By Neal Wooten
At the end of the road I live on is the old Waffle King. It has been closed for a while, and the building was for sale. The “For Sale” sign is now gone, and I noticed them working on the parking lot and painting the building. I assume that means it has sold, and someone is going to open another diner-type place there. I can’t wait to see what it will be.
Hopefully, they will sell a great salad. I need somewhere to get in the habit of walking to every day and eating something at least kind of healthy. I have the worst eating habits in the world, especially when I’m working on a new book and spend hours at the computer writing. I’m not sure why nature played such a cruel trick and made all comfort foods unhealthy.
I wish them luck because opening a new restaurant is a tough thing to do and certainly not cheap. If it’s a chain, then you can add the franchise fee and profit percentage to that amount. The first year is the hardest on new restaurants and may tell the tale. Whoever they are and whatever they sell, they’re sure to get business from me simply because of where they are. The three most important things for a new business are location, location, and location.
Speaking of which, Mom and I drove through town Wednesday, and she asked a question that many people have been asking recently: “When is Maters opening?” I didn’t have an answer, but hopefully soon. The owner is an old and very good friend, but I hate to ask him because I’m sure he is getting tired of answering that question. When they do open, I’m sure it will be a huge success. Living in the Milwaukee/Chicago area spoiled me on great pizza.
New restaurants and diners would constantly pop up near our home in Milwaukee, and my ex-wife and I would always frequent them and tell others. There was Big Als, which offered half-off breakfast if Green Bay was playing. It lasted a year, and a place called Peruvian Paradise opened there. We were regulars there too. And there was Mr. Gyros, who went through three owners in two years. The last guy added an item on the menu just for me. It was a hot dog smothered in slaw and chili. He called it the Southern Dawg.
Like I said, it’s a tough business to build from nothing. So, when these new places open, show your support and at least give them a try. If you enjoy it, do what most of you do already – post pictures of your food on Facebook.
