Old Towne Inn Supper Club

On October 28,  2019 we bought the Old Towne Inn Supper Club in Westby Wisconsin, which had been in existance for 40 years.   We both felt the traditional  Wisconsin Supper Club is an important part of the Wisconsin landscape and we were excited to be a part of this history and carry on the tradition. Old Towne supports the local workforce by employing 40 employees which have become like family to us.  We are proud to be a part of this community that has shown us an amazing amount of support. Our customers come from around the entire Coulee Region and beyond. 

After purchasing the Old Towne Inn we updated many things, including putting in a fireplace in both the dining room and bar, implementing a Point of Sale System, a new exhaust hood in the kitchen, added a cooler, updated wiring, painting and decor, all the while maintaining the look and feel of a traditional Wisconsin Supper Club. 

As you know, Covid 19 had a devasting effect on the restaurant industry. In March of 2020 we had to shut down our operations due to the Covid Pandemic and the Wisconsin's Safer at home order. We remained closed until Mid May.  When we reopened the old way of doing things was gone, which forced us  to change our focus to  following all guidelines and restrictions to keep our staff and customers safe. We limited seating to 50% capacity, maintained social distancing by keeping tables 6 feet apart, removed seating at the bar, require all staff to wear masks and gloves and purchased plexi glass barriers for the host station and the bar area.  These safety measures have all come at a cost and has added a burden to our bottom line.  We also added tables with umbrellas outside for customers to use for cocktails and dinner.

After being open only 2 weeks, on June 3rd, our area experienced a high wind and rain storm that damaged the roof of the Supper Club. Water saturated the insulation of the roof and damaged the ceiling tiles in the dining room.  We had to close our doors once again to address the damages our supper club incurred.  Our insurance company has denied our claim and will not pay for any of the damage. The roof had to be replaced, wet insulation had to be removed and replaced, as well as the ceiling tiles and griding.  Light fixtures had to be removed and replaced, and in the process we discovered HVAC  issues that had to be remedied.

This has been a tremendous blow to our business both financially and emotionally. Our staff have been so wonderful and patient waiting for us to open our doors again so they can get back to work.  Our customers have sent us many kind words and uplifting support. We have been reluctant to ask for help but have come to realize we need the help of our friends, families and even strangers to be able to weather this storm.

We humbly ask for your support to help us keep this treasure of the community open for the many years to come.  Your donation will be used to help pay for the repair and replacement of the roof, insulation, ceiling tiles, gridding, light fixtures , HVAC corrections, continued purchase of PPE safety equipment and staff wages as needed. 

Anything you can give is greatly appreciated. We realize that many may not be able to give at this time, we would kindly ask if you would consider sharing this link. 

We thank you for taking the time to read our story and of course your support!  We hope to open our doors again soon.  Third times a charm, right?

#SmallBusinessRelief #OldTowneInn #Westby #Wisconsin #Restaurant #SupperClub #survivingCovid19 #WisconsinRestaurantAssociation #BorgensCafe