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Edition:
September 02, 2010
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NEWS
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Mayfield, Ware address 'Forward Frazee' session
Dance studio continues growth, Palace Cafe lists new hours, menu items
• by John W. Dermody
Two of the newest business owners in Frazee offered comments about their establishments, philosophies and goals at Friday's Forward Frazee breakfast session.
The meeting was held at the Palace Café and the owner, Dennis Mayfield, was one of the speakers, along with Kendal Ware, owner of the Northern Lights Dance Academy.
While Mayfield has owned the restaurant for several months, the dance studio opened in September.
The Palace proprietor said he had had thoughts for a long time about having his own café. He has cooked for family, including big gatherings, and noted baking is one of his favorite culinary endeavors.
"I worked with Becky Johnson," he said, "and that gave me a good background."
Transition was easy
He said Becky and her crew - many of them on the current staff - basically made the changeover effortless. After years working with large corporations, Mayfield said he enjoys being his own boss.
In the past, the only evening hours for the facility were on Thursdays, but that will now change. In addition to what has become known as "hamburger night," he will also be open until 7 p.m. on Fridays and the Palace will offer fish and ribs specials.
"We will also be open until 2 p.m. on Sundays," he added. Formerly, the Palace closed at 1 p.m. The 7-2 schedule is also duplicated Saturdays.
Otherwise, the current hours will remain in effect: open each weekday morning at 6 and at 7 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Monday through Wednesday, the café closes at 4 p.m.
A life of dancing
Ware, in looking back at the first two months of getting her dance academy started, told the group she had a dance studio in her sights for a long time.
"After I came home from my first dance class, I told my parents, 'I want to have my own dance studio.'" She was 10 at the time.
Ware looked toward college seeking a business major and minor in dance, she enrolled at Minnesota State University - Mankato, an institution with a dance program that has grown and gained renown.
The young entrepreneur related how she had conducted business in a rented space in Perham, and even thought about purchasing her own building or having one constructed.
Instead, she and her father, Ken Fett, began looking at a variety of options - in town or in the country. The result was that she established her own studio at the east end of the business district in Frazee.
After a bit of negotiating with the Frazee Economic Development Authority for a lot on the Swift Redevelopment Site, she secured the location adjacent to the Frazee Family Foods parking lot, just across from the old creamery.
With significant time behind her at the previous location in Perham, Ware said she was ready to enroll students, generally from preschool on up.
All ages welcome
"But this year, I even have a two-and-a-half year old," she explained. The little girl is catching on to the basics quite well, the instructor added.
"When I first opened in Perham, I wanted 80 students my first year ... that was my goal. And this year I did. Now that I hit 80, my goal is 100."
She was asked if now that the studio is enjoying the early stages of success, if she wishes the studio was larger. Her answer was "No," simply because measurements had been made and followed, with things going smoothly.
In other words, Ware has been optimistic, but still the enthusiasm surrounding a new venture has had to be tempered a bit.
She added, "It's going better than I thought." And it will continue to grow, at least from all indications surrounding recent events.
"I added an adult aerobic night from 6-7 Tuesday, and anyone can enroll."
It's not a hard dance class, she said, just exercise.
Wednesdays, another teacher uses the studio for clogging classes, an area of dance that is also growing, she emphasized.
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