 With the news release he added a cover letter explaining why the
committee is conducting the search and what is going on at the Palms
in the meantime.In addition, he answered a question before it was
asked: What will become of the famous Palms Grill pie?
Here are excerpts from Thomas' cover letter, and following that
is the official news release.
Cover letter
(Copy)
The Palms Grill
Café' currently operates on what the Library/Museum Board considers
to be too-limited a schedule. It's days/hours of operation are:
Tuesday-Sunday, 8am-2pm. The Board would like to see if a different
manager can expand the days/hours of operation, and in general, more
fully leverage the potential of the Palms Grill Cafe.
As this message
begins to circulate, please help us ensure the following items are
also communicated:
1. The Palms Grill
Cafe is not closed and does not plan to close. We, the Atlanta
Library Board, are simply opening up the opportunity for someone new
to lease/manage The Grill. The current lease expires 4/30/13, with
the new lease beginning 5/1/13. Please contact me if you are
interested in this unique opportunity.
2. Most importantly
- the pie we all know and love that is currently served at The
Grill, will continue to be baked & served regardless of who holds
the lease/manages The Grill. The recipe is mine and, just as I did
with the current leaseholder, I will train whomever assumes
management of the place, how to bake our great pie. Let me know if
anyone has any other questions. Thanks for all your support!
Bill Thomas
___
News release
(Copy)
The lease for the
Palms Grill Café on Historic Rt. 66 in Atlanta, Illinois is now open
to interested parties wishing to manage this unique small town café.
Step back in time
at The Palms Grill Café—one of the Mother Road's premier Rt. 66
attractions. Opened in 1934, "the Grill" served up home-cooked
meals, BINGO games, and weekly dances in its backroom. The Grill
then closed in the late 1960s.
[to top of second column] |
Now restored to its
circa 1935 look, the Palms Grill Café reopened in April of 2009 and
once again began serving its blue-plate specials to Rt. 66 travelers
and visitors. Bus tours, senior groups, Red Hat Societies, and
individuals young & old from across the country and globe, have all
been welcomed to the Palms Grill Café over the past several years.
The Grill has a loyal and enthusiastic following on such
travel/tourism review sites as: Tripadvisor, Yelp, Yahoo! Travel,
RoadsideAmerica.com, and Mamabzz. The Route 66 Dining & Lodging
Guide describes the Palms Grill Café as "a very special must stop"
place on the Mother Road.
The Palms Grill
Café is a turnkey operation. It is fully equipped and will only
require a new manager to supply an initial inventory of food and
hire his/her staff to operate it. The Grill seats 47 in its main
dining area, which includes a counter with 11 stools. Its backroom
seats 60. The building is approximately 1800 sq ft.
Leasing/Managing
the Palms Grill Café is an excellent opportunity for the right
person.
The following
timeline details the steps to take for anyone interested in applying
for this opportunity:
March 20, 2013 –
Business Plan/Proposal due. [Click
here for a PDF copy.]
March 27, 2013 –
Business Plan/Proposal Presentation to Board of Trustees
April 3, 2013 – New
Leaseholder/Manager of the Palms Grill Cafe Selected
May 1, 2013 – Palms
Grill Café lease begins and property available to move into/begin
operations
The Atlanta Public
Library owns the Downey Building in which the Palms Grill Café is
located, and acts as the Landlord of the property. The lease for the
Palms Grill Café runs from May 1st through April 30th, with an
annual option to renew.
For more
information, contact:
William Thomas,
Treasurer
Atlanta Public Library
Post Office Box 166
Atlanta, Illinois 61723
wthomas@teleologic.net
217-648-5077
[LDN with text copied from from
files received] |
