John Schiltz is no stranger to taking a chance on a restaurant.
The longtime owner of the Lake Elmo Inn, who began there as a dishwasher before becoming a cook, then the owner, admits “I rely a lot on faith.” But there was just something about this grand space where St. Paul’s rail passengers bought tickets to hundreds of trains daily that convinced Schiltz to launch his new venture.
1881 by Lake Elmo Inn, which opened this month, gets it name from the year both the original Union Depot and Lake Elmo Inn opened. Schiltz envisions a restaurant so good that diners return to this marble gem in St. Paul’s Lowertown, drawn by both the food and the Depot’s gleam. Eye on St. Paul recently visited with Schiltz to learn more about why he believes his gamble on St. Paul will pay off. This interview was edited for length.
Q: When did you decide to open this restaurant?
A: I think it was in April. We actually wanted to be do this back in 2017, 2018. They had put out the word that they’re looking for a caterer for the Union Depot. And we got here because there was all of us wanted to cater here. I mean, look at this space! So we’re sitting up there, and they go, “We’re putting this out to bid for whoever would like to be the caterer here. And the one caveat is, you have to run the restaurant.” At that time, they wanted breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. And we just said we can’t do it, so we bowed out.
Well, [years later] after those other contracts fell apart, Frank [Hopp], who helps run our catering division, was out looking for new venues. So, we’re down here catering [parties] and he’s sitting there, and he strikes up a conversation with the management here. And they go, “Would you guys be interested in taking over the catering?” And he asked [John and his wife, Christine] to come down here. And I walked in that front door, and I go, “Oh my God, this is amazing.” I mean, the last couple caterers wanted the catering and didn’t put a lot of effort into [the restaurant]. I think this is the jewel, and the catering is the sugar on that jewel.
Q: How will you be able to sustain traffic to support a restaurant, since a lot of downtown employees still haven’t come back to the office?
A: I’m a guy that comes from Lake Elmo, population of 6,000, and I bought a business that I worked at as a dishwasher and as a cook. When I left, I went around the country, and I worked for Hyatt Hotels, the Broadmoor [in Colorado]. Then I came home for a wedding and that’s the day [the Lake Elmo Inn’s previous owner] put it up for sale. Did I have a vision? I have no idea. I just knew that place had good bones. Well, this is my 40th year there. I took something that did not have a lot of business to start with. … But I have a reputation of good food, and I’m bringing that to the table. I think good food anywhere is going to work.
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