It’s been six weeks since Toast opened in Minden and co-owner Tara Schroeder says the breakfast and lunch spot is proving popular.
“We see it going well here. It’s been very busy,” she said while seated in one of 50 seats inside the former Lounge and 50s Diner space earlier this week.
She and husband, Andrew Schroeder, also own the Mason Jar in Carnarvon.
“I think once the Mason Jar took off, and we got such a good response from it, we immediately started thinking ‘okay, what’s next?’ Tara said.
She said they felt they’d hit on something with their food truck, and wondered what else they could do to meet the community’s dining needs. She began some research.
“We really wanted a space where we could also thrive in the shoulder seasons because the Mason Jar really only lifts us up in that spring to fall period, so that really was the vision in part of our expansion, ‘let’s have a place where people can sit down in the winter.’
After Lounge closed late last January and sat empty for a while, the Schroeders found their new location. “It all came together and happened so fast,” Tara said.
They got to work, with Andrew heading up the kitchen and Tara front of house. “Divided and conquered,” Tara said. They built a kitchen and renovated the eating area, hosting a soft opening the week of Dec. 11. They are open five days a week.
“For our vision, I wanted something more homey, modern and bright,” Tara said.
The word flexible comes up in conversation. Tara said the restaurant will change based on the community’s needs.
For example, she said people are inquiring about having events after the breakfast-lunch space closes for the day. She also mentioned pivoting to a breakfast and brunch locale since the majority of diners are ordering their classic breakfasts.
They have so far been able to find enough staff although Tara will ramp up recruitment in March for the busy summer season at both locations.
“We’re really just focusing on quality over quantity. If you find the right people, they can do so much more than if you find some mediocre staff. It is a harder grind to find those people, but it works out in the end.”
As for the customer base to date, Tara said “we have a wide range of people coming already.” She said they’re not a greasy spoon, offering “more of an elevated breakfast space, but nothing that’s too bougie. At the end of the day, we’re here to meet a need.
“I think we’re going to be continually finding our groove for the first year. The seasons here are drastically different so, in that regard, things change every few months, and then it’s a different curveball.
“As we see what people want, we are going to flow into the space, just asking them to bear with us.
