Victoria Café Going Down

The End

Love, Sue

Email:  SuePrintsPublishing.com

HomePage:  www.PrintsPublishing.com

The Old Victoria Café property on Main Street in Downtown Victoria was purchased by the City of Victoria in 2003, anticipating downtown redevelopment.  It was demolished on Wednesday morning, June 25th, 2008.  Joe and Catherine Vanderlinde had purchased the café in 1961 from Ben Notermann and operated the place six days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and sometimes until 4 or 5 in the morning on Friday and Saturday nights.  Joe died in 1982 at the age of 67, and Catherine continued to operate the place during his years of illness and after his death, six days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The Vanderlinde children and others assisted at the café over the years.  The favorite meal of customers was Pork Steak.  The second favorite meal was Ribs and Saurkraut.  It was a gathering place in Victoria for several decades.

The café was located between the Victoria Post Office and the Ruth Johnson home on Main Street.

Catherine’s old black stove, from which she served hundreds and thousands of people over the years, including truckers and travelers, remained to the bitter end.

Jerome “Chub” Aretz was a mayor of Victoria in the 1970’s and Carver County Commissioner in the 1980’s.  The Victoria Café was a place for him to feel the pulse of the public.

It’s amazing how many people could gather in the Victoria Café.  See anybody you know?

The regular Coffee Klatch included Rod Groff, Jerry Gross, Chub Aretz, and John Notermann.

This photo was taken on the occasion of Catherine’s birthday.  Do you know which one?

The same coffee cups served many different people.  That’s Father Ronald Dinn, Father Elstan Coghill,

Barbara Leuthner, Dorothy Kelzer, Marge Leuthner, Betty Krauth.