For 25 years, Isanti's Creamery Cafe has graced the corner of 1st and Main and has been an integral part of its downtown and history. For many years the same groups of people have graced the same tables at breakfast to visit and discuss whatever happened to be on their minds that day. Wednesday, June 23, at 4 p.m., with a few last customers having one last cup of coffee and a cookie, Creamery Cafe Manager Sue Larson hung a sign on the doors signifying the closing of a landmark. Wednesday was a hard day for Larson, her customers and her employees. Just three days prior, she was told by owner Troy Sederberg to close the restaurant. "I was told to close on Sunday, but I told him [Sederberg] I couldn't," Larson said. "I told him I need a couple of days--I need a couple of days to give my employees warning and my customers need to have a chance to realize it'll happen and begin a grieving process." History of the Creamery Cafe The building in which the Creamery Cafe stands was in fact a Creamery. When the Isanti Cooperative Creamery was put up for sale in 1979, Dennis and Audrey Anderson bought the building. There was major renovation of the entire structure and a new restaurant was opening in the east wing of the 1953 addition of the building. A dining room was located in the old intake room and the former bottling room became the kitchen. As reported in the Isanti News March 8, 1979, Bonnie Hiljus and Mary Falk were excited about being the new owners of the Creamery Cafe. "This is going to be our home away from home and we are hoping that it will be the same for our customers," said Hiljus in the March 8, 1979 article. "We want to keep a homey atmosphere. There is really no place for kids in town and we want them to feel very welcome." A loss for the community Larson said this is a big loss for the community, especially its senior citizens. "The community doesn't realize the number of senior citizens who depend on this restaurant and don't drive on Highway 65," Larson said. "Where are they going to go for breakfast? It's going to be a big loss for our town." Larson said she felt Sederberg may not have known fully what he was getting into when he purchased the Creamery Cafe Dec. 12, 2003. "I think when Troy purchased the business he thought all he had to do was once in a while stop in and pick up the checks," Larson said. "It just wasn't what he expected." Larson said a few months after Sederberg took over, he knew he had to cut his costs in half to make the business work. However, some employees didn't agree with how Sederberg decided to cut costs. In early April, five long time employees went on strike and picketed across the street from the cafe. "He did across the board cuts and he thought he was doing the best thing he could do and it totally backfired on him," Larson said. "The money he lost while the picketers were outside, he couldn't recuperate. He thought it would be over quickly, but then after it went on he had to take action to get them to stop." Saying goodbye Waitress Andrea Novack was having a hard time saying goodbye to the Creamery Wednesday afternoon. "This was my first job--I've been working here since I was 15 and I'll be 18 in July," Novack said. "The people here were so friendly. I would love to come to work and see people so friendly and appreciative of what you do. I've made lots of friends working here." Novack was having a hard time believing the restaurant was closing. "It's really sad and I can't believe it, really," Novack said. "Some customers who have been coming here years are now saying they're going to stay home and wondered how a small town cafe could close." Andrea said she will always remember a customer named "Herb" because he would always come in and get a cookie and a coffee everyday. "I've enjoyed working here," Novack said. "I'm going to miss this place." Novack said fortunately she has also been working part time at Citgo and will be able to work full time hours there. Impact on the future Even though Larson said recently business has been going good and the restaurant has been trying some new things such as a Sunday breakfast buffet, she said Sederberg couldn't make it through the losses he experienced during the strike. "Once you fall behind, it's hard to catch up," Larson said. "He did have one person who made a few offers on the place and they decided not to buy it. Years of financial woes and maintenance woes finally caught up to the restaurant. It's really sad to think we're losing this business." Larson said the closing couldn't have come at a worst time for the city with the rodeo only a couple weeks away. Larson said she and a few others have met with other area business owners to talk about the possibility of them providing breakfast during rodeo weekend. Larson, who is also a member of Isanti City Council, said from a city standpoint this is detrimental. The city is currently working on a senior housing project as well as a new city hall for its downtown. Also, last summer the city just completed an entire reconstruction of its Main St. "When looking at senior housing, seniors need to have things within a walkable distance," Larson said. "They need a walkable distance to the post office, bank, city services, churches and restaurants. A hometown diner is a vital component to all this. The city plan doesn't work without a downtown restaurant." Overall though, Larson said she wasn't too surprised the business closed. "He's been talking about it for so long, he honestly hoped someone would buy it," Larson said. "He didn't know what would happen, he just hoped something would." ©Isanti County News
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