Ed Flood has come a long way from the “punk kid” who started his career doing dishes and cooking in restaurants 46 years ago.
For the past 21 years he has owned and managed the mom-and-pop icon called The Kitchen, a side-street diner located at 803 North Fifth St. in Superior.
“My wife Teresa and I bought the business together and ran it side by side for many years,” Flood said. “Along with our staff and customers we created a family that was at the heart of everything we did.”
Flood’s wife died from cancer two years ago, and he has also lost other friends and relatives in recent years. At 62 he’s starting to have an awareness of what he wants to do with his remaining years, so he recently put The Kitchen up for sale.
The legacy of this small restaurant began 75 years ago as a 24-hour diner launched by Kitchener and Alice Thompson, and 45 years ago was then sold to Patty and Jared Kenville.
Today the restaurant is a breakfast and lunch hotspot, open six days a week.
Want to dine where everyone knows your name, a full breakfast costs around six bucks, and a burger and fries will set you back a mere seven dollars? That’s exactly what you will find at the Kitchen. That and made-from-scratch soups and daily specials such as chicken dinner or pot roast ($11.25), and a clientele as diverse as the restaurant’s décor.
But something about the quirky café, complete with a payphone and an odd assortment of art covering the walls, sticks with its customers and its staff.
“We have six staff,” Flood explained. “One cook has been here for 13 years and a waitress for 16. We’ve watched our customers come in with their kids and years later those kids come in with their kids. We’ve had a front-row seat on our customers’ lives, from newborns to graduations to weddings. There are customers who come in all the time and I can set my watch by them.”
Part of the Kitchen’s beloved clientele includes law enforcement. The men and women in blue can regularly be spotted at the restaurant, and each year Flood and his team hold a fundraiser where officers and other community leaders act as servers for the day. The proceeds go to local organizations such as Toys for Tots.
One secret to success, Flood noted, is being “fast, efficient and friendly.” And from the reviews, the Kitchen has nailed it. As one reviewer on Yelp noted “We came from Texas and we were looking for a local breakfast joint, and boy did we find a good one. The Kitchen filled us up with homestyle goodness. Everything was delicious and the wait staff were friendly and fun.”
Another reviewer on Trip Advisor cited the now famous hashbrown omelet (an inside out version of the breakfast staple) as the big draw. “Ordered to go. Food was ready quickly. Hashbrown omelet might be the best omelet I have had anywhere. How can you go wrong? Ham and cheese omelet wrapped in hashbrowns. Bring your appetite as portions are big. Prices are reasonable. Great place to get a great breakfast.”
And yet another five-star review describes the unique diner as “fabulous.”
“If you are looking for that real cafe experience this is the place. When you arrive, you will be greeted with the smell of hot coffee and food sizzling on the grill and dishes clanking. You get the idea. The building is not picture perfect. Who cares? You are there for the meal. You do not wait long and your hot meal is served. This cafe is a special treasure in our city and it is enjoyed by many. Give it a try. You will not regret it. By the way, the prices are fantastic!”
While the clientele back in the day were mostly blue-collar workers and senior citizens, today’s crowd is a blend of seniors, college students and folks wearing ties. Oddly, Flood said, most of the customers come over from Duluth. Also curiously, is the fact that during a time of political division
The Kitchen’s customers come from all different party persuasions.
“I think what really sets us apart is our employees,” Flood noted. “You come in and we likely know your name. You get fast service and reasonably priced, made-from-scratch food. It’s kind of like going home. People from across the bridge find it easy enough to get here, and it’s a different experience. It’s kind of like Cheers. We don’t have to agree on our political views. We can have some good-natured ribbing, but at the end of the day we still respect each other and maybe even agree on some things.”
And after all these years, he still enjoys the work. “I love the work and people I work with. As long as the work gets done, we can have a lot of fun with each other and the customers.”
He acknowledges it will be a sad day when he doesn’t wake up before the birds to get to the restaurant from his home in Bennett before 5 a.m.
Still, he has no desire to leave The Kitchen behind before he finds the right buyer. And then, and only then, will he enjoy some of his hobbies such as hunting and fishing, traveling and perhaps doing some consulting in the restaurant industry.
“I want the right buyer, who will understand that a big part of why this works is because of the staff we have,” he said. “I would hope someone would keep them on and keep doing things the way we’ve been doing them. It’s a turnkey business centered around a model that has worked for decades. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel or shake things up. It’s a solid business that works. I hope somebody keeps it going. If I don’t think it’s the right buyer, I would have a hard time selling it to them.”
The restaurant sits on six lots, and the sale is being handled by Steve Germond at Re/Max Results.
Holly Kelsey-Henry is a freelance writer who lives in northern Wisconsin.
