"If you're old enough, you might remember the old soda fountains and food found in the drugstores of years past. As those were replaced by newer units, the food portion of their businesses gradually faded away. Now you can find very few of those. At the corner of Harrodsburg and Lane Allen, there's a unique place called Roseanna's Grill and Music that takes one back to those "simpler days."
Actually, the music part of the name is somewhat of a misnomer. At one point, Anna Cimato, the owner, had live music in the evenings, but economics forced that to end. To be true to what she offers, the name should be "Roseanna's Grill, Crafts and Relaxation Establishment," though that would be a bit long for the sign outside.
As you enter Roseanna's, you're struck by several unusual features. The first is the long counter with stools just like in the old drugstores. As a matter of fact, these are indeed the original features of what used to be the Rosemont Rexall, which once occupied that space. To your right is an area devoted to crafts from local artisans, all of it for sale. In the back is a wall covered with completed puzzles and an area where anyone can put together their own.
But the heart of this business is the food, most of which is reflective of the old drugstore fare that we remember, supplemented by a variety of comfort foods. Breakfast is served all day. The menu includes standbys such as cheeseburgers, pork sandwiches, chili and pimiento cheese sandwiches. Unlike many restaurants that serve products from a can, Roseanna's makes its own chili, soups, macaroni and potato salads, as well as others. New items are offered on certain days as well, including meatloaf, spaghetti, cabbage soup and others, all homemade as well. Anna also keeps the display area next to the counter stocked with homemade pies ranging from rhubarb to chocolate cream to blueberry. Want something not there? Call the day before and Anna will make one for you. And of course, there's always the option of ordering a milkshake made just like it was in the "old days."
Anna finds that her customers are a mix of locals who live nearby, who comprise the majority of her breakfast business and a good deal of her lunch crowd as well, along with people who work in the area. She sees new folks coming in who were patrons of other similar places that have closed. Given the number of eating out options available in Lexington, how can a small place like this survive and thrive?
It's really not the craft area or the puzzles. And the drugstore decor and wonderful food are only part of the answer. All of this combines to create a unique atmosphere that takes one away from the hectic pace of everyday life. The feeling is laid back, and you can sit with friends and talk for hours and never feel pressured to hurry or leave. Anna and her staff promote this feeling, knowing it's key to their success, and she says it's all in "how you treat people."
The layout, the decor, the traditional homemade foods and the service all combine to transport us to what we remember as slower and simpler times — whether that was really true or not. That gives Roseanna's an offering and experience that we can't find in the newer or chain restaurants.
Whatever your business, that doesn't mean that you need somehow to revert to the way your company might have done business in the 1950s or that you need to redecorate that way. What it means is that if you give the customer a good product, they will come back for more. More importantly, though, is how your customers view the experience of doing business with you. Do they find it a pleasant experience? Do you provide something new and different to keep up interest, as Anna does with her occasional meatloaf days?
Do you provide a value-added experience by providing special service, as they do by baking specific pies on request?
Think about how you deal with your customers as people, not just as companies or buyers. By providing a quality offering and making them as comfortable as possible with you, you will give them a reason to come back as they do at Roseanna's. More importantly, they will bring new customers to share the experience as well. Sometimes looking back can provide lessons for the future.
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