Good news folks- You CAN come home again! In the weeks since we opened our doors, I have re-introduced myself to many old friends, neighbors, former peers and Aqualand employees. I have met many second home owners whose families have been summer residents since my grandfather's era.
Dick and I have made so many new friends. It has been such a blessing to see folks come in, then come back in with neighbors, family and friends.
Our musky and walley flights have been a big hit. Some of our new friends have come every weekend to work their way through all twenty taps. The taps have all turned over and there have not been any duds in the bunch, confirming our belief that craft beer followers enjoy the journey of "tasting", rather than sticking with just one brew.
People ask us how things are going, what is it like to open a business like this with little background in the industry. I think I can speak for both of us in saying, "Exciting, terrifying, chaotic, thrilling, the highest of highs and the nearly heart stoppingly low and unexpected moments". When the transformer across the street was first hit by lightning and then just blew on it's own two weeks later, we despaired to watch our weekend visitors dejectedly turn around to leave as we sat there in the dark....Nearly every piece of equipment has exposed it's quirks. buying used pieces saved allot of money, but also gave us introduction to the wild ride of maintenance.
There are to do lists in every area from menu and marketing to garbage and lawn care.
I am excited to open the Frog House sometime in the next two weeks- my own dream of shop ownership is the second side of our long term plan. I can already see my little book shop area. I am going to call it "Georgie's Window" after my local hero, Sunday School Teacher and mentor Aunt Georgie, whose book reading was legend. I would guess that she gifted my sisters and I with more books than anyone other than perhaps our Mom, who also received many, many books from her friend Georgie. Maybe no one will think to buy books from an artisan snack, beer and wine shop, but I cannot imagine having a shop in Boulder Jct without them. Something about the northwoods makes me expect everyone will want to take time out to relax, re-create themselves and read.
I cannot remember the last full night's sleep for either my husband or I. He just came home to pick up the desk and a few other things for our office set up, which has been deferred while the most important areas got done first. It was the first time he had been home- home since early April. We have not sat down to eat a meal together earlier than 11 pm in a very long time.
Dreams are not easy, and we have learned that they are not birthed without allot of sacrifice and pain. But our dream of owning a business in Boulder Jct, the home town I have longed to return to for many years is coming true. I am thrilled to discover that everything I hoped and imagined it would feel like is truly what it can be. I am humbled by the welcome that confirms to us that you CAN come home again.
