Small business deals with illness

Baba’s Café is open for pickup service
By: 
Miriam Nelson
News Editor

WITTENBERG — When Laura Jolin and Cary Gorski opened their restaurant in April 2017, they were pursuing their own version of the American dream. The couple planned to work as owners and operators of Baba’s Café and decided to start out small, keeping hours only on Wednesdays through Sundays, primarily for breakfast and lunch.

What they didn’t plan for was what would happen if one or both of them became ill — and certainly they never imagined dealing with a nationwide health crisis.

“If we don’t work, we don’t get paid,” said Jolin. “We weren’t thinking about not getting paid.”

A couple of weeks ago, they had to shut down the restaurant for about a week while they each recovered from the flu. As luck would have it, they reopened their doors just in time to be closed to all but takeout service, due to the state decree for dealing with COVID-19.

“The state isn’t giving us options, so we’re going with how they want it to be,” said Jolin.

“It’s a precaution, and we need to do our part to keep the virus infections at a minimum,” said Gorski.

The restaurant is offering takeout service and limited delivery at this time.
Planning for such a scenario was not something they thought about when deciding to open the restaurant in Wittenberg, Jolin said. Looking back, she wished they’d taken their sick time earlier rather than later. Gorski said he is grateful that neither of them ended up in the hospital.

The couple was living in Appleton when they opened Baba’s Café. Jolin said she had grandparents in the area and was used to visiting every other weekend. The time spent commuting gave them a bit of breathing room to discuss the business as it grew.

“We needed the time to adjust to the change of pace,” said Gorski.

They have since relocated to Wittenberg and live with their two dogs about six miles outside of the village. They have enjoyed a loyal clientele who appreciate the good food and pleasant personalities offered by Jolin and Gorski.

One thing they say they miss about Appleton is the abundance of food delivery options, which is another reason why they are exploring delivery service for their restaurant. Jolin’s parents own The Olde Dime Store, just two doors down from Baba’s on Webb Street, and are willing to lend a hand with deliveries, if needed.

Most customers, however, have been calling ahead for pickup. The cafe is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. They can take credit card payments over the phone or cash upon arrival; checks are not accepted. Their menu is available on their website, www.babas-cafe.com. Call 715-253-2288 to place an order.