Suzi Gravenstuk

The Meaning of a Customer, Patron, Client, Friend (Book to Be)



Posted: Wednesday, February 14, 2007

by
http://www.suzi-gravenstuk.blogspot.com

Background: I literally grew up in the restaurant business. The location: Borger, a small town in the Texas Panhandle. The main characters: Mother (Lorene Richardson), me, many, many other people who were employees and Patrons of the Village Restaurant, now, Lorene's Kitchen.

My Motivation: My mother will be celebrating her 79th birthday, February 17th. I can't make it back to visit with her. Thinking of her always brings back memories of my growing up in Borger, and my working in the restaurant off and on from the age of 13 to around 35. In my memories, the restaurant locations are clear as day. I can visualize some of our frequent customers as if they were in front of me. Much time has passed, some of the patrons have moved to other locations, as I have, and some have moved on to the real world, the future home for many of us.

My Purpose: Mom is almost 79 and I just turned 50. She is not going to feel that I have used what she considers "My God Given Talent", unless I write. Lorene can be a little stubborn. Internet writing and Blogging doesn't cut it. To her, being a writer means hard copy publication. So, I will get started here, and hopefully finish in time for her 80th birthday. The goal is to compile individual experiences that will be compiled into a hard copy book, self published if necessary. Why? She deserves it. If you knew her you would understand that she deserves the visualizations of her heart. Mom has been a sower. Its well past time for harvest. I think it should be a rule that if you have lived life as a sower and a giver, by the time you hit 79 and 80 years of age, you should get what you deserve.

Subject Matter: The good times you had in her restaurant. The food. Experiences with any of her children and grand children (positive ones, please:-). (Excuse the times you came in and we were short staffed and packed)

The Problem: I tend to have a cloudy memory. Some folks from Borger may remember the time I had a car accident and was virtually prayed back to life... Well, I had a miraculous recovery. The only tale tale sign of a head injury is an often foggy memory. Hey--maybe I recovered fully and its just 50 years catching up with me. I think I like the head injury excuse better:-). I really need YOUR help.

I am appealing to the folks in Borger, via the Borger News Herald to visit here and help me out. Hopefully over a period of time we will have accumulated many different stories, pictures, to round out this Book for Mom.

Contributers: Give us your memories of dining with our family starting from the Village Restaurant, located on Cedar Street (1960's) to the present. If you have any photos, please contribute and give me a release to use them. Also, if you have any Borger history in general to turn in, please do so. If you have an old menu, or advertisement--those would be super additions as well. I am weakest on time frames and people's names.

I'll start:---I don't remember that much about the location on Cedar St. because I was very young. I do remember it was small, usually packed, the building was green. Lorene (Mom) was a young 40 something. I think I remember that most entres including Chile Rellenos were around $1 or less. I think coffee was a dime.
Suzi believes that "following" and choosing to be a "fan" are high compliments. She wishes to get to know her fans better and is always interested in reciprocal relationships.

Any photos used in stories are Suzi's originals and are copyrighted. Contact Suzi regarding any need for research, photos, or assignments along the Mississippi Gulf Coast (MGC), or of a virtual nature. Contact infomation through WryteStuff, or by commenting at any of her blogs. To find one of Suzi's blogs, simply search "Suzi Gravenstuk". I am immediately notified of comments and should be back in touch with you soon. Try it:-) May you be blessed!

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Shelia from Melton 4 years 249 days ago.
Hey Sis, Thought I'd share with you where my mind and heart has been. You know that I have made a few trips back home in the last two years and spent time at the Restaurant visiting with some of our old customers and employees, also meet some new customers that has discovered our Chili Rellenos and was impressed that Mom still works everyday and that our food is made fresh daily from our Pop's receipes. Any way as I was there observing instead of working it came to me that it would be a great gift to Mom if I could get our loyal and faithful customers and employees to share a favorite story of the Restaurant, Mom or her family. I have been working on the history off and on for the last year. I guess you could say we are diffently on the same page and love and respect Mom and what she has given to Borger and her family. You are the writer in the family I'll send you what I have when it is finished and any comments I have received from the people I have contacted. Mom and Pop started the Village in 1966 and Mom celebrated her 40th year in business last October. Love Shelia
» left by Wilma Miller
from Borger, Tx 4 years 1 day ago.
This article was extremely helpful and informative....this will be a huge tribute to a lady we are privileged to know and love. Wilma and David Miller
» left by 3 years 363 days ago.
Wilma, great to hear from you two. I can't wait to see you!
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