Archive for January, 2006

The U of M Starbucks is closing….hummm. Where to start? Well, this is the main reason for the wi-fi change at the cafe: coffeehouses that become study places can’t make money.

Sure, we would love to offer the regular customer wi-fi to check their email. But, the student who comes to spend the whole day at the cafe won’t support us. Yes, I know they think they are supporting independents…but, they are actually killing them. The costs in keeping a restaurant open are A LOT more than we expected, so we need to turn the tables over more than once every 5 hours.

It is not that we don’t like the students…we LOVE them…we are just asking to find a middle ground. The worry is that Minneapolis is going wireless, so people will be able to “log-on” anywhere in the city. What we are thinking of doing is reserving the large tables for Dining Only….what do you think?

Thank you for understanding.

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. ~Oscar Wilde

Dean and I are constantly told how luck we were that the cafe took off so quickly, and the amount of press we get for the Wilde Roast Cafe. So, I wanted to make sure to thank the people who have helped us make it to our second anniversary (March).

• Jason and George (who have worked for us from the first day)
• Barry from Lavender (just to build his ego)
• Rick and Randy from the Star Tribune
• Our friends who worked for FREE to build this place
• Dave Creglow for his painting skill
• The current staff
• Family is BIG!
• Brian Mangin who is our web guy and answers all of my calls
• Scott and Dean from Tangletown Gardens
• Kim and Jimmy from Fiori
• Jim and Craig from Spider Lake Lodge
• Dan and Brian of Farm Boy

“Of course, the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

– Herman Goering, Nazi Reichsmarshall and Luftwaffe-Chief, at the Nuremberg trials

Bring in your ticket stub from The Heights Theater (north on Central from the Wilde Roast Cafe in Columbia Heights) to get 2 desserts for the price of one at the Wilde Roast Cafe. Showtimes and location at www.heightstheater.com.

I have been thinking about why we are expanding to other locations. It might look like we are just trying to take over other markets, which is not true.

We talked with the owners of Black Dog Cafe yesterday and assured them that we don’t want to take their customer, we hope to expand it. I love St. Paul and want to work with Black Dog’s owners on drawing more people to that area. Hopefully more people will want to visit and move to Lowertown St. Paul if there are more options for eating, drinking, shopping.

We don’t want to be a big chain that is on every corner of the city, but we do feel we have a quality look and product that people living in other areas of the cities might enjoy.

FYI Mpls. St. Paul Magazine listed us a a Hip Spot in the current February 2006 issue: Cool in the Cities.

Hey, did you read this in the Pioneer Press?

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/columnists/nancy_ngo/13654047.htm

Yes, we are going to be in Downtown Minneapolis around March…and looking at a spot in St. Paul’s Lower Town area.

The Star Tribune gave the Wilde Roast Cafe a 4 out of 4 logs for Hot Hangouts…..resturants with fireplaces!

Check it out: http://www.startribune.com/389/story/192906.html

Dianne and Claire have been coming to the cafe from the first day we opened, they live in the NE area and have been great supporters of the Wilde Roast Cafe. Several weeks ago Dianne found out I was looking for an article from MINNESOTA HISTORY A Quarterly Magazine on Oscar Wilde’s visit to the Twin Cities. Well, Dianne found it for me- THANKS!

The article chronicles Oscar’s March, 1882 visit to the Twin Cities. His first stop was the Nicollet House, where he got a general reaction of curiosity. The March 14th, 1882 Minneapolis Tribune labeled him a “boss English sunflower” that was “in full bloom” when talking to his audience at his lecture at the Academy of Music.

His appearance was what most of the newspapers wrote about; “his long and bushy hair crowded in front of his ears and nearly to his eyes,” “…. he wore a black velvet cut-away coat, and a vest of the same material, knee breeches, long black stockings and low shoes with bows, the poet had no flower in the lappel of his coat.”

If you want to read the whole article just catch me in the cafe.

Yesterday Dean’s little brother Steve proposed to his girlfriend Nikki on her 29th birthday! Steve was Dean’s best man at our Union Ceremony. We are very excited for them, I don’t think I have ever met a couple more perfect for each other…she actually likes NASCAR and snowmobiling. Congratulations!

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” MLK

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” MLK

Happy Birthday Martin!
Happy Birthday Dean! (Dean is the same age that MLK was when he died.)