[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16538]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE HARD TIMES CAFE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2012

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Hard Times 
Cafe on the occasion of their 20th anniversary to recognize its 
contribution to the culture and economy of the great state of 
Minnesota.
   Founded in 1992 as a 24-hour restaurant, the Hard Times Cafe has 
become a staple of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. The 
Cafe was started by eight employees out of the vestiges of a failing 
restaurant in the same location, The Urban Peasant. They came together 
to form a new cooperatively owned business that has become known for 
its gritty ambiance, affordable prices, and large selection of vegan 
and vegetarian food. The Cafe is open 22 hours a day, only closing 
between the hours of 4 am and 6 am.
   After closing in August 2007 for required maintenance that was meant 
to last a few weeks, the Hard Times Cafe was forced to remain closed 
for a matter of months. With some assistance from a fellow Minneapolis 
worker cooperative, the Seward Community Cafe, they were able to reopen 
their doors at midnight on December 16, 2007 with many new 
improvements. The resilience of the workers at the Hard Times Cafe is a 
testament to the vitality of the American entrepreneurial spirit and 
the ingenuity of Minnesotans. I applaud them for taking the initiative 
and creating an atmosphere that is truly unique to Minneapolis.
   The Hard Times Cafe also contributes to the civic engagement of the 
city of Minneapolis; Cam Gordon, the Minneapolis Second Ward City 
Council Member, holds his open office hours in the Cafe on the first 
Tuesday morning of each month.
   I truly appreciate everything that the Hard Times Cafe has 
contributed to Minneapolis, and I thank them for their contributions.

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