08/18/2026
Last Tuesday the derecho came through Valpo with 100+ mph winds. It knocked out our power for 22 hours and forced us to close for the first time since we opened the doors.
Wednesday the lights came back on. Our deliveries did not. We opened anyway, short on product, because three weeks into a dream you don’t get to have an off week.
Then Saturday happened. Saturday we welcomed more people through our doors than any day since we opened. We sold out of pretzels again, which we are genuinely sorry about and working on.
Here is the part that matters. Tatjana and I weren’t there.
We got married on Saturday. While we were saying our vows a few miles away, our team took care of the busiest day this place has ever had without either of us in the room. Front of house and back of house, they did not just hold it together. They made it look easy.
You hire people and you hope. Then a week like this one comes along and shows you exactly what you have. Our team has already become family to us.
Thank you, Valpo, for showing up in a week when we had every excuse and no power. And thank you to our staff, who deserve every bit of the credit for this one.
Stay tuned later this week for our Oktoberfest festivities, live music lineup, Bier menu, and specials going on all September long!
Prost! 🇩🇪🍺⛳️
Alec & Tatjana
P.S. Yes, we came in on Sunday. Some habits start early.
