Archive for February, 2004

NEWS FLASH….we don’t get the screen for our POS until Monday. So, we are doing a family/friend opening on Monday night. BUT, on Tuesday we will be ready for full business! The Fiori (neighborhood flower shop) is going to work with us in providing fresh flowers (that we all love) for advertisement and a few beans (coffee, of course). If you have subscribed to our NEWSLETTER you will bet getting one on Monday announcing our opening….along with a NEW look to our Web Site. We have included some pictures of the place and changed some things on the MENU.

After next week I will be using the DIARY section of the Web Site to post up-coming events, pictures of events and guests, and on-line only specials!

Well, I can’t believe it is finally happening. We had our first round of staff training last night, with the second coming on Saturday. Still looking to open on Monday, March 1st. It may not be at 6:30 am, but rather later in the day.

When I look back over the last year I am reminded of our friends that have helped make this happen. THANKS!

We ordered our POS (point of sale/cash register) today. They have to program in our menus. It will have a touch screen with all food/drink options, it will save a lot of time. We hope to have it by Friday. My nephew is finishing our curtain rods and they should be up tomorrow. Got our food and wine orders in to the vendors today. Neil (our first gallery artist) finished hanging his oils yesterday, they look awesome. Still looking at opening on Monday, March 1st.

Donald Trump says “God is in the details.” I think the “Devil is in the details.” They take a ton of time and effort. Dean and I have been at the cafe until about midnight this whole week. We are doing the final clean-up this weekend. Then, next week will have staff training (we hired about 15 people), and will be ready for the opening on March 1st. We are finally feeling the stress of the…WHATIF..you know?

WHATIF…by Shel Silverstein

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I’m dumb in school?
Whatif they’ve closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there’s poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk the test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don’t grow taller?
Whatif my head starts gettin smaller?
Whatif the fish won’t bite?
Whatif the wind tears my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don’t grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems swell, and then
The nighttime Whatifs strike again!

We are actually setting a date….MARCH 1st. This is providing that the kitchen inspections go smoothly. Keep your fingers crossed!

This weekend we got our granite counter tops…we have a great source for quick inexpensive granite. And, it looks GREAT. The trim work (base and crown) are almost done….like I said the details.

The Wilde Roast Cafe is a sponsor for the MN AIDS Trek and will have a booth at the sign up this weekend:

Minnesota AIDS Trek 18 - Vaccine Ride
2004 Kick-Off Party
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Saturday, February 21, 2004
www.aids-trek.org
�
Edina Community Lutheran Church
4113 W. 54th Street
Edina, MN�� 55424

The stucco is FINALLY done, and it looks beautiful! We will be out of the bubble on Tuesday next week. Our outside sign will go up right after that. We are hoping to do staff training next week and open soon after. I can’t believe we are so close. We will send a NEWSLETTER out to our online friends a day before we open to announce our soft opening…so, watch your email.

Our friend Barry is helping me put together the mailing list for the Press Release. Thanks!

Dean got much of the crown up today…WOW! Todd (the manager we hired) is awesome; today he did a ton of interviews. We hope to train next week and open soon after.

UPDATES: the stucco’s first layer (brown coat, but it is white) is done, the window decals are on, the granite will be installed on Thursday, Neal (our first “Art Show”) will be hanging his painting on Thursday.

It look like we won’t be open for Valentine’s Day.

Details are the killer, they are very time consuming. We go in and work all day and it seems that nothing gets done, like the base trim, crown molding, and the picture rail. Our bathrooms have chandeliers! We hope people notice.

If you are directed to this site for employment, we are looking for counter servers, and baristas. Go to the ABOUT section and download an application…just send or fax it to us. Thanks!

WE HAVE POWER! Xcel hooked us up yesterday, then Matt from Mill City Electric finished the connection. The antique fixtures look awesome. The other great news is that the stucco work started yesterday….not sure if we will make our deadline on Valentine’s Day…but it will be the week after.

We can now get our espresso machines warmed-up.

The Wilde (our volleyball team) won their first game in a year…I guess this week is starting better than last week ended. Meaning, the new power still has not been hooked up and the stucco work has not started. But, the volleyball win is a good sign….right?

Actually, yesterday was really good. With the help of many friends we got the Wilde Roast Cafe cleaned up, and all the tables and chairs into place…THANKS GUYS! We have our city inspections on the 12th…wish us luck.

A couple of years back I read this book by an author who wrote with a group at the St. Clair Broiler (in St. Paul). We have a writing group that wants to use the Wilde Roast Cafe as their muse….we better get open soon!