I know a lot of my customers see me sitting at the little bar in my king seat and they think that is all I do. I thought I would take you on a journey through this last week and try to give you an idea what it is to own the Irish Rose in the year 2017.Thursday morning, I arise at five-thirty AM and do the settlements and make the cash boxes before I leave for Chicago to do my shopping. Around seven AM I set out for Chicago on the interstate. The night before we were having trouble with a kitchen cooler and we are out of spares. On the way, my friend Bill Davis in Galena calls me to say that he has put a new evaporator coil in the cooler I brought to him the week before and that it is running well, furthermore he has been having problems with flooding in his warehouse and he would like me to pick it up ASAP. This is really good news because I had been contemplating buying a new cooler to fill the spot since not one of the three Avantco coolers I have is working.
Thursday morning, I arise at five-thirty AM and do the settlements and make the cash boxes before I leave for Chicago to do my shopping. Around seven AM I set out for Chicago on the interstate. The night before we were having trouble with a kitchen cooler and we are out of spares. On the way, my friend Bill Davis in Galena calls me to say that he has put a new evaporator coil in the cooler I brought to him the week before and that it is running well, furthermore he has been having problems with flooding in his warehouse and he would like me to pick it up ASAP. This is really good news because I had been contemplating buying a new cooler to fill the spot since not one of the three Avantco coolers I have is working.I started buying Avantco coolers three years ago from Webstrauant, an online restaurant supply company. They were cheap, seemingly well-made and the ability to order and receive them in just a day or so was irresistible. I recommended them to many of my restaurant friends. I am here to say that if you had problems with them as I did, I am sorry.
I started buying Avantco coolers three years ago from Webstrauant, an online restaurant supply company. They were cheap, seemingly well-made and the ability to order and receive them in just a day or so was irresistible. I recommended them to many of my restaurant friends. I am here to say that if you had problems with them as I did, I am sorry.The very first one I purchased should have sent me packing. Previously I purchased two Hussman coolers from the same source and had very good luck but from the moment the first Avantco cooler arrived there were problems. The cutting board showed signs of having been heated and warped and the cooler itself did not run. The
The very first one I purchased should have sent me packing. Previously I purchased two Hussman coolers from the same source and had very good luck but from the moment the first Avantco cooler arrived there were problems. The cutting board showed signs of having been heated and warped and the cooler itself did not run. The company however sent a technician form Beloit who knew what he was doing and the cooler ran after having its defrost sensor and controller replaced.Unfortunately, this was only the start of the problems with this cooler. The unit came with a leaky evaporator coil and we didn’t determine this until it was out of warranty. I hauled the cooler to Bill’s shop in Galena so that he could put a new coil in the unit and enable me to get a little use out of a cooler that should have run for ten years or more without attention. This morning, he is calling to say it is ready and that with all the rain it would be a good idea to get it as soon as I can.
Unfortunately, this was only the start of the problems with this cooler. The unit came with a leaky evaporator coil and we didn’t determine this until it was out of warranty. I hauled the cooler to Bill’s shop in Galena so that he could put a new coil in the unit and enable me to get a little use out of a cooler that should have run for ten years or more without attention. This morning, he is calling to say it is ready and that with all the rain it would be a good idea to get it as soon as I can.So, I get back to the Rose and unload then I go right out to Enterprise on State street and rent a truck to drive to Galena. Jimmy goes with me and we load up the repaired machine and head back to Rockford. I leave Jimmy off with the cooler and take the van back to Enterprise and then I call Jon my bartender to ask if everything is OK and because it is I stop at the Great Wall to have some Mao Bao bean curd. I have been working without food for some thirteen and a half hours and the tofu tastes really good. I get two orders to take back to my kids (my staff) at the Rose.
So, I get back to the Rose and unload then I go right out to Enterprise on State street and rent a truck to drive to Galena. Jimmy goes with me and we load up the repaired machine and head back to Rockford. I leave Jimmy off with the cooler and take the van back to Enterprise and then I call Jon my bartender to ask if everything is OK and because it is I stop at the Great Wall to have some Mao Bao bean curd. I have been working without food for some thirteen and a half hours and the tofu tastes really good. I get two orders to take back to my kids (my staff) at the Rose.The next morning, we put the cooler in its place in the kitchen and nothing works. I go out to the little shed where we have another cooler running. It is performing flawlessly in the shed out back. It is essentially brand new, we bought it as a back-up and only plugged it in the other day for the first time. We switch the two coolers. Again, the cooler that ran fine in the shed out back will not work in the kitchen. This pretty much goes on the whole day.
The next morning, we put the cooler in its place in the kitchen and nothing works. I go out to the little shed where we have another cooler running. It is performing flawlessly in the shed out back. It is essentially brand new, we bought it as a back-up and only plugged it in the other day for the first time. We switch the two coolers. Again, the cooler that ran fine in the shed out back will not work in the kitchen. This pretty much goes on the whole day.I call Mike over at Wilson Electric and ask him to check out the electrical service to the plug where the cooler is plugged in. He replaces the wiring and the plug. We check the voltage supply and everything
I call Mike over at Wilson Electric and ask him to check out the electrical service to the plug where the cooler is plugged in. He replaces the wiring and the plug. We check the voltage supply and everything seems to be right. Thinking we have the problem in hand I tell Mike to take off. When we fire up the cooler it does the same thing it has been doing, hovering around forty degrees. Not illegal, but not the way I run my restaurant.I have an idea and I put a box fan behind the cooler because it seems to be running hot. This allows us to limp through the dinner rush and I sit down with the lap top to order another new cooler. I simply cannot run a business with equipment that isn’t functioning properly. I call my friend Bill to ask what cooler he would recommend. He recommends Beverage-air and that happens to be the cooler I am looking at online.
I have an idea and I put a box fan behind the cooler because it seems to be running hot. This allows us to limp through the dinner rush and I sit down with the lap top to order another new cooler. I simply cannot run a business with equipment that isn’t functioning properly. I call my friend Bill to ask what cooler he would recommend. He recommends Beverage-air and that happens to be the cooler I am looking at online.
But then he tells me about the other fellow that had an Avantco that he knew. He says that the cooler was running on the overload meaning that it was cycling on overload, shutting off when the compressor got hot and then cycling back on when it had cooled. I tell him that this is exactly the problem I am having. He says that the person he knew corrected this by putting a three in one Supco start pack. He says that when the unit was built (in this case three units) that the cut-out on the overload protector was engineered too close to the RLA (running line amps) and that after he replace the start pack the cooler ran well.I close the Webstrauant app. I don’t have to buy new coolers. It is quite a relief because overall, I am talking about ten thousand dollars and an initial immediate expense of twenty-five hundred. The next morning Jimmy and I start by going to Johnstone where I grab the three start units off the shelf. They are only forty-five dollars and I remark that I wish that all my problems could be solved so cheaply.
I close the Webstrauant app. I don’t have to buy new coolers. It is quite a relief because overall, I am talking about ten thousand dollars and an initial immediate expense of twenty-five hundred. The next morning Jimmy and I start by going to Johnstone where I grab the three start units off the shelf. They are only forty-five dollars and I remark that I wish that all my problems could be solved so cheaply. We go back to the Rose and put one on the unit in the kitchen. Nothing happens. I take all the components apart to discover that I have reversed two wires. Full of anticipation we reverse the wires. Nothing! We go out to the unit we have out back and put the start kit in it. Nothing. I am looking at then start
We go back to the Rose and put one on the unit in the kitchen. Nothing happens. I take all the components apart to discover that I have reversed two wires. Full of anticipation we reverse the wires. Nothing! We go out to the unit we have out back and put the start kit in it. Nothing. I am looking at then start unit in my hand and discover to my horror that it doesn’t say 1/2 horsepower it says 1/12 horsepower. My 71-year-old eyes have done me a disservice. This is about 3 PM and we are headed toward the dinner rush with a party of thirty in the back room, and I still do not have a working cooler in the most important place in the kitchen.I call my friend Pete at Rockford Refrigeration and for a
I call my friend Pete at Rockford Refrigeration and for a fee he opens for us. I get three of the right start packs and by the time second shift starts we have a working cooler in the kitchen. Not only that but now we have two back-ups. I won’t have to buy new coolers. Actually, it’s quite a relief. We have a working, really working, cooler back in the main station in the kitchen and I don’t have to think about buying some more coolers for a while.Sunday, after the cash settlement and doing the payroll, I walk to my old cook Jose’s visitation. It’s at Christianson, only about a mile from my restaurant. I decide to walk. When I get to the visitation Maria grabs me by the hand and takes me to the coffin. I stand there crying, holding on to Maria. Then I walk her back to her seat. Former alderperson Eleya comes in and I tell her that I need to go because I must go to the market in the morning and I need time to wind down. I tell Maria too and she understands.
Sunday, after the cash settlement and doing the payroll, I walk to my old cook Jose’s visitation. It’s at Christianson, only about a mile from my restaurant. I decide to walk. When I get to the visitation Maria grabs me by the hand and takes me to the coffin. I stand there crying, holding on to Maria. Then I walk her back to her seat. Former alderperson Eleya comes in and I tell her that I need to go because I must go to the market in the morning and I need time to wind down. I tell Maria too and she understands. I am unable to rest. I drive out to the Great Wall again. I just want to be alone for a bit. Then I go back to the restaurant and go right up to my apartment. In the morning (Monday), I head out to Chicago and when I return the guests for the lunch after Jose’s funeral are starting to arrive. I am exhausted. I head up to my place thinking I will take a nap and then be the host with the most. When I come back down, it’s all over. Everyone came at two instead of three and all the lovely Mexican food that Luz Rena and Guillermina have made for the luncheon is gone.
I am unable to rest. I drive out to the Great Wall again. I just want to be alone for a bit. Then I go back to the restaurant and go right up to my apartment. In the morning (Monday), I head out to Chicago and when I return the guests for the lunch after Jose’s funeral are starting to arrive. I am exhausted. I head up to my place thinking I will take a nap and then be the host with the most. When I come back down, it’s all over. Everyone came at two instead of three and all the lovely Mexican food that Luz Rena and Guillermina have made for the luncheon is gone.Tuesday, I do the money and tell everyone that I am taking the day off. Then I discover that the first bar cooler is frozen solid. Jimmy and I spend all morning defrosting and repairing the bar cooler which I now learn
Tuesday, I do the money and tell everyone that I am taking the day off. Then I discover that the first bar cooler is frozen solid. Jimmy and I spend all morning defrosting and repairing the bar cooler which I now learn has been frozen for a couple of days. Then in the afternoon Jon Augustsson drives me over to the Olympic where my old bartender Candace is working and I have the pulled pork sandwich. I recognize the barbecue sauce as Sweet Baby Rays. Then it’s back to the Rose. Wednesday morning, I have the bi-weekly staff meeting and yell at everyone for not telling me when things are broken. Then I attempt to take my afternoon off. Tomorrow it starts all over again when I go into the city to buy everything I need for the weekend business. Jimmy is down stairs doing the inventory. It’s like the circle of life only Jose doesn’t get to be here this time. I wonder if he is watching and perhaps laughing a little bit. He used to enjoy laughing at me when I made a mistake.
Wednesday morning, I have the bi-weekly staff meeting and yell at everyone for not telling me when things are broken. Then I attempt to take my afternoon off. Tomorrow it starts all over again when I go into the city to buy everything I need for the weekend business. Jimmy is down stairs doing the inventory. It’s like the circle of life only Jose doesn’t get to be here this time. I wonder if he is watching and perhaps laughing a little bit. He used to enjoy laughing at me when I made a mistake.
