09/05/2024
Olga Rising has rounded the sun one more time (photo above taken 05/11/2022)! The response from this community has been incredibly humbling and supportive - it’s the main reason we are still here approaching our second year anniversary. Thank you. When I say that I am grateful for all of you who supported us - I can't begin to explain how fortunate we feel. I could talk about all the behind the scene hurdles that were challenging this last year so you could really understand how hard this year was but I will leave that to your imagination. I had a front row seat to the definition of zeal, commitment and creativeness. While preserving a funky old building (old island style) that holds what I would consider incredible potential in its four tiny walls we all have become something more, something indescribably groovy. Arriving at our two year anniversary (Saturday May 11th) is the result of an overwhelming amount of dedication from an incredible crew of humans that make up the Olga Rising team.
These past few years have been incredibly hard for Orcas and its restaurant scene. It saddens me that the tapestry has changed, but I am also excited to see new beginnings even if it hurts us. We need choices and diversity. There's no single reason why restaurants and cafes fail. It's a combination of factors, such as poor cash flow, low profit margins, inexperience, location, extreme overhead, disorganization and high staff turnover, that contribute to this demise. Out here in these islands dream crushing comes to a completely different level (higher), with all of those variables the island adds even more with housing shortages, delivery disruption due to the ferries, slow winters, extreme costs of living and even higher prices for wholesale ingredients that eat away at those profit margins at a considerable pace. It is daunting, humbling and overwhelming all at the same time. You have to live and breathe this lifestyle - it has to almost consume you. Not everyone wants to dive this deep into something that can pull you under. Not everyone can.
I am humbled everyday by being a small business owner. But on May 11th - I want to take a moment and celebrate this wild ride. I want to celebrate our staff that is instrumental in our success. I want to thank the community for helping us get here. I want to take a day and not worry about what tomorrow will bring. I invite you to come down to Olga Rising (this Saturday May 11th) and have a slice of cake (11am-3pm) and enjoy this moment with us!
To the Olga Rising Team - I am so proud of each and everything we have done to get here today, you have kept me grounded, inspired and going. Thank you for being a part of "us", because I couldn’t/wouldn’t do this without you.
