published in Hip Mama magazine, issue #34, August 2005
Audra Carmine never set out to be an inspiration. But when the 26 year-old mama and former cocktail waitress bought Junior's Cafe in Portland, Oregon, that's exactly what she became to many of her patrons.
"So many customers say that seeing me buy this cafe makes them think maybe they can do it, too," Audra tells me as we sip our coffee. True, she doesn't fit the typical picture of a restaurant owner. With her choppy, black hair, clear blue eyes and buoyant smile, Audra looks more like one of the hipster clientele than the boss of tiny Junior's. But then, she has never been interested in conforming to other peoples' ideas about who she should be.
A mother at 22, a single mother less than a year later, Audra has been supporting herself and her daughter for years -- at one point, by working three jobs. When some coworkers' plans to buy Junior's fell through, Audra got to thinking. "I spoke to the owners and found out I needed a $10,000 down payment. So, I started asking everyone I knew for the money."
Luckily, one of the people she asked included her neighbor, Jean McGowan. Jean, well-known among her friends for bringing people together, didn't have to look far. Her close friend, Ryan Spencer - formerly a young, single mother herself - immediately warmed to the idea of helping Audra bootstrap the cafe purchase. After a quick chat on the phone, it was settled: Ryan offered to lend Audra the money. "It doesn't sound real, I know. Sometimes I can't believe it's real myself," says Audra. She calls Ryan her "angel" and shakes her head at the fairytale quality of their meeting.
"I'm not sent from heaven," Ryan insists, smiling. "This is an investment. The difference is that I'm investing in Audra. I have complete faith in her. My father-in-law advised me to invest in the business and not the person. I disagree. If Audra had come to me with a proposal to run a babysitting service or anything else, I would have said yes."
Now married with three young kids, Ryan feels she's in a good place and in a position to help. "If I could help and I didn't -- that's not the kind of life I want to lead," she says. Ryan's generosity won't end with Junior's; once she gets established, Audra intends to invest in another single mom entrepreneur.
It's common knowledge that restaurant ownership is a risky venture. Why Junior's and not some other, more stable career? "Junior's is the only business I would have considered buying ," says Audra.
Turns out she and her daughter, Veda, have been regulars since Veda was a baby. "Hip waiter dudes with sippy cups. That's what kept us coming back," she laughs, as presumably one of those very same hip dudes strides out to warm up our coffees. "I love the cafe, the neighborhood, and the people who come here. Sort of an alternative crowd, along with the old guys who sit in the corner drinking their coffee."
There's plenty to love about Junior's. A homey vibe wafts through this little joint, which you may miss if you drive by too quickly. Sparkly, gold vinyl booths and flocked wallpaper set a retro mood, but the food is decidedly up-to-date. Here you'll find locally-roasted Stumptown coffee, egg scrambles studded with fresh vegetables (and made with hormone- and cage-free eggs), and the best home fries in town. Traditional Sunday brunch-goers, the midweek lunch crowd, Pacific Northwest foodies, kids, and vegans can all find something to savor here.
Of course, Audra had practical reasons for buying Junior's as well. It's open school hours, so she can craft her schedule to suit her daughter's. It's like a second home to Veda, now four years old, who often sets the tables while her mom gets the cafe ready to open. It suits Audra's shy-but-community-minded personality in ways other careers haven't. Most of all, it's hers. She's used to working hard, and it feels good to put the work into her own venture.
It's said that owning a business is like having a child: you're never really done with your day's work. Audra smiles at the comparison - the cafe is named Junior's, after all - but then shrugs it off. She feels she's at her strongest and best, not only as a person, but as a mother. "Some people seem to want to hear me talk about how terrible it all is [being a young, single mother]. I ran into plenty of judgment and patronizing questions when I told people I wanted to buy the cafe. 'How will you have time for your daughter?' and 'How do you really expect to run a business yourself?' They asked under the guise of 'looking out for me,' but if I were older, married, or a man, they never would have asked such things."
Obviously, she ignored the naysayers. Junior's is thriving, and Audra now comes home full of energy for Veda and her other pursuits, which include writing short fiction. She encourages mothers to follow their dreams of business ownership. She may not get as much sleep as she needs, but she's grateful to have happened onto the charmed path that led her to Junior's. One gets the feeling she does indeed have an angel watching out for her.
Eat at Junior's Cafe!
1742 SE 12th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 235-5474
Open 8-3 daily
