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| 2-14 Garry & Rebekah on opening night. Tired, relieved, and very happy. |
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| 2-14 Rebekah, dressed up (for the first time in months?) Isn't she beautiful? |
In the early evening of February 14, 2005, Beks opened its doors
for business for the first time. At this time, I'm unsure of the business hours. The next week will be a time
of transition from not open to almost open to almost open again to open at last.
Beks is open for coffee and breakfast at 6:30 Monday through
Friday. Saturday mornings may start a little later, that's uncertian right now. Sandwiches, salads, and desserts
are available from 11:30 through the evening. Appetizers are served beginning in the late afternoon.
The high speed wireless internet connection is up and running well. It's free for anyone
to use in the cafe. There are a couple of laptops that can also be used (free) or you can bring your own.
I'm working on a new "business" website (in contrast to this "construction
site") and hope to have it up soon with all the latest information.
In closing, I have to take a few lines to say that Jay and I are
VERY proud of Rebekah and Garry, and I know that Sharon and Alvin, Garry's parents, are as well. They've done a fantastic
job at an enormous, seemingly impossible task. ~Debra
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| 2-1 The new sign is done! |
Sign Hanging on Sunday!
Alvin, Garry's dad will be hanging the sign on Sunday,
February 20. He's been working on a creative lighting plan for it.
Now it's ready to hang.
The new sign is done!
It will hang perpendicular to the building, over
the sidewalk, under the awning. It is made of wood. The greenish part in the center is very rough with the grain
of the wood accented. The white is enamel paint. It's very thick and heavy. It's BEAUTIFUL!
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| 12-31-2004 Check out the cute little brown things AND the newly stained solid wood entry door. |
Last updated on
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| Rebekah, ......a hands-on boss. |
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| Yep, that's me. Working hard....well, at least looking like it. |
I have created this website because
a lot of people ask, "How's Rebekah's shop coming?". Beks is an awesome undertaking. Pictures will serve much
better than words in answering that question.
I will add new photos often. (There
are some in my camera right now.) I'm not sure if I'll add them to the top or to the bottom of the page. I'll
let you know.
I will try to provide a little information along
the way, but can't guarantee it's accuracy (or my spelling!) ~~Debra
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bekscafe.com
We now own the domain, bekscafe.com!!!
Thanks to Praveen, my future son-in-law, and Rebekah's future brother-in-law (oh, and Ruth's future
husband), who surprised us with it as a gift. What a sweetie!
That means that to get to this site, you can simply type in www.bekscafe.com instead of the alternate long boring earthlink address. When I finally get a permanent working
site up for the shop's daily business, you will find that it's replaced this construction site, but there will be a link to
this site on that one so that memories of all the fun we've had will live on.
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| 2-9 Johnnym the Main Man is a VERY busy guy these days. |
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The sound system is in!
Music is playing!
Phones are also in, and high speed Internet Access too!
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What's new?
I will make a note of new additions to the site here.
Note: I've decided to add new pictures at the bottom
of the pages.
2-11
A lot of cleaning-up went on last night as well as table, chair, and barstool placement.
The tables on the booths are in. This morning, Johnny and Nathan hoisted the skylight frame up through the hole and
attached it to the skylight area. Check it out at the bottom of the first and third floor pages. Tables can also
be seen on the mezzanine.
2-10
The condiment bar is in, with a really neat OLD school-slate in the top of it where the dessert
menu and/or other things will be written. Booths are also (almost) in and tables are being assembled. (first & third floor
pages)
There is so much going on these days that I don't know if I can remember it all. I've
added new pictures at the bottom of the first and third floor pages (again) and who knows where else....I can't remember!
Highlights of recent work that I can remember are:
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The mini bar is being built and painted on the third floor.
- Downstairs bathroom doors are being stained.
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Chair cleaning and seat re-covering is done!
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The downstairs floor is done!
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Tables are arriving today & booths are being installed. Photos coming soon.
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The condiment bar is stained and being put together on the first floor, but I don't have pictures
yet. It's an amazing creation, tall and beautiful, like the cabinets behind the bar, marble top, built in slate board
for menu or notes,... stay tuned for pictures.
Highlights of activity around the shop include:
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the third floor-floor is finished
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carpet is installed on the main stairs and along the wall where the booths will sit
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the first floor is sanded and ready for finish
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tables arrived and are being put together
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the soda machine and espresso machine are installed
We are still waiting for two doors to be delivered for the first floor bathroom. Hopefully
they will arrive today and be stained, sealed and installed by tomorrow.
The shop CANNOT open without doors on the bathrooms.
2-1
I've got most of the reconstruction of the site done. Hopefully I got all the links working
correctly. If not, please send me a "comment" so I can fix any problems.
I have made new pages for newer photos for the first and third floors. You will find
the link at the top of the first and third floor pages.
I have made a new page called The Era of Notes & Signs. Be sure to check it out.
Almost everyday I end up with more pictures in my camera to edit, shrink and upload.
That's the case this morning, except I left my camera at Beks, so those photos aren't up yet, but will be soon. You
will want to take a look at the new copper outdoor lights as well as the fantastic cutting board that Alvin, Garry's dad made,
so be sure to check back soon.
1-31
You will notice some structual changes to the site. I've added a new navigation bar for
technical reasons involving having to add another site to this one in order to have enough space to put up more pictures.
Hopefully I've done it in a way that you won't know the difference except for the navigation bar. You might bump into
the "alternate home page".....just ignore it and go back to the main home page.
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About Beks
For those of you who aren't familiar with the building, I'll try to
summarize....It's two full floors with a second level "mezzanine" that extends about a quarter of the length of the building
which is about 80 feet deep and 25 feet wide. I'm not sure about that depth, it might be more on the first floor.
There is a unique "hole" in the ceiling of the main level, extending
up to the floor of the third level, which is enclosed with about a million "spindles" forming a little guard rail (so no one
falls through and lands on the bar below). No, there are not really a million spindles (or balusters, as I guess they
are more properly called) but to those of us who have been painting them, it seems like at LEAST a million.
The first floor will contain the main kitchen and the (large) "bar".
I am told that it won't be lined with barstools, only a few, as it's designed to be mostly an ordering and serving area.
There will be seating on all three levels. There will be a
lot of bar stools and taller bar type tables on the main floor. The mezzanine might have a cozy couch type seating area
as well as some tables, chairs and/or bar stools. The third floor will have mostly dinner tables. It will also
have a "boardroom table" in front of the front windows, looking down on Court Street.... an area to hold meetings.
From the mezzanine there will be access through French doors to an outside deck (the smoking area?) which comes off the rear
of the building.
The interior paint colors are "Stonehenge" (a dark brown with a
hint of gray), Zinc (a mossy greenish gray) and Gold (the fancy name of which I don't know). Stonehenge is mostly used
on trim and ceilings. Walls are generally gold or zinc. The main LONG walls of the first and third floors have
a unique artistic look. The old plaster will remain, with all it's imperfections (although it's been meticulously cleaned,
even if it may not look that way.) Some of the plaster has been chipped away to reveal the old brick of the original
building beneath.
Much of the hard wood flooring will be retained and refinished in
some way. How this will be done is still in the discussion stage. A small part of the floor will be carpeted,
including (I think) the main staircase and most of the mezzanine. Rebekah has told me that she's chosen some sort of
plum colored or purplish carpet. (subject to change I'm sure)
The old radiators have been painted and restored and will be used
for heat. Actually, they ARE being used for heat now. Large round ductwork can be seen near the ceiling on both
the main floor and third floor. It will provide air conditioning and will remain visible. Working with an old
structure has it's challenges.
The menu will include a variety of sandwiches, salads, appetizers,
dips, specialty coffees, sweet treats to go with the coffee, quality wines and cheeses and a selection of bottled beer.
Chef Tim has been hired. Rebekah will help with certain aspects of the cooking.
Dinner will be served in the future, but not immediately.
There will be high speed wireless internet available in the building.
There may be bands performing. Probably. Actually, almost
certainly.
Again, all of these details are subject to the accuracy of my not
so great memory, so they may not be correct. Rebekah might be able to correct me, but she has very little time for such
things as web site building when she is so occupied with REAL building, menu planning, material ordering, food ordering, work
supervising, liquor-license-getting, permit and inspection dealings and trying to find time to breath in between all of that.
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