Alex: Okay. Welcome back to The Build. We are in episode four now. Last time we talked about physically building the space. This time we’re talking about building the brand, which is sometimes just as important – if not more.

Rasheeda: Yes.

Jenny: It definitely is. I always go back to my business school days – one of my favorite professors, Scott Galloway, used to say that a brand is a promise of a repeatable experience, and it’s the only thing that’s defensible. You build a brand to be defensible so your customers know what experience they’re getting.

Rasheeda: I love that.

Jenny: So what’s the experience your customers are going to get?

Rasheeda: The experience my customers will get is being able to enjoy what I offer through food and fashion. It’s a full circle of my background. I’m so excited about this edition because it helps me express where I came from and how it connects to where I am now – it’s also a keepsake.

Rasheeda: I think I run with that because so many brands carry through merch – pins, hats, canvas bags – and people wear and use those things with pride. Coming from fashion, people have always asked, “When are you going to have merch?” I never had the time before, but this time off has let me do it right, and it connects to the restaurant’s flow too.

Rasheeda: I’ve learned a lot from brands like Leon Bagels or Momofuku, which had big merch lines – canvas bags, beanies, all tied to ramen. I always wanted that. I want to create a brand that expresses New York style and neighborhood energy, but also feels current – where people can grab coffee or a sandwich and a beanie. You’re enjoying it and wearing it.

Jenny: And as our listeners can’t see us, I’ll describe this – Ra’s wearing a Tilit sweatshirt, Alex’s got a Tilit T-shirt, and Bonnies, which is a restaurant –

Rasheeda: You gotta represent. Yes.

Alex: I’ve got my Bonnies hat from Brooklyn. Yeah, restaurant merch! It gives you pride and a sense of belonging to the community you’re creating.

Rasheeda: Yeah.

Alex: I can’t speak on the economics because I don’t know how much revenue people make from merch, but at least for us at Tilit, it’s marketing. Built-in marketing.

Rasheeda: Mm-hmm.

Alex: Even if it’s not a big profit center, it’s people walking around wearing your brand who wouldn’t have before. It increases presence and community.

Rasheeda: Indeed.

Jenny: It’s interesting you mention Momofuku because their goods line is actually a bigger part of their business now than their restaurants.

Rasheeda: For sure.

Jenny: Yeah – their pantry staples, their merch, their CPG line – it’s a major part of the business. That’s what we call being omni-channel: selling through multiple streams.

Jenny: Alex hinted at this earlier – what’s your plan for merch? Is it meant to be a major revenue driver, or more like gravy on top?

Rasheeda: We’re going to treat it as gravy on top but grow with it – like Ramen by Ra itself. We’ll scale it gradually, see how demand grows month by month, and make it creative and special.

Rasheeda: There will be a classic design, but limited numbers per drop. We’ll release in colorways tied to the seasons – lighter tones for spring and summer, darker for winter and fall – and track which ones sell fastest. It’s like reservations: you gotta get it when it’s hot.

Rasheeda: Because our customers already understand scarcity from reservations, it’ll translate naturally to merch.

Jenny: And what channels are you selling through? Square?

Rasheeda: Square. We’ll sell both online and in person and compare those numbers. The window helps with that – it’s fast casual, so we can reach both kinds of customers.

Rasheeda: Someone once told me, “Your business becomes what it is after you open, not what you project before.” So even though we know the counter works, the on-the-go customer might end up driving more sales. We’ll adjust as we learn.

Jenny: So you’ll essentially have three revenue streams.

Rasheeda: Yeah.

Jenny: Your line window with bao and broth, your counter seating, and –

Rasheeda: Private events. So technically four. Coming from one stream at Bowery Market, this time I’ve used that downtime to grow. Everything new at Ramen by Ra came from customer requests.

Jenny: We always say, listen to your customers.

Alex: I’m going to take it back to brand for a second – Jenny’s the numbers person, which is great – but back to the creative side.

Rasheeda: Yeah.

Alex: How do you take what the ramen shop is and translate that visually into something people want to buy, wear, or gift?

Rasheeda: It’s not about putting ramen on a shirt. It’s about bringing the ritual to reality – how we want you to experience tea (or broth), breakfast ramen, and walking away with a canvas bag you’ll use every day. It’s creating culture through a café setting.

Rasheeda: In New York, people connect to brands that feel limited and intentional. You want that shirt because you know there are only 50, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. We want that feeling too – design-friendly, simple, and exclusive.

Rasheeda: I was walking in Soho once and saw a guy wearing a shirt that said on the back, “Now Serving Breakfast.” I took a photo – because that’s it. That’s the tagline: Ramen by Ra. Now Serving Breakfast. Slurp Soon.

Jenny: Slurp soon.

Rasheeda: That’s all you need to understand the brand.

Alex: I like “Slurp soon.”

Rasheeda: “Now Serving Breakfast” communicates our hours without listing them. If you see that shirt, you know we open early. Then “Slurp Soon” has been part of our tone since the beginning – it’s how we thank customers. “Now serving baos.” “Now serving broth.” “Sip soon.”

Rasheeda: It’s fun, flexible, and communicates clearly.

Jenny: Love that.

Rasheeda: Also, people kept calling the brand “Buy Ra” because of the Japanese logo for ramen. They’d say, “I can’t wait to go to Buy Ra.” So I’m running with that. “By Ra.” Everything we create – chili oil, chopsticks, bowls – can be “By Ra.”

Jenny: Cute.

Rasheeda: The line will say By Ra, with a front design that says “Ra” and a back that says “Now Serving Breakfast – Slurp Soon.”

Alex: I love that. Maybe a second shirt that says, “No bathroom, no problem.”

Rasheeda: I love that!

Jenny: By Ra. Boom. Brainstorming session.

Rasheeda: Slurp and go.

Alex: “Slurp and go,” I love that.

Jenny: How do you make people feel with your brand? Because in restaurants, people may forget the meal, but they remember how they felt.

Rasheeda: Exactly.

Jenny: Brands are emotional too. What do you want people to feel?

Rasheeda: That they can finally take it home. It’s so hard to get a reservation – and when people finally get one, they never want to leave. They tell me how warm and intentional it feels. So how do I let them take that home?

Jenny: Warmth and intention – that’s the feeling.

Rasheeda: Yes. Through branding, colors, limited drops, thoughtful design. The uniforms, for example – I don’t wear chef jackets anymore. I started wearing kimonos. They were feminine and comfortable. People loved them, even wanted to wear them as dresses!

Rasheeda: So now I’m updating it – embroidered shirts, loose fits, something that moves easily in a small space. Pieces that go from kitchen to street. I want guests to be able to buy them too.

Alex: Well, we know some great people who make clothes that transition from restaurant to street.

Rasheeda: Yeah!

Jenny: The time is right.

Rasheeda: Can you drop my name in their inbox?

Alex: We got it.

Jenny: For our listeners, Ra’s pointing to the Tilit logo on her shirt – it’s perfect.

Rasheeda: You guys do it best. Being part of one of your collections made me realize I had to do something special this time.

Jenny: So after this recording, we’ll pick out Ra’s work shirts – embroidered, styled – and help bring her designs to life for merch.

Rasheeda: I’m so excited. When I first opened at Bowery Market, I wanted to do this but didn’t have time. This time I’m making space for it. People are waiting. If someone flies from New Orleans for a seat at my counter, they should have something to take home.

Alex: When you talk about selling merch, will it just be in-store or also online?

Rasheeda: Both. Online too. I want people to be able to buy anytime. Merch makes money while you sleep.

Rasheeda: My background’s in luxury retail – I was a million-dollar seller before food – so now I’m putting that skill into my own brand. I built my website myself, and now I’m expanding it for retail.

Rasheeda: I’d love for customers to come in wearing something from us already, even before meeting me. That connection means everything.

Jenny: So you talk about being a sensory-forward brand. What does that mean?

Rasheeda: All the senses. You see the visuals, taste the food, touch the brand through merch. It’s how you connect emotionally and physically. Everything is intentional – from smell to sound.

Jenny: Speaking of sound – playlist! What are we hearing?

Rasheeda: Jazz. Always jazz. Ramen connects to stillness – smooth, calm, steam rising – and jazz is the soundtrack. During the pandemic I’d pray, journal, sip tea, layer broth, and play jazz. That’s what I want guests to feel – calm inside New York’s chaos.

Jenny: So cozy shop, cozy warmth, jazz in the background.

Rasheeda: Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Samara Joy – old and new, just like the brand.

Alex: How do you think about longevity – keeping the brand flexible over 10, 20 years?

Rasheeda: We signed a 10-year lease, and I think that’s how long I want to give this everything I have. I’m 40 now – by 50, I want to know I did it all. Maybe after that, I’ll sell flowers on a beach in Puerto Rico!

Jenny: You’ll be selling flowers on the beach because you built a Ramen by Ra empire.

Rasheeda: Exactly. My customers always ask, “What’s next?” I tell them, “Let me enjoy this first!” But if there’s a next, it’ll be flowers and peace.

Alex: Are you growing them or buying wholesale?

Rasheeda: Doesn’t matter – give me a granny cart and some newspaper!

Alex: Perfect.

Rasheeda: I just want to smell the ocean and not plan anything. This next decade will be about community, conversation, and connection.

Jenny: The biggest part of being an entrepreneur is just starting – and you did that, 101%.

Alex: Doing it.

Jenny: Last thing before we wrap up – I’m curious about takeaway and window packaging. How are you thinking about design there?

Rasheeda: I love a brand called No Issue. Clean, streamlined packaging. People notice when every detail matches. I want the full experience – from bowl to bag – to feel cohesive.

Rasheeda: When I worked as a stylist at Henri Bendel, I wrapped everything by hand. That level of care stuck with me. Customers remember that. Now I’m bringing it into Ramen by Ra.

Rasheeda: People send me cards, bring flowers – they’re part of this journey too. It’s not just about me – it’s for the people who feel seen, who maybe never ate ramen before but feel comfortable trying it.

Rasheeda: It’s about the person who wants a T-shirt, takes a photo, celebrates a birthday, and gets a candle in their ramen. That’s what community and food are about.

Jenny: Building community, taking people home with warmth and intention – that’s the brand.

Rasheeda: And putting a candle in a bowl of ramen!

Jenny: Hell yeah. Nothing like birthday ramen.

Rasheeda: Because no one else is doing that.

Jenny: Awesome. All right, next time we’ll talk about layers of flavor and how you develop your menu.

Rasheeda: Yay.

Jenny: Thanks so much, Ra – so fun catching up as always.

Rasheeda: Thank you.