Food Write: Workhorse Coffee for coffee and no work 1/7/18

Greeting Text

Following twenty years of farmer's markets selling locally grown vegetables, native fruits, and local honey Linda created Marianne's Kitchen in Shoreview, MN, an oasis of good food, conversation and laughter in a suburban food desert. Operating from 2011-2017 the cafe offered home made soups, fresh bread baked daily, great sandwiches and treats and a complete line of gluten-free soups, pickled products, jams, jellies, salsas and locally sourced soups, honey and grains.

The Marianne's Kitchen of sharing, conversation, and learning continues with ongoing commentary, food reviews and food finds as we grow, cook and eat our food and sample local restaurants.

Friday, January 12, 2018

Workhorse Coffee for coffee and no work 1/7/18

This turned out to be a throwback day!!

We grabbed a quick coffee, croissant & salad at Workhorse Coffee in the Security Bldg at University & Raymond (i think this has been the Edge, Susie's, the Grind, Racer.....maybe more).

My roots go way back in this building. In the 1980s I was a principal in Caardvark Greeting Card & Gift stores. I took over management of the company when there was just 1 store--on Lake St near Hennepin behind the former Rainbow Cafe (later Chino Latino). As

we expanded...next to the Apache Mall in Rochester...it was time to get an offsite office for my accumulating piles of work.

I lived in Lauderdale & had a store in uptown & 1 in Rochester----where to office???

A convenient (& really cheap) place was the Security Bldg owned by Joe Brown....of Raymond Ave Gallery. A great office suite at a really reasonable price.

That's when Barb Hunn had just the Keys on Raymond--before they expanded to many locations (& I've eaten at all of them!!)

So here we are today at Workhorse Coffee on the first floor of the Security Bldg!!!

Great little coffee place....they exposed a lot of brick on the east wall and tiled the bottom half with shiny black subway tile. Nice counter that fits the Workhorse concept to a tee.

We had a cold brew & a mocha plus a spinach & feta croissant & a very tasty salad with mixed greens, craisins, almonds & a slightly sweet poppy seed dressing. All lovely. Great staff, too.

Very nice space...a couple of very large tables for big groups or to spread out your work if you're camping there for awhile. Smaller tables & cute nook & cranny spaces & places to watch the light rail buzz by.

So, of course I had to ask ... Who owns the bldg now?

Yup....Joe Brown!