Name of owner: Betsy and David Cartier
Year you opened for business: Starboards Coffee Kiosk opened in July 2004
How would you describe your business?
A local landmark since 2004, Starboards combines tourist-related services with an outdoor coffee kiosk. Visitor information and services include local maps, visitor guides, brochures and restaurant menus and referrals are provided to our customers. People consider us the concierge services for Olde Towne Portsmouth.
Briefly describe your typical client/customer.
Our typical clientele come from all over. Because we are based on the Portsmouth waterfront at High Street Landing our customers arrive by the Elizabeth River Ferry, boats traveling the Intracoastal Waterway (Portsmouth is at Mile Marker Zero), Jet skis and even kayaks.
We get many customers from the local businesses and many military personnel, especially the U.S. Coast Guard. Starboards is located across from the Fifth District and Atlantic Area Commands for the U.S. Coast Guard. It’s no wonder we say, Eventually, Everybody Lands at Starboards.
What is one thing most people do not know about your business that would surprise him/her?
Many people are curious how we came up with the name Starboards. The name was a natural based on the Portsmouth history and current location of the site. It was actually derived from two significant Portsmouth landmarks – The Portsmouth Star newspaper and the old Seaboard Air Line Railroad building.
Starboards is located on the actual site of the former local newspaper – The Portsmouth Star. Years ago, The Kiosk was where the Portsmouth news was written and printed. Today, Starboards has become a popular place where locals and visitors gather to talk about the news and daily events. Starboards is also located directly across from the old 1894 Seaboard Air Line Railroad passenger terminal. Portsmouth has a long history of railroads and trains. It is known today as One High Street with its distinctive round facade. The Portsmouth Star Building also housed some Seaboard offices.
What do you enjoy most about doing business in your district/community?
Well, coffee is a small part of what we do. It’s the interaction with our customers that keeps us going each day.
What do you enjoy most about doing business in Hampton Roads?
We enjoy our location on the waterfront at High Street Landing in Olde Towne Portsmouth.
What challenges do you face as a business owner?
Our coffee kiosk is very small and compact inside. As a result, it presents some real day-to-day challenges. We do not have plumbing. So, we have a self-contained sink, like what you would find on a boat. Except our sink is a three-bay sink to meet health department code. Since we don’t have plumbing and a waterline, we bring in our own water – daily – to make coffee. How much water? We used over 20,000 gallons of in the first five years. On the positive side, it has helped us produce a high quality cup of coffee. We feature Seattle’s Best Coffee®, espresso, lattés, and cappuccinos – all brewed with natural spring water.
Since our operation is so small, we do not have the buying power that larger operations have.
What’s in store for your business in the future?
We want to continue to promote our uniqueness as a locally owned and operated coffee shop. We try to do different things for our customers. Starboards serves coffee ice cubes – both regular and decaffeinated. That makes for a high quality cup of iced coffee, iced mocha or iced latté. It takes more time, but it has become our signature item. We plan to more aggressively promote this unique item.
What could local government do to help small business owners in your business district (besides lower taxes)?
We need a comprehensive tourism plan and local government needs to recognize the contributions that tourism makes to the city. The dollars spent on tourism are investment dollars with a nice return on the monies spent. Tourism is a clean business that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
What is one thing your business district needs?
The real difference in Olde Towne Portsmouth has over the other cities in Hampton Roads is the history here. We need to continually promote the history. That means promoting the 12 Historic Squares of High Street, the Olde Towne Historic District. We need the appropriate collateral material to promote the history through self-guided walking tours.
