Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Skaff.
First California Franchise of Kolache Factory Will Inspire More Passionate Devotees of its Neat-to-Eat, Healthy Breakfast and Lunch TUSTIN, Calif., (October 8, 2013) – Orange County breakfast choices expand this week with the opening of California’s first Kolache Factory. For more than 30 years, this Houston, Texas-based breakfast franchise has inspired the kind of passion in its customers that Californians usually reserve for places like In-and-Out Burger. Thanks to Kathy Skaff, an Orange County business executive and mom of three who grew up in Houston, Orange County breakfast and lunch seekers on-the-go can now enjoy the easy-to-eat, fresh-baked kolaches she grew up loving. Kolache Factory California is located at 14091 Newport Avenue in Tustin. Kolache Factory features fresh food, quick service, online ordering and seating areas, starting at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. on Sundays. The grand opening is October 8th. A Family Dream Realized Kathy Skaff’s late father, Dr. Abraham Frech, always wanted to open a Kolache Factory because of their delicious food. Abraham died before Skaff’s first son was born, but six years later, she knew the time was right to realize the family dream.
Impressed by the corporate support and quality products offered by Kolache Factory, along with its proven model for success, Kathy is thrilled to introduce the first Kolache Factory to California. “We haven’t even opened and former Houstonians are already finding me on Yelp and are so excited,” said Skaff. “In Texas, a new Kolache Factory inspires people to line up around the block. Californians will be just as passionate about our healthier O.C. breakfast alternatives.” – More – Orange County Mom Brings Kolache Factory to Tustin Page 2 of 2 What is a Kolache, anyway? (say: “Ko-Lah’-Chee”) The freshly baked kolaches are a modern variation of the pastry roll that originated in Eastern Europe centuries ago. They are self-contained and truly neat to eat and conveniently consumed anywhere – from the car to the office to the baseball field. Using a variety of the finest ingredients, such as meats, cheeses and fruits, all of the kolaches are baked fresh daily in the bakery-café. Kolaches are both delicious and affordable. Prices per kolache start as low as $1.09. See a full menu here: http://www.kolachefactory.com/menu.
In addition to serving various types of kolaches, customers can also enjoy gourmet coffees and a variety of traditional pastries such as cinnamon rolls, croissants, strudel niks and other delicious treats. Nationally Recognized Franchise with Fantastic Food The Tustin location will be the 46th Kolache Factory. Kolache Factory has received local and national attention for its concept and product, including being named as one of Houston’s Fast 100 growing companies by the Houston Business Journal. “We attribute our growth and aggressive expansion to our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality and freshest product at an affordable price,” said Kolache Factory president, John Banks. “Orange County is ripe for a healthy breakfast and snack alternative, and we look forward to seeing the kolache become an integral part of the California lifestyle.” About Kolache Factory Kolache Factory was founded in Houston in 1982, is privately owned and operated, and ships its products nationwide. There are currently company-owned and franchise stores in the Houston, TX area, as well as franchise stores in Plano, TX; St. Louis, MO; Overland Park, KS; Cincinnati, OH and Austin, TX. The corporate office also owns locations outside of Houston in McAllen, TX, Beaumont, TX and Indianapolis, IN. Other franchise stores will soon be opening in various cities around the country, including San Antonio, TX in 2014.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been relatively smooth, with standard headwinds of any organization. We opened our doors in October 2013. At that time, Kolache Factory was only a Houston area (and other parts of Texas) franchise. There were a few Kolache Factorys’ in other states (i.e., Indianapolis, New Mexico…) but not in California. We were the first and still are the only Kolache Factory in California. Because of this, no one knew the name, so it was a bit of an uphill climb to build our brand. The first year was a bit slow, a little slower than expected, but we did see positive growth month-to-month. The second year, we barely made any money, yet continued to grow month-over-month. We know we had to be patient, and we saw that anyone who tried our Kolaches loved them. We can say that 10 out of 10 people who try it love it. We put more money into the business in year two to survive, and by year 3, we were profitable. And know, after seven years we are blessed and fortunate to have a thriving business that seems to be pandemic proof and are looking to open our second location.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a mother of three young kids. Sebastian (14 years), Seth (12-1/2 years), and Sophia (10-1/2 years). My Husband is a sales & marketing executive in the building/construction industry, and his marketing and overall business experience has really helped the Kolache Factory. I use to work in the medical industry for Quest Diagnostics, and I handle their contracts. I have an MBA in business and I studied Economics as an undergrad. I am known for my big heart, loving personality and for being hard-working and very ambitious. It is my hard work and ambition that has really helped my family and our business.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like most about our city is that the people seem to be very nice and supportive. It seems that during this pandemic, several patrons just wanted to get out safely and support a local business. This is a wonderful feeling and something I will truly never forget. The weather is also wonderful here, especially compared to my home state of Houston. What we like least about our city is that rent is quite high and we pay a lot of taxes compared to other Kolache Factory locations in Texas and other states. This sometimes makes it challenging. We just need to bake and sell more Kolaches… LOL!
Pricing:
- Egg Kolaches – $3.70
- Stuffed Croissants – $4.65
- Cinnamon Rolls & Sticky Buns – $2.90
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: kolachefactory.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tustinkolachefactory/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KolacheFactoryTustin/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KolacheFactory?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kolache-factory-tustin
