@ Mark Ollig
Whenever I go back to Brainerd, I find myself becoming nostalgic and reconnecting with my youth from the mid to late 1970s.
This morning, I am writing part of this column from the Coco Moon Coffee Bar on Laurel and Sixth Street.
Along with its delicious coffee and inviting atmosphere, the coffee bar offers Wi-Fi, which I am currently using on my laptop.
While typing this column, I am drinking a cup of light roast with a double espresso shot, which includes a splash of heavy cream.
While in Brainerd, I spent time with my son, his wife, and my three grandchildren, who recently settled into the area.
The gifts that Grandpa brought for the grandkids were well-received, but for me, the best gift was spending time with all of them.
Watching my son and his wife tackle the challenges of parenthood made me reflect on my own experiences raising young children.
It reminded me that, despite the changes in time and circumstances, family bonds remain strong and lasting.
No trip to Brainerd is complete without catching up with my Brainerd High School friends: Dean, a fellow retiree and forever a US Marine, and his wife, Sara, a former school district administrative assistant.
We met for brunch at a restaurant named Ernie’s on Gull on the northeast side of Gull Lake, known for its delicious food, drinks, and beautiful lake views from the patio.
Established in 1917 by carpenter Ernie Ritari as a camping and fishing resort, it is now a popular lakeside restaurant and bar.
I had the Caesar salad, and a plate of barbecue wings was enough for Dean and Sara.
As for drinks, I decided to stick with coffee and water.
We talked about old high school memories, current events, and a few of Dean’s Marine stories, which I never tire of hearing.
I reflected on my years with the telephone company, family, and subjects from my column, and my junior and senior years at Brainerd High School.
We also discussed being retired and the surprising adventures this new stage of our lives has brought us.
Our conversation was an affirmation that even after 50 years of friendship, time marches on, but true friendship endures.
We also reminisced about working at the West Brainerd Mr. Steak restaurant during our high school years.
Dean, Sara, and I were part of the first group of employees to work at the newly built restaurant in 1975.
I can still hear the familiar rhythm of pots and pans clanging together, dishes being stacked, and shouts of “Order up!” and “Hot bakers in the oven,” (the baked potatoes wrapped in foil) from the kitchen.
Those sounds were augmented by the spraying of water cleaning the dishes inside the Hobart dishwasher, and the murmuring conversations flowing in the dining room.
Looking back, it was the camaraderie I had working with the people there that I most enjoyed from that time.
In the late 1970s, Mr. Steak became a favorite dining spot for the locals, tourists, and vacationers alike.
City officials, police, and business owners often met at the restaurant, making it a popular dining spot.
During the 1970s, the Trans-Am Series was popular with racing spectators at the Brainerd International Raceway (BIR).
BIR, originally Donnybrooke Speedway, established in 1968 by George Montgomery, a Northwest Airlines pilot from Minneapolis, was named for two local Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) racers, Donny Skogmo and Brooke Kinnard.
At around 11 p.m. Sunday, July 10, 1977, just as the restaurant was closing, a bus marked “Newman-Freeman Racing” entered the Mr. Steak parking lot.
When we realized it was Paul Newman, the well-known actor and race car driver, those of us closing the kitchen quickly restarted operations.
Newman co-owned the Newman-Freeman Racing team with Bill Freeman.
That weekend, Paul Newman broke the lap record at Brainerd International Raceway during the 1977 Uncola Nationals, a major SCCA event that took place July 9 and 10, and was sponsored by 7 Up, famously known as “The Uncola.”
I learned he appreciated the Brainerd area for allowing him to be “Paul Newman, the racer,” as reported by the Brainerd Dispatch newspaper.
Paul Newman and his racing crew walked into Mr. Steak and were seated in the private dining area at the back of the restaurant.
Newman, with his striking blue eyes, smile, and charm, captured everyone’s attention.
He and his racing crew were very polite to the wait staff and to those of us who popped our heads out from the kitchen to say “hello.”
After finishing their meal, the crew left the restaurant, while Paul remained at the front till.
He thanked us for the “terrific food and service,” and paid for the meals by signing a check, which included a substantial tip.
After Newman left, we made copies of the check; after all, it had Paul Newman’s signature on it.
When I got home, I showed a copy to my extremely impressed mother.
I recall my father being less impressed as he watched my smiling mother intently looking at the check, asking, “Mark, is this really Paul Newman’s signature?”
Next week, I wrap up my memories from the Brainerd Lakes Area.
