Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Cliff & Molly’s is back with a good cup of coffee



“Cliff & Molly’s was such a neat little name,
and I wondered whatever happened to it,” said Carol Watson, noting
that she had passed the New Germany coffee shop many times when traveling
from her home in Waconia to her daughter’s home in Lester Prairie.

Watson had an unexpected chance to find out what had happened
to it when her daughter, Kathy Rittgers of Lester Prairie, called and asked
her if she would like to open her own coffee shop in the same space.

From that point on, things happened quickly.

Watson formed a partnership with Rittgers and her husband
Kevin to purchase the property.

The Rittgers will move their Exceptional Realty office
from Victoria, and Watson will operate a coffee shop in the building.

“It’s a family affair,” Watson said. She resides
in Waconia.

The three have been busy cleaning up the building and making
plans for remodeling that will be needed.

Watson had never been inside Cliff and Molly’s when it
was open, but she has talked to Judy Collins who ran the earlier business.
Collins is also from Waconia.

“She has been very helpful,” Watson said, adding
that Collins had generously shared information about the things that she
had tried to do with the business, and what her customers had asked for.

Watson also has her own ideas about what she would like
to do with Cliff & Molly’s. She enjoys decorating, and will be making
changes to the look of the interior, including moving some of the lighting.

She knew from the start though that she wanted to keep
the Cliff and Molly’s name. She also wants to learn more about the history
of the building and the town, and incorporate this into the plan.

This is not the first time that Watson has considered opening
a coffee shop. While living in Chicago, she made a bid on a property in
Waconia for a similar venture, but the property went to another bidder.

Watson says that she has not yet decided exactly what products
will be offered in the shop. She has been setting up meetings with vendors
to start working that out.

She said that she will be offering regular coffee and possibly
some specialty coffees.

She hopes to have bakery items in the morning, and soup
and sandwiches for lunch.

Watson said that her goal is to have the shop open by the
first of the year. The hours of operation are expected to be 7 a.m. to
2 p.m.

Watson has not owned a coffee shop before, but she does
know something about working with people. She worked in the travel industry
in Chicago for 25 years, scouting, developing, and leading motor coach tours.

She hopes to tap in to this experience by arranging stops
for tour busses that regularly pass through the area. She believes she
can use the history of the building and the area to provide a reason for
people to stop in New Germany.

Talking about her experience leading tours, Watson said,
“That was always fun because my passengers came from everywhere. None
of them knew each other, so we got to learn about each other along the way.”

Watson hopes to bring this same kind of environment to
Cliff & Molly’s. “I want this to be the kind of place where people
can come to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee where they can relax and play
cards or just chat.”

Kathy Rittgers pointed out that in addition to her work
in the travel industry, her mother had some television experience.

“She was princess of prizes on the Bowl-o-Rama TV
show with Dave Moore,” laughed Rittgers.

The sudden leap into the coffee shop business may not be
unusual for Watson.

She described her unconventional return to Minnesota after
30 years in Illinois.

“That was not an intentional move,” said Watson.

She had been in the area visiting her daughter.

Watson mentioned that she wanted to preview a house after
church. Rittgers took her to the house in Waconia, telling her on the
way, “We have to go now, because this house is going to sell today.”

Watson did see the house, fell in love with it, and bought
it on the spot.

“The next day I kept thinking, ‘What have I done?
I just bought this house in Minnesota, and I still have a townhouse in
Chicago that I have to sell.'”

That was in 1998, and things seem to have worked out OK.

The spirit of optimism and adventure is strong in Watson.
Asked if she was concerned about opening a new business in a town where
many have failed, she smiled and shook her head.

“The renewal process has to start somewhere, and we
are hoping it will start here with us.”

She went on to say that it might take some time, and she
might not have everything in place right away, but observed that, “Everybody
likes a good cup of coffee. Even if I don’t have a full selection every
day, we will do our best, and people will know we are here.”

By David Cox

Kathy Rittgers of Lester Prairie was looking for a property
for a client when she made a discovery that would change her family’s future.

Rittgers had been passing the building at 150 East Broadway
St. in New Germany every day for months while driving between her real estate
office in Victoria and her home office in Lester Prairie.

When she noticed that the sign in the window had been changed
from “for rent” to “for sale,” she made an appointment
to see it.

Once inside, she discovered that the space was much larger
than she had expected. She immediately began to see possibilities for the
vacant building.

Rittgers envisioned a new home for the real estate office
that she runs with her husband Kevin. She also saw a way to involve her
mother, Carol Watson of Waconia.

She called Watson and asked her if she would be interested
in opening a coffee shop in the space that had previously been occupied
by Cliff & Molly’s coffee shop.

Watson loved the idea from the start, and the three formed
a partnership and bought the building.

They immediately began putting their ideas into motion,
and arranged a building inspection to determine what changes were needed.

They decided to add a separate entrance because the businesses
will be open different hours. They will also be adding windows and extending
the porch.

Rittgers said that once the remodeling has been completed,
they will move their office into the new space. Their goal is to be open
by Jan. 1.

Rittgers has been in the real estate business for 11 years.

Kevin became certified a few years ago, but had gone back
to his previous career in warehouse management.

As Kathy’s business grew, he decided that she could really
use some help, and he renewed his license.

They opened their own company, Exceptional Realty, in February.

Kathy said, “When choosing a name for this business,
we wanted something that would reflect what you get when you do business
with us. I have built my career by giving good service and playing by the
rules.”

Rittgers believes that her clients deserve to know what
is or isn’t going on with their transactions.

“I hate list ’em-and-leave ’em agents,” said
Rittgers. “We’ll be with you throughout the process.”

Last year, 95 percent of her business came from previous
clients or referrals from previous clients.

Rittgers attributes this to the fact that she is a good
listener, and she focuses on customers’ needs.

“I am always looking for specific properties for specific
clients,” she said.

Rittgers stated that another way that they try to set themselves
apart is by providing education for their clients.

They provide both buyer and seller handbooks, and offer
additional information on their web site, www.exceptionalrealty.biz.

They look for ways to assist first-time buyers, and can
also provide information about special financing programs that are available
in the market, and can direct clients to a lender that fits their needs,
she said.

“People need to feel comfortable with their lender
and their Realtor,” said Rittgers. “We are forming a team that
will be with them throughout the home-buying process.”

Kevin Rittgers pointed out that they also provide services
to people who are not buying or selling a home. Noting that they have rental
property of their own, Rittgers said, “We can help people invest in
real estate rather than in the stock market.”

Rittgers stated that while his experience is still more
academic than practical, he has learned a lot from working with his wife,
and has benefitted from her years of experience.

Both the Rittgers continue to get training in areas that
will help them provide better service to their customers, he said.

They hope the new location will give them more exposure,
and as the business continues to grow, they will bring on additional agents,
she said. She expects to add at least one new agent by the time they open
the new office in January.

They have worked hard to upgrade the apartment above the
shop, and now that that has been rented, they are ready to move forward
with the office remodeling.

Along with the hard work, there is satisfaction.

Kevin Rittgers summed up his feelings about the new venture.

“There is nothing better than working for yourself,
setting your own schedule, making your own decisions, and having the gains
come to you instead of always going to someone else.”

Kathy Rittgers describes the new partnership as, “a
family endeavor,” and this seems accurate. The way that they came
to buy the building may have been unconventional, but it is clear that now
that the decision has been made, they are determined to dig in and make
it work.

Realtors deal in dreams every day, and when talking to
the Rittgers, it seems that these are not reserved for the clients. There
is a quiet enthusiasm about them as they talk about their plans for the
business and for their future.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.