About five or six years before we sold Fred's News, we decided that renovations to the upstairs kitchen area and bathroom were a necessity. We had thought and talked about it for years, but always put it off. The building had been built in the early 1880's and we wanted to keep it's structure consistent with the rest of the area. The upstairs kitchen was located in the back of the building and had nothing above it. The bathroom was also very small but cozy, with it's large iron radiator spewing warm steam during the cold and raw winter months. Another issue, could we get by with just the kitchen downstairs? Our contractor promised that the big restaurant stove would remain hooked up until the very last minute. They would then change over to the new equipment without a hitch. We agreed. The project was set to start in October and they would have the new addition enclosed before the cold set in. This would allow them to work inside in a warmer environment.
This project was not a little one. It would require the entire back part of the structure to be opened to the elements until a new roof line was built. Fred's News itself would not be exposed because this part of the building had already been added after the original was completed in the 1880's. Bill and I thought we had this planned completely, we could of never been so wrong. Patrons never really knew what we actually had to endure. The entire original section of the house was boarded up to insure cleanliness to the restaurant. As we climbed the back stairs to our living quarters, we had to enter the house through the door. Kind of silly considering there was no top on that part of the building. The walls were held up by braces attached to the center of the floor, pulling them in. The new center beam had to be set before a roof structure could be added. Although there was no rain or snow for that short period of exposure, it was one of the coldest Fall seasons on record. We did not have a bathroom upstairs during this period and a midnight dash required climbing down the outside back stairway, in the cold,allowing us to use the bathroom in Fred's News. It was during this time I realized just how much my bladder could hold. Showers were taken at our son's home for a month. Thankfully he lived across the street from the restaurant.
Although the inconvenience was tremendous, demolition of the old section revealed a few secrets. The carry beam, that remained in the original section, had been engraved in 1880 at a local sawmill. The markings announced, "Sold to the Baltic Frenchman, 1880." We did take photos of this before it was once again covered. Old newspapers and labels were also found in the walls, dating back to that era as well.
We were very disappointed upon learning the kitchen would not be ready for the holiday celebration, but we had made all the holiday pies in advance and froze them for our loyal patrons. As we celebrated our own holiday season, with family arriving via the new doorway,they looked up in awe at the fourteen foot pine ceiling. There were no cabinets yet, but the beautiful new center island work/prep area was ready. The heat in that new section was still minimal, but the warmth and coziness of our family during those stressful times, was all we needed during this special holiday season.
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