inspired restaurant that offers a great brunch menu. For sightseeing I would recommend the Jepson Museum; who’s admission includes two other locations (the Owen’s Thomas House & Telfair Academy). So you get to see contemporary art, a fully restored house museum and earlier 19th-century art all for one ticket price. My favorite thing to do downtown is walk the squares; reading the historical placards and watching the people. It can be quite entertaining. For dinner and drinks downtown, the Common Restaurant on Broughton St is a must. Everything from their oysters Rockefeller to the Pasta Fattoria is fantastic. Our evening would continue at my favorite wine bar, 208 Wine Bar. While it may be located in the heart of the tourist area of Bay Street (just 2 buildings down from my café); it’s a huge favorite of locals and a great place to run into local artists and tourists alike. If we wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown I would take her out to Tybee Island. There is everything from dive bars to back river front restaurants to hang out at. Some of my favorites are Huc-a-poos which is as local of an island bar as you can get. There is always something going on at Hucs. AJ’s Dockside is a fantastic place to have dinner and watch the sunset.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Getting here would not have been possible without the support of my family for putting up with my crazy ideas. The credit for continued development of the business woman that I never knew existed goes to the business community of people I have met here in Savannah. Especially from the hospitality industry folks downtown, my BNI (IBN) chapter who is chock full of the most supportive humans I have ever met and my group of friends I have here who have made me not once regret the decision to move to Savannah.

Website: www.cafemsavannahga.com

Instagram: @cafemsavannah

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafemsavannah