Hanging out with friends on Saturday, November 22nd of 2008
Getting together for Ami's Mission Trip Share (see abstinence ministry), Erin's "Children Trafficking" (see children sex slavery) fundraiser event, and other UMM Alumn-friend (e.g. Chris G. sharing on evangelism) reflecting.
"On Saturday night, Morris marked an end to an era of lattes and mochas as the first ever coffee house in Morris had their final goodbye. Karl's held a goodbye party to celebrate the last few years of business and to say goodbye to the previous owners
Karl's was owned by Jerry and Terry Drewes, Jeff Fluegel, and Donny Daniodman, also known as "The Turtle Team." Jerry Drewes said that he has enjoyed everyone who has stopped by and would like to thank the University and local community for their supp
There have been rumors swirling around town as to what the previous owners will do now. They are moving on from Karl's, but Drewes says that no one associated with Karl's has any definite plans for the future. They will be looking for new ventures bu
Randy and Jill Fischer will be the new owners officially on February 1. Randy and Jill, both alumni from UMM have lived in Morris for about the last twenty years. They are very excited as they start their new venture.
Karl's will remain a coffee shop but will now be known as the Common Grounds Caffe. Randy Fischer explains that they chose the name because they hope that the cafe will be known as a place where everyone can come and enjoy and set their differences as
They plan to continue the tradition of having new and different bands come to play and they are also thinking of holding a few piano recitals to give a few of the local pianists a place to show off their talents. The menu will remain similar to the
The Fischers will be making a few cosmetic changes to the inside of the building, which means they will be closed for a few weeks in February. The exact date for re-opening has yet to be determined but they are hoping that The Common Grounds Caffe wil "
"With only one coffee shop in Morris, one may think "overpriced coffee, paying for the atmosphere, why bother?" If this is your train of thought, think again. The Common Cup offers not only delicious coffee beverages, but also a variety of foods. I decided to check out their food selection, and was pleasantly surprised by their range of options.
First, I tried their chicken wild rice soup. It was thick and creamy, with lots of wild rice, and large chunks of chicken. And for only $2.95 for a bowl or $2.00 for a cup, you can't get a better dish on a chilly afternoon.
Common Cup has not only soup, but also some excellent sandwiches. You can choose what kind of bread you want, including hoagies, croissants, bagels, and wraps. Most sandwiches have meat on them, but they also have roasted bell peppers, just veggies, or egg salad for the vegetarians and vegans. For a sandwich, it costs $4.50, and for a half sandwich, it is $2.75. One can also get four different kinds of wraps, and four different salads, making it fairly easy to eat as a vegetarian.
If all these lunch and dinner options are not enough to convince you, delicious deserts await. Their cheesecake is to die for, and super rich. Because it costs $2.95, it is much better to share this dish with a friend. Extra large cookies are also available, as well as ice cream, and pies in season. The deserts are, for their value, perhaps the most expensive dish at Common Cup. Nevertheless, they are beautifully prepared, and a great end to a meal.
A limited breakfast menu is also available. It has light breakfast items, which are good, but not very filling. If you want a big breakfast, go to a restaurant with a full menu and a large kitchen. For your money's worth, skip the breakfast. You can do better with either lunch or dinner. Of course, if you are looking for a good cup of coffee in the morning, it is the best coffee in town.
And now, of course, the coffee. One can assume it is good, since it's a coffee shop, their business is to make good coffee. However, some very good deals exist for the coffee lover. There is the bottomless cup, which for only $1.25 lets you have as much coffee as you want, as long as you want, during that day. Also, their mixed beverages include steamers, mochas, cappuccinos, and other coffee related drinks one often finds at a coffee shop. Also, smoothies, Italian sodas, spritzers, hot chocolate and cider, and juice are also available.
The Common Cup hosts lots of events, such as the French club and programs for the community. It has comfortable couches, a fireplace, and games. What better than an evening of coffee and games, in front of a fire in December? There is also a book exchange, and papers from the area, for your reading pleasure.
From time to time, everyone has to escape their room. The Common Cup is a great place to hang out, with their great atmosphere, and the simple, but high quality food, and friendly atmosphere. The Common Cup is open from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday. On the weekends it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. Check it out! "
"There's always been something uncommon about the way the Common Cup Coffee House does business.
First, it was the creation of a group of churches which pledged to back the business, if needed.
Second, Common Cup established a Charity of the Month program so that patrons could contribute in a jar at the counter to help a local, national or even international charity.
Third, it took months before the Common Cup management mentioned to its board that the group's efforts had earned it Minnesota's top spot in the National Restaurant Association's 2008 Restaurant Neighbor Award.
"It wasn't that long, was it?" laughed Rose Wagner, who is Common Cup co-manager along with Sue Bruer. "You kind of feel dumb bringing it up, but the board got all excited."
True to form, the Common Cup's mission is giving and not calling attention to that fact.
The coffee house was started in 2002, and since then it has donated $10,000 to a variety of charities, both near and far. The list includes the Stevens County Food Shelf, the county Human Services Youth Activity Fund, Habitat for Humanity, the Stand With Africa program, and the Dove of Peace Mission Center.
Last year, the Common Cup board donated $1,000 to each of seven charities. Much of that money came from the coins and dollar bills collected in the Charity of the Month jar. The Cup donates $50 per month from the collection to charity.
"That's the purpose -- why we're here," Wagner said.
All Common Cup profits go to charities, and it obviously made an impression on the National Restaurant Association, which named it Minnesota's top 2008 Restaurant Neighbor Award finalist, just ahead of the well-known Minneapolis restaurant firm D'Amico & Partners.
The award honors restaurants that "go above and beyond in community service and aims to inspire other restaurateurs to get or stay involved in their local communities," stated Minnesota Restaurant Association Education and Events Manager Ashley Folsom in a letter announcing Common Cup's Neighbor Award.
"I think that's one thing they keyed in on -- that we give away the profits," Wagner said."
Saturday, April 14, 2012 @7pm "The Jane Addams Project, an intercultural learning circle, will be hosting a free event at Common Cup Cafe. This event's theme is "Celebrating who we are and where we've been: A look at immigration through the performing arts." It will feature two guest speakers from Minneapolis, Samuel Alvarado-Felix, a Catholic Charities Case Manager and dancing instructor and Nicolas Carter, a traditional Paraguayan harpist, storyteller, and harp instructor. Both presenters will share stories about their experiences living in the United States and how they use their talents to share their cultures. The event will also include:
-A harp performance by Nicolas
-Children's activities
-Conversation
-Food
**Don't miss out! It will be a lovely time.**
Este sábado, tendremos un evento para celebrar la diversidad y las culturas en Minnesota. El evento incluirá dos presentadores de Minneapolis, MN. El primer es Samuel Alvarado Felix. De origen Guatemala, Samuel le apasiona mantener su cultura por bailes folclóricos y su trabajo con Catholic Charities de St. Paul. El segundo presentador, Nicolas Carter, le apasionan la música del arpa de Paraguay. Los dos van a presentar sobre sus experiencias viviendo en los Estados Unidos y como usan sus talentos para compartir sus culturas. Tambien, el evento incluye:
-Una interpretación arpa
-Actividades para los niños
-Conversación
-Comida
