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Monday, January 30, 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.

» posted by Tom | link

Saturday, January 28, 2006

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

» posted by Tom | link

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

"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

» posted by Tom | link

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.

» posted by Tom | link

Sunday, January 22, 2006

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.

» posted by Tom | link

Friday, January 20, 2006

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

» posted by Tom | link

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.

» posted by Tom | link

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

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!

» posted by Tom | link

Sunday, January 15, 2006

"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.)

» posted by Tom | link

Saturday, January 14, 2006

OLIVER DEGREE

May 10, 1997- January 12, 2006

I guess it seems like this DIARY is turning into an episode of Six Feet Under, and I am sorry for that. It just is the best way to get the information out to family and friends.

On the up note...my mom had a cat that nobody really wanted to take... so with Oliver gone our cat needed, and got, a new friend.

Some good cafe news is that the food sections in both the Pioneer Press and Star Tribune on Thursday (1/12) mentioned the cafe, and the Star Tribune will be doing a Signature article on the cafe in the Sunday (1/15) paper tomorrow....keep an eye out for that!

http://www.startribune.com/389/story/179459.html

» posted by Tom | link

Monday, January 09, 2006

Barbara Ann DeGree

8-17-1925 to 1-9-2006

MASS OF THE RESURRECTION

January 13, 2006

11:00am

St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church

White Bear Lake, MN

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

And the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of his hand

Irish Blessing

» posted by Tom | link

Sunday, January 08, 2006

"I struck a match to light my pipe. As I did, two beautiful cups gleamed from the mantle. I held the match up so I could get a better look. There they were, sitting side by side. One was large with long, upright handles that stood out like wings on a morning dove. The highly polished surface gleamed and glistened with a golden sheen. The other was smaller and made of silver. It was neat and trim, and sparkled like a white star. I got up and took them down. There was a story in those cups- a story that went back more than a half century. As I caressed the smooth surfaces, my mind drifted back through the years, back to my boyhood days. How wonderful the memories were. Piece by piece the story unfolded." Do you remember this book from your childhood? Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. Many remembers the story of Billy, Old Dan and Little Ann. Everyone has a story about their favorite pet, and I would like to thank the many people who shared with me those stories after reading about our dog Oliver. We would also like to thank Dr. Baillie form the Cedar Pet Clinic for thinking of trying a new cancer medication on Oliver after the U of M told us the operation was his only answer. Oliver seems to be a new dog! We have to cath him every day, but other than that he is himself again.

» posted by Tom | link

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Have you ever received hate mail? I don't understand it. Today I came home and found a hand addressed letter from AMERICAN NEWS CENTER 55401. Inside the envelope were 4 articles cut out of some conservative press that were anti-gay: Homosexuals Rank Among Worst Serial Killers, Growing Homo Attacks On Children, Gay Lobby Scrambles to Hide Truth. Wow! I am not sure how someone got my home address, or why they took the time to send me this letter. They obviously hate me for some reason. I ran a GOOGLE search on the address and got to John Jordan of Brooklyn Park. Of course he has no listed address or phone number. But this former State Representative from Brooklyn Park has a Hate web site. Here he posts his hateful views on issues (like anyone cares). My first reaction is to send him a letter of peace, but why bother he wouldn't understand. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Martin Luther King Jr

» posted by Tom | link

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