In our earlier years at Fred's News, menus did not exist. "The Brothers", had an old fashioned Coca-Cola sign located on the wall above the coffee-station, patrons simply looked up, ordered, then waited for someone to give a yell, "pick up it's ready!" That was okay, but as the offerings increased, the customer based did the same. Patrons complained they couldn't read the wall menu from their seats, they'd congregate around the counter, making passage difficult. The idea of menus at each table was born. Friend Chris, the original designer, started the project for her son Matt, hoping to hone his computer skills. Each month a new menu cover, something clever and very much a conversation starter. One month, there were pictures of everyone's backside, carpenter crack included. The idea was to try and guess who the butt belonged to! The very last picture..... Mr. Bill's derriere. One of our young customers asked me quite innocently,"hey lady does that guy have a front?" Not understanding the question, I asked him to repeat his statement. This time pointing to the picture, then waving his hand towards the gril,l he repeated the question,"hey lady does that guy have a front?" I then realized he'd never seen Mr. Bill, who was always facing the grill cooking. "Yes he does, although this is his good side!" At least the young boy had correctly identified the picture!
Over the next few months pictures appeared on each new menu. The faces of the the Egg-Nazi and me super-imposed on the bodies of the famed "Mr. & Mrs. Cornflake" complete with pitch fork, the once thriving Baltic Mills in its' heydey. This appeared the month following the fire that gutted the old structure. One of my favorite menus.....a collage of doors, all from different structures located within the Town of Sprague, Customers had to guess where each door was located. Although very much a conversation piece, it brought attention to some of Sprague's great architecture. These photos had long time resident's somewhat baffled, "that can't be in Sprague, I've never seen it." Well take time to know your Town, look around, you definitely will find it. These menus became quite the conversation piece and eventually, collector's items. In fact, Chris could not print enough for the restaurant, so I began creating the menus. It was great fun, although time consuming, yet each month faithful followers would request the new menu for their collections., There were flowers, bears, family photos, customer mug shots, scenic landscapes and a few of the Egg-Nazi and me. They were great fun and I guess maybe they were collectors' items.
Customers from different parts of the world would sometimes visit our little restaurant, each would take a menu and our thank you signature with them. It was their way of safe-keeping fond memories. Our Guests from England, loved the Flowers of Fred's News, with a promise to someday return and exchange pictures of his English garden. He did keep his promise, proving to be a master gardener himself. Richard Reynolds family returned to "the land down under" with memorabilia from Fred's News, sealing a brief friendship that we hold dear in our hearts.
Over the next few months pictures appeared on each new menu. The faces of the the Egg-Nazi and me super-imposed on the bodies of the famed "Mr. & Mrs. Cornflake" complete with pitch fork, the once thriving Baltic Mills in its' heydey. This appeared the month following the fire that gutted the old structure. One of my favorite menus.....a collage of doors, all from different structures located within the Town of Sprague, Customers had to guess where each door was located. Although very much a conversation piece, it brought attention to some of Sprague's great architecture. These photos had long time resident's somewhat baffled, "that can't be in Sprague, I've never seen it." Well take time to know your Town, look around, you definitely will find it. These menus became quite the conversation piece and eventually, collector's items. In fact, Chris could not print enough for the restaurant, so I began creating the menus. It was great fun, although time consuming, yet each month faithful followers would request the new menu for their collections., There were flowers, bears, family photos, customer mug shots, scenic landscapes and a few of the Egg-Nazi and me. They were great fun and I guess maybe they were collectors' items.
Customers from different parts of the world would sometimes visit our little restaurant, each would take a menu and our thank you signature with them. It was their way of safe-keeping fond memories. Our Guests from England, loved the Flowers of Fred's News, with a promise to someday return and exchange pictures of his English garden. He did keep his promise, proving to be a master gardener himself. Richard Reynolds family returned to "the land down under" with memorabilia from Fred's News, sealing a brief friendship that we hold dear in our hearts.
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