SCARED COURAGEOUS
We interrupt our next True Story from Hell (Courageous) and have decided to continue our decades of transparency and come clean. You see, several months ago, while we were mulling over how to acknowledge our upcoming 20th Anniversary, we tossed out all sorts of descriptives about our experiences over the years. Happy, Anxious, etc etc etc. Scared wasn’t even on that list because we’re kind of ballsy people who don’t get frightened very easily. Even as the weeks of Covid closure dragged into months without an end in sight, we didn’t have time to be scared. Nervous as hell, yeah, but scared? Nah. Not in our DNA.
Instead, we chose the word COURAGEOUS to describe about having the internal fortitude and courage to even think about opening a brand new, never-before concept during the pandemic. (This is probably why we also avoided the word “stoopid”…we’re too proud to have even considered the word.) But back to the courageous concept. We had initially hoped to open our Hell’s Cafeteria concept last October. With all the supply chain delays for equipment, even our architects raised their eyebrows at our tight deadlines, and politely pointed out that a better target might be January or February. Bless their hearts, they didn't even roll their eyes.
Well, the GOOD news is that our March opening went without a hitch. Shiny equipment all in place, a sparkling new gift shop tucked next to Hell’s Cafeteria, new gift items downtown visitors could take back home, and a crackerjack team of cooks at the ready.
We also got great press from MSP Magazine, Mn Monthly, and local influencers (thanks, Jason DeRusha!) which garnered instant interest in our quick serve cafeteria concept. Slinging awesome food in a matter of minutes weekdays from 7am to 2:30pm, our biggest thrills were when out of town visitors said how much they love Hell’s Cafeteria.
Still reading? We started to get nervous when we realized that most offices STILL hadn’t come back even in March. But we can pinpoint the exact date when our courage melted into fear: April 19, the day Target (downtown’s largest employer) announced that coming back to the office at their corporate HQ a block away would remain hybrid, with no set office requirements. Don’t get us wrong: we AGREE how sane and wonderful working from home is, but we built this cafeteria for the people who work at Target, US Bank, Deluxe, Wells Fargo, AmeriPrise, RBC, Thrivant, Deloitte, and all the other offices (large and small) that make up the fabric of downtown activity.
To say we were dismayed is an understatement. We’re grateful for the business we’ve had so far, but for Hell’s Cafeteria to be a success financially, we need you. And you. And you and you and YOU. So if you’re downtown at HCMC, Hennepin County, City offices, Xcel, SPS, Be the Match, and any other workplace (we value you ALL), please keep us in mind when you want a quick bite of something delicious. Alleviate our new fears and check out www.HellsCafeteriaMN.com. And please spread the word. Our Employee Owners are welcoming, gracious, SO excited, and very much want to show off the dream we’ve worked so hard to make come true.
Pssst: Want all the other True Stories from Hell as soon as they’re published? Click here to sign up for our Behind The Scenes newsletters.