Monroe residents may have noticed the hustle and bustle inside the old Hitching Post Restaurant, as owner Sandra Adkins works to breathe new life into what she has christened the Main Street Caf+¬.
The Main Street Caf+¬ and House of Murals will feature homemade soups, sandwiches, breakfast items, pastries and desserts in Monroe's downtown core, at 107 W. Main St. Adkins plans on opening her doors sometime around mid-October, and will be open 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. She is currently renovating the space with a deep cleaning, fresh paint, new flooring and a brand new dining floor plan ' all while continuing to manage her Bothell restaurant, the Kozy Corner Caf+¬.
Her renovations have not been without challenges. Last week, she temporarily moved two industrial-sized sinks out behind the building, so she could do some cleaning and painting inside the kitchen. She discovered the two sinks stolen on Monday, Sept. 14, along with some other random items that she had left in the alley out back.
"Somebody decided they wanted to steal stainless steel sinks; or take stainless steel sinks,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "I'm hoping they were taken by accident, like maybe somebody just didn't think that I needed them.GÇ¥
She is hopeful whoever took the sinks will return them back, as her budget for starting the new restaurant has been stretched just about as far as it will go, she said. Having to purchase new commercial sinks is an inconvenience of both time and expense.
"We've had a few things come up that have costed a little bit more than we expected,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "That's why I was so upset when I lost my sinks.GÇ¥
She has overcome obstacles along the way, including a city of Monroe provision that would have required her to install a costly grease recovery device known as a grease interceptor. She presented to the Monroe City Council, and in July, councilmembers voted to amend the code. In the interest of promoting downtown revitalization, an existing food service establishment is now able to change ownership without triggering the grease interceptor requirement.-á
Adkins plans on incorporating many elements of the Kozy Corner Caf+¬ into the Main Street Caf+¬, including daily soup and sandwich lunch specials and specialty breakfast items like homemade scrambles and sausage gravy. She will offer several variations of eggs benedict, including smoked salmon, crab and California benedict that features bacon, tomato and avocado.
"That's everybody's favorite,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "It's really good.GÇ¥-á
She has owned and operated the Kozy Corner on Main Street in Bothell for 20 years. She moved to Monroe about a year ago, and plans on dividing her time between the two caf+¬s.-á -á
The Hitching Post Caf+¬ and House of Murals was a Main Street fixture for more than 40 years. A conflict between restaurant owner Mary Maass and landlord Canh Pham caused the restaurant to close in February 2014. The restaurant was well-known for its murals, which transform the dining room into an artistic journey through the history of Monroe. The images were painted by local muralist David Hose, and include snapshots of historic Monroe, including memorable residents and family members of Hose.-á
Adkins wants to preserve the historic aspects of the space, especially the murals. Hose stopped by the caf+¬ last week to revise one small part of the mural to reflect the caf+¬'s name-change. Several other areas of the mural actually feature versions of the Hitching Post Caf+¬, and Adkins opted to leave the Hitching Post name intact to preserve the history and tell the story.
"I kind of want to be respectful to the space, because I've done my research and I know that this space seems to be pretty important to a lot of people. They came here with their parents; they came here as children,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "So, I kind of want to be conscientious of that.GÇ¥
She is working with Hose to add a new section of mural that will incorporate modern-day Monroe in a way that enhances the existing murals and honors what Monroe is today.
Adkins hopes to accommodate large families and small groups with her roomy 8-person booths. Smaller tables will also be available. The next few weeks will be dedicated to finishing work, including appliance installation, arranging the dining area and organizing the kitchen.
"We'll be holding some kind of a hiring fair; we'll try to hire people that care about their job,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "We're a family restaurant. The staff is like a family. My staff at the Kozy Corner, most everybody's been there for well over 10 years.GÇ¥
She is looking for a certified plumber to help with some of the final tasks, and hopes to hire somebody local. She is also looking for somebody who can help her renovate the historic outdoor awning. The steel and canvas overhang needs to be revitalized and spruced up, said Adkins.-á
"It needs to be pressure washed or cleaned or something,GÇ¥ Adkins said. "I'm not sure exactly what to use on it. I just need somebody who has some experience with how to go about that.GÇ¥
She is also looking for antiques and other d+¬cor to create a welcoming interior. The former owner displayed a collection of figurines and antiques, all of which were sold when she closed the restaurant. Adkins said she would love the opportunity to display those items, if any of the purchasers would be willing to donate them back to the caf+¬.-á
Adkins typically spends Tuesdays and Fridays at the Monroe restaurant, and is available on those days to accept decorative donations or meet with contractors.-á
Kozy Corner Caf+¬ owner Sandra Adkins is replacing the old Hitching Post Restaurant on West Main Street, but sheGÇÖs also preserving the murals that adorn the interior and illustrate MonroeGÇÖs history.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment